With Sustainable Insights, (NASI)

Native Agriculture

With Sustainable Insights, (NASI)

Satyabrata Misra, NASI, Chatra-Chakada,Derabish,

Kendrapara, Orissa, PIN 754289,INDIA.

Email:

My Background, Activities and Dreams

I, Satyabrata Misra, an eco-farmer and a village school teacher from a remote Indian rural village interested to tell you few things about myself, my work and. I would be very happy and thankful to you if you could kindly give little of your precious time to listen to me.

I am from Orissa state in the east coast of India. I am a Social and Peace Worker and sincerely concerned for the well being of the planet earth and the future of humanity. In my own little way I am working for this goal with love and determination to do something positive for our sustenance. I am doing Organic Agricultural Farming here in my native village. After my University study in Geography, I worked as a teacher in a holistic school project, which followed the educational insights of J.Krishnamurti. While working in this school fortunately I got an opportunity to study Bio-dynamic and Organic Agricultural Farming in Norway. I joined as a trainee and spent there two years studying the philosophy, methods and techniques of bio-dynamic and organic agriculture. I consider myself fortunate enough to get the chance of spending time in a beautiful country among many nice people. I am glad that I could equip myself with the knowledge of ‘how to do organic farming’. I am thankful to life for offering me this great opportunity.

After finishing my study in Norway I decided to start my own organic agricultural farm here in my native village. This Indian village is like another patch of Earth where traditional farmers are rapidly changing into chemical farmers disregarding the ancient wisdom. Big poison spraying machines are rushing in to breakdown the holiness of age-old Vedic agricultural, socio-cultural and religious lifestyle of these people. I found it to be the right place and time to start with my venture. Since my return I have remained busy in fixing my dream project, the organic farm. In fact, I had to start from the scratches. There was only n unused plot of ancestral land with me, full of bushes, undergrowths and so on. I had to work really hard in order to bring the land to proper shape for cultivation. From the little savings from my pocket money (I was getting 1000 Kroner per month) I could fix only few things like making the land ready for agriculture, fencing it green and construction of a small cowshed with straw roof etc. I dug a bore-well (the source of water for the farm) by the help of my dear Norwegian friend Aksel Hugo. The farmer couple (Finn Dale Iversen & Evelyn Romer, Holmsbu, Norway) with whom I was getting practical training were very happy with me as I was the only practicant who went for real farming and donated money to buy the 1st cow for the farm. Only with this single cow and few farming tools the farm was so to say crawling when occurred the cruel and devastating Super Cyclone. It broke down the cow house, and the cow was killed under the fallen roof and walls. All the newly planted plants and the crop were spoiled. It crushed the infant farm and shattered my dream. Still I didn’t give up; rather with more care I went on rebuilding it with the help of few noble friends. Now years have passed but unfortunately no spectacular developments have so far taken place. Now after 13 years the devastating cyclone has again caused a terrible damaged to our entire project.

It is worth mentioning here that behind this organic farming project there was a purpose to support the school where I was ateacher before I went to Norway. My late father, Professor Dr.Sadananda Misra (he was an English language teacher and a peace activist)had great interest in holistic education and deep respect for J.Krishnamurti’s educational insights. He founded this school to impart holistic education to orphan and underprivileged rural children. Unfortunately he passed away in a tragic road accident. His untimely departure has given a severe blow to us as well as to the school. Now this school is running sick with several village children. Apart from other requirements the food for the residential orphan students is very essential. The farm doesprovide vegetables, rice, milk etc. to the school now but it is quite inadequate because the farm is not capable enough to meet this need.

Here I put before you the true-life picture of our daily life, my little dream to develop the farm, to help the school and the picture of my helplessness in arranging the basic needs of the farm and the school. For your kind perusal I attach herewith the brochure, which will tell you about our ‘Village-School-Farm Project’ in detail.

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