It’s tough getting a sense of the reality on the ground in Indian agriculture from outside the country, and without having roots in the culture. But that’s exactly why this kind of reporting and communication is so vital — because these same problems are playing out in slightly different context everywhere. So thanks for the follow-up and additional links for readers.

I found this story today in my feed and thought it was worth linking to as part of this conversation:

• The Man Who Saved The Lives of 4 Million Farmers

I feel like that gentleman is a bit more in line with my own thinking as a farmer, though I respect that his techniques may not be for everybody.

Excerpt:

He advocates something called ‘zero budget spiritual farming’ where the argument is that nature, if treated well, gives farmers all the nutrients for farming and that there is no need to pour chemicals into the soil. Palekar is also a major advocate of the use of indigenous cattle breeds in India and says his research shows that manure and urine from ‘desi’ cows — usually with a trademark hump on the back — add far more valuable nutrients to the soil than hybrid cattle. He gives detailed instructions on how to make simple pesticides and fertilisers using cow urine and manure — formulas that had been used in India for centuries before chemical fertilisers and pesticides arrived. Shunning hybrid seeds, Palekar encourages the use of natural seeds.