International Workshop on Organic Agriculture 3.0

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) in collaboration with the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP), Dhaka, Bangladesh and Asia Productivity Organisation (APO), Tokyo, Japan is organising an International Workshop on Organic Agriculture 3.0 from 03-07 December 2018 at RGNIYD, Sriperumbudur.

The objectives of the workshop are to enable extensive adoption of sustainable farming systems based on organic principles, instil a culture of innovation, replication of best practices in the different countries. The programme has delegates and Observers from various countries in the Asia and the Pacific region viz., Bangladesh, Cambodia, Republic of China (Taiwan), Fiji, Indonesia, Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and India.

The programme was inaugurated by Ms Padma Raghunathan, Chief General Manager/ OIC, NABARD, Chennai and delivered the opening message. During her message, she reiterated the importance of organic agriculture and gave an overview of status of organic farming with special reference to India. She brought out the imperative role of NABARD in promoting agriculture as an apex development financial institution, entrusted with matters concerning policy, planning and operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas in India. She underscored the role of NABARD in active development of financial inclusion policy as a member of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion and being the only DIF (Developmental Financial Institution) status institution in India.

She added that NABARD has been instrumental in grounding rural, social innovations and social enterprises in the rural hinterlands. It is in the process of partnering with about 4000 organisations in grounding many of the interventions such as, SHG-Bank Linkage programme, tree-based tribal communities’ livelihoods initiative, watershed approach in soil and water conservation, increasing crop productivity initiatives through lead crop initiative or dissemination of information flow to agrarian communities through Farmer clubs.

Dr Chandra Mohan, Registrar, RGNIYD delivered the special address during the occasion who brought out the paramount significance of organic farming as the need of the hour and the role of youth.  Dr. Vasanthi Rajendran, Professor and Head, Centre for National and International Collaboration, RGNIYD outlined the purpose, objectives and expected outcomes of the programme and welcomed the guests and delegates.  Dr. Shaikh Tanveer Hossain, Program Officer, APO and Mr. Mohammad Zakaria, Program Officer, CIRDAP were present during the occasion.

The workshop will have sessions on organic farming and the SDGs, principles and values of organic agriculture and its implications, revolution in organic agriculture: organic 3.0 approach and goals, contribution of organic food systems to sustainable and healthy diets agriculture and food systems, true-cost accounting, true value, and fair pricing, organic agriculture 3.0: innovation with research, features of transparent, integrity and inclusiveness of organic 3.0, family farming in organic agriculture besides sharing country specific case studies on organic agriculture.

The sessions will be facilitated resource persons of high acclaim such as Dr. Zejiang Zhou, Senior Advisor of OFDC-MEP, PR China, Mr. David F. Gould, Program Facilitator and IFOAM North American Representative Portland, Oregon, USA, Mr. Victoriano I. Tagupa, Executive Director, League of Organic Agriculture Municipalities and cities in the Philippines (LOAMC-PH) and Dr. E. Somasundaram, Professor and Head, Department of Sustainable Organic Agriculture, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore.

In view of replicating the best practices involving the community members in practicing organic agriculture/farming, the delegates will also visit the Irula Tribal Womens Welfare Society (ITWWS) –Thandarai - The Herbal Village on 5th December 2018 to witness the conservation of medicinal plants and revitalisation of indigenous health traditions of the Irula Community.  

The prime purpose of RGNIYD conducting this workshop is to encourage and promote best practices of organic agriculture, particularly among the rural youth.

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (rgniyd), Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, is an Institute of National Importance by the Act of Parliament under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.  RGNIYD functions as a vital resource centre with its multi-faceted functions of conducting training programmes for youth functionaries across the country, besides offering academic programmes, engaging in seminal research in the vital areas of youth development and extension and outreach initiatives across the country.