Agroecology on the ground in Telangana, India

Abstract

The emerging science of agroecology requires frameworks for its conduction. This two-part thesis first documents the ecological initiatives of the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) in Telangana, India and then uses grounded theory methodology to investigate the transition process of farmers adopting ecological farming practices. Despite a growing economy and images of modernity from an emerging high-tech sector, persistent farmer suicides reveal the agrarian situation in India as a crisis. The solutions which were chosen to alleviate the years of hunger of the 1960’s are now showing increased consequences: loss of soil fertility, depleting groundwater levels and deskilling of farmer knowledge replaced by costly market made solutions. The call for an ecological age aims to remediate the above scenario given that it applies modern ecosystem understanding to new and old practices alike. Rather than advocating an input intensive approach, recognizing the complexity and regenerative capacity of agroecosystems leads to a knowledge intensive approach to the design and management of food and farming systems. The proposed grounded theory illustrates that the realization of ecological transition requires the appropriate knowledge, incremental adoption of practices and ultimately a solidarity and trust towards the alternative techniques. Through education of ecological principles and the building of institutions that favour such production schemes, organizations working in ecological agriculture, such as the CSA, are a prime example that a fair agriculture, which alleviates hunger and improves livelihoods, is possible through the implementation of sound agroecological principles.