Bija Vidyapeeth: Centre for Learning
January 13 - 15, 2007
Limits to Globalisation : Ecological, Social and Cultural
Faculty : Mr. S.P. Shukla, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Mr. Prashant Bhushan, Mr. Krishan Bir Choudhary
Economic Globalisation was promoted as the new paradigm which would “lift all boats”, “make the earth flat”, and put an “end to poverty”. However, the social, ecological and cultural impacts of corporate globalisation are exposing the limits of an economic and political model based on greed, inequality and non-sustainability. Farmers are committing suicide, climate chaos is growing, violence is increasing and inequalities are threatening the very fabric of society. The course on “Limits to Globalisation” will explore the ecological limits, the democratic limits and the limits of justice that the project of globalisation is coming up against. It will also cover the impacts of globalisation as well as alternatives that are emerging.
The course faculty will include Mr. S.P. Shukla, Dr. Vandana Shiva and Mr. Prashant Bhushan, who have played a leading role in building the movement against WTO, and offering democratic alternatives.
For those interested, we offer additional practical work with Navdanya as an alternatives to corporate led globalisation in agriculture. Please enquire for details.
February 3 - 5, 2007
Grandmother’s University : Women’s Traditional Knowledge in Food and Health (course jointly organised by Navdanya and Diverse Women for Diversity)
Faculty : Dr. Vandana Shiva, Ms. Bija Devi, Ms. Bhawardabhai, Dr. Mira Shiva, Ms. Sushma Iyengar, Ms. Shashi Tyagi, Ms. Vidya Rao, Ms. Janet Chawla, Ms. Bulbul Sharma, Ms. Maya Goburdhun, Ms. Kusum Mishra and Ms. Elina Sen.
The Grandmothers University will celebrate and share the wisdom and skills we have received from our grandmothers, the custodians of culture and knowledge. Participants will learn techniques of saving seeds and the practice of ecological agricultural, health and nutrition, healthy ways of cooking and healing through herbs. The rich traditions of the knowledge of the diverse uses of biodiversity will be transmitted to course participants by a faculty of grandmothers.
The three-day Grandmother’s University course will dedicate –
Day 1 - Women’s health issues and traditional knowledge of healing medicine, medicinal plants and midwifery.
Day 2 – Focus on food and nutrition including practical sessions on working for health.
Day 3 – Focus on seed and biodiversity and role of women as seed keepers.
For those interested, we offer possibilities of additional practical work with Navdanya. Please enquire for details.
March 23 – 27, 2007
Biodiversity Conservation and Biodiverse Organic Farming
Faculty : Dr. Vandana Shiva and Navdanya Team
Industrial agriculture is based on the myth that biodiversity interferes in productivity, and chemical intensive monocultures produce more food. However the biodiversity based organic farming produces more food and higher incomes for farmers. The suicides of more than 100,000 farmers over the past decade are a wake up call for India to make a transition from the “suicide economy” of high cost chemical intensive agriculture to the living economy of biodiversity based organic farming.
For those interested, we offer possibilities of additional practical work with Navdanya. Please enquire for details
July 7 - 8, 2007
Mango Harvest Weekend
There are between 500-1000 different varieties of mango in India. The juicy, sweet mango fruit has been revered in India since the birth of the Gods. Celebrate a fruit indigenous to India, and prized throughout the country, throughout history. Navdanya’s organic orchard has the following varieties:
Dasahari
Langra
Kalmi
Malda
Chausa
Safeda
Desi
Desi Achari and
Tota Pari Asli
The harvest weekend festival will include tasting of the different varieties of mango and preparing diverse mango dishes.
September 17 – 21, 2007
Agro Ecology / Organic Farming
Faculty : Dr. Vandana Shiva and Navdanya Team
Agro-Ecology is the science of sustainable agriculture. Agro-ecology provides an alternative to the industrial agriculture paradigm. Organic farming can either be based on principles of agro-ecology or principles of agro-ecology, or principles of input substitution. Input substitution replaces chemical inputs with organic inputs but maintains monocultures and a focus on cash crops for exports. While substituting chemicals, it fails to meet holistic sustainability, criteria, including the conservation of biodiversity and reduction of dependence on fossil fuels and reduction of food miles. The course on agro-ecology and organic farming will equip participants with both the scientific principles and practical experience of an agriculture that is truly sustainable.
For those interested, we offer possibilities of additional practical work with Navdanya. Please enquire for details
October 3 – 10, 2007
Food Safety and Food Security
Faculty : Ms. Marion Nestle, Dr. Vandana Shiva
One billion people on the planet are hungry. Another two billion are victims of obesity. The course on Food Safety and Food Security will explore the roots of the two facets of the food crisis, how they are connected, and what are the alternatives to provide enough food for all, and guarantee that food safe is and healthy.
The course will also analyse false solutions, such as “pseudo hygiene” laws, which destroy local foods and produce unhealthy, unsafe industrial foods, as well as genetic engineering, which is offered as a solution to hunger.
For those interested, we offer possibilities of additional practical work with Navdanya. Please enquire for details
November 24 – December 7, 2007
Gandhi and Globalisation
Faculty : Mr. Satish Kumar, Venerable Samdhong Rinchope, Dr. Vandana Shiva
A hundred years ago Gandhi gave the name “Satyagraha” (force of truth) to non-violent, non-cooperation with unjust law. In 1908, he wrote Hind Swaraj, which land out his core principles of Swaraj (Self Rule), Swadeshi (Self-Reliance) and Satyagraha. The course on Gandhi and Globalisation will celebrate a century of Gandhi’s thoughts and relate it to issues of our times.
For those interested, we offer possibilities of additional practical work with Navdanya. Please enquire for details.
