Terrascope Field Experience Sirsi India As the Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen has observed that there is no such thing as an apolitical food problem One of the greatest achievements of India has been to provide food security for its people As recently as 1943 the Bengal famine claimed more than two million lives The means by which India provides food security has recently come under review The lessons of the debate are crucial both for India and for other countries striving to meet the nutritional needs of their people The Location of IRCC Agriculture in Karnataka Karnataka is an agrarian state known worldwide for its production of coffee raw silk and sandalwood Agriculture makes up 64 6 percent of the total area About 70 of the people of the state live in villages and 71 of the total population is agriculture dependent Agriculture in Karnataka is mainly done over 3 seasons Kharif April to September Rabi October to December Summer January to March Karnataka is a major producer of rice in India with Rice primary food crop and sugarcane is the cash crop Other cash crops sown in Karnataka agriculture apart from sugarcane are cashews cardamom betel areca nut and grapes The cool slopes of western Ghats are well known for coffee and tea plantations Eastern regions are widely known for producing sugarcane rubber plants and fruits such as oranges and bananas The state has a 75 share of the total floriculture industry of the country Horticulture generates 40 percent of the total income of the state Sandalwood comes from forests Silk is very important The Kharif crops in Karnataka comprise millets paddy rice maize moong pulses groundnut red chillies cotton soyabean sugarcane rice and turmeric The major Rabi crops of Karnataka are wheat barley mustard sesame and peas Food Insecurity High In Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh And Karnataka Study Food insecurity worsened in the most urbanised states of Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka said a study released by Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy Interestingly the food insecurity in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka equally worsened in rural areas in the review period it said The report raised concerns about the model of urban growth that has been adopted in the three states which are considered exemplars for achieving high growth in the country At all India level the report found the period of economic reforms and high growth has not seen a clear improvement in urban food security across all the states Besides food insecurity the report also highlighted chronic under nutrition among women and children besides unemployment water and sanitation in urban areas http indiacurrentaffairs org food insecurity high inmaharashtra andhra pradesh and karnataka study Sirsi Terrascope Field Program Purpose An intensive field experience to ground truth the social economic environmental and political realities of the complex food security issues set in the context of India Objectives The Terrascope Field Experience takes participants on a learning journey that 1 Offers hands on learning through immersion in and interaction with some of the complexities and human elements of food security in India 2 Opens new perspectives on the environmental social economic and political realities of food security in India 3 Provides opportunities for interaction with local communities politicians scientists food security experts and relevant institutions 4 Provides an opportunity for creating new relationships and team building with their peers Key elements of visit Field visits to different agricultural production landscapes and meet farmers Hands on field research in active agro forestry lands Dialogue with a farmers cooperative Visit an intensive technology driven agricultural production system Meet and dialogue with local agricultural college Visit to Agro forestry Spice dry fruit Areca land Sirsi Pepper Areca Nut Vanilla Cashew Visit to Local Cooperative Society Learning and action planning Earthwatch India Regional Climate Centre Located in Western Ghats of India a mountain range stretching 1600 km down the western side of India Globally recognised biodiversity hotspot with nearly 5 000 species of flowering plants and over 1000 species of vertebrates Some of the forest is protected as Forest Department reserves some is community forest land where local communities have full access to forest resources and some areas are privately managed as plantations The area is densely populated with heavy reliance on forest products Earthwatch works with the Indian Institute of Science at this site which has been conducting research ecological and socio economic at the reserve for 25 years Volunteers from HSBC termed Climate Champions assist with data collection in the field and data entry overseen by scientists from the Indian Institute of Science Earthwatch Team Research Partners Earthwatch Team Prof N R Ravindranath Lead Scientist Centre for Sustainable Technologies Indian Institute of Science Research partners IISc Dr Monowar Alam Khalid India Field Director Mr Prashant Mahajan Learning and Comms Manager Earthwatch Institute Our Climate Champions Team 1 Team 2 Team 5 Team 3 Team 4 Champions in Action It s break for Breakfast Sirsi Base Camp Hotel Panchavati Facilities Room Pantry Restaurant Lecture Hall and prayer tv room Earthwatch Sirsi Offices and computer rooms Field vehicles Time to enjoy and relax Shopping Local attractions
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