A view of Suman Sangam, the organic farm that will host Ecologise Camp 5
Announcing Ecologise Camp 5 at Dharwad, Karnataka
This is a weekend Orientation Camp organised by the Ecologise Network. It is a part of a programme through which those living in cities can explore living in an ecologically more sensitive and sustainable manner. The camp also aims to expose participants to the current world crisis of global warming, resource depletion and growing inequality.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF ORIENTATION CAMP – “ECOLOGISE! -5”
June 24 -25, 2017
Suman Sangam– A forest farm (click to visit website)
Village Daddi Kamalapur (Dharwad – Panaji (Goa) highway)
Dharwad, Karnataka, India
READ:
Ideas, inspiration and ducks: Letter from an Ecologise Camp participant
Venetia Kotamraju
Background
We, the urban middle class, live in the world of money but we don’t realise where the money comes from. We think that we, or our parents/progenitors, have earned this money and that it came out of nothing else but hard work. We don’t realise that the work involves trade, industrial processing etc. which involves the transfer of resources from rural areas or nature. On an average, 1 square kilometre area of a big Indian city consumes resources from about 100 sq kilometres of rural India (or of nature). This transfer involves energy, food and water and many other resources like timber, fuel and raw materials for industry. This results in depriving/taking more than our share of resources from nature. A city, by definition, lives beyond its carrying capacity.
In the last few decades, this has resulted in mass scale ecological degradation, endangering the very existence of many species. At the same time, the life of humans living in the cities also has degraded. Children don’t play enough, our food is not healthy, our water bodies and air are polluted, and many of us suffer from diseases caused by our current lifestyle such as obesity, asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure and sometimes strokes. There are also psychological repercussions such as loneliness, depression, suicides etc.
One way out of this situation for individuals is through ‘ecologising’ themselves. This would involve adopting a lifestyle of living in close proximity to nature and land, doing manual labour and living in a community rather than living atomised lives, that sometimes may lead to a ‘loss of meaning’ and even loneliness or depression, in the cities.
About the camp
This is a weekend Orientation Camp jointly organised by a group of organic farms. It is a part of a programme through which those living in cities can explore living in an ecologically more sensitive and sustainable manner.
Specifically, it is a programme involving stay and work on an organic farm for one year, as a volunteer. During the orientation camp the participant may decide which farm they wish to work on. There will be a few ‘break periods’ during which participants can go home or travel.
The Orientation camp is also open to those who are not ready for long stays.
The programme
For the participants who are there for only the weekend camp, it will introduce them to practices one can incorporate in one’s life to live a more healthy and a less resource-intensive lifestyle. It will also give them exposure to the current world crisis of global warming, resource depletion and growing inequality. It will expose them to what people are doing and what we can do here and now in moving towards sustainability and equity. Participants can explore how they themselves can move towards a lower scale of resource consumption.
During the one year programme, the participants on an average will be involved for 4 hours of manual work per day. They will have access to books and some relevant films and videos. It is expected, however, that on the whole, they will spend less time on phones/mobiles and Internet than they have been used to in their city life. Also connectivity is not very good on most farms. Be prepared for digital detoxification!
Fees, etc.
The one year programme does not offer fellowships nor does it expect participants to pay for their learning or stay. Any specific cash expenditure during the programme will be collectively met by the principle of ‘pay according to your ability to pay’. However, they will be expected to look after their own self-maintenance needs such as cleaning, laundry, medical needs, etc. during their stay. The food arrangements will have to be worked out with each host farm, in terms of task sharing, expenses etc.
Mentoring
Mentoring will be available both at the farm level as well as during the orientation workshop. On the farms, individuals who live on the farm will act as mentors. During the orientation, one young person and one senior person will guide attendees. Participants should be open, also, to learn from peasants and other people living in rural areas, including children!
Registration
Send an email with your details and travel schedule to:
Dr. Sanjeev Kulkarni
Nagemallige, 20/1, Mahishi Road, Malmaddi,
Dharwad -580007, Karnataka, India
Tel: 91 – 836 – 2743100
Email: sankulajeev@gmail.com +91 944 814 3100
Copy to: t.vijayendra@gmail.com, +91 94907 05634
Book Early
The optimum number of participants including the hosts and resource persons is in the range of 25-30. So to avoid disappointment book early. Also June is holiday season so the trains and buses will be heavily booked. Participants and resource persons can arrive a day earlier and leave a day after. Even longer stay either way is possible if we are informed about it.
Closing of Registration
Registration will close as soon as we receive adequate numbers of applications. Other wise it will close on June 15. We will confirm as we receive applications on first come basis. We will also send details of how to reach along with confirmation letter.
Organisers
The orientation camp is jointly organised by a group of organic farms. This is the fifth orientation camp in the series and the second one to be held at Suman Sangam.
The Farms
- Sangatya, Nakre, Udupi District, Karnataka – 10 km. from Karkala town. Contact person: Shreekumar. Email: shreeudp@gmail.com; +91 94803 46081
- Suman Sangam- A forest farm, Dharwad, Karnataka – 10 Km. From Dharwad City. Contact person: Sanjeev Kulkarni Email: sankuljeev@gmail.com; +91 94481 43100
- No Man’s Land Organic Farm, Sirsi, Uttara Kannada District, Karnataka – 16 km. from Sirsi town. Contact person: George Varghese. Email: grgvrghs@gmail.com; +91 94812 78348
- Asta Farm, Doddaubbanur, near Thally, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu – 60 km. from central Bangalore. Contact person: Gracy Elezebeth. Email: gracyvijay@yahoo.com; +91 94484 82572
- Srirampura Farm, Srirampura, Chikballapur, Karnataka 562103. Contact person Usha Rao. Email:ushahaha@gmail.com Mobile: +91 82772 90602
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Ideas, inspiration and ducks: Letter from an Ecologise Camp participant
Venetia Kotamraju
The camp is a great opportunity to meet people who are trying to make the transition from urban to rural or at least high-impact to low-impact lifestyles, to find inspiration, role models, ideas and perhaps answers to those questions and challenges that well meaning conventional-thinking relatives and friends keep hurling at you.