---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Benjamin Fahrer <permiesun...@gmail.com> Date: 7 January 2013 12:10 Subject: Natural farmer and Permaculture Designer and Musicians Visiting Goa To: another...@gmail.com
Dear Friends, I found your email on a Goa mailing list around a garden workshop. I am an organic farmer from California, an advocate of new and innovative farming systems, and a permaculture designer and teacher. Me and a small delegation from the states, Including a group of musicians are planning on visiting India, spending time in Goa while visiting some regional projects and would very much like to visit some food growing projects and innovative green projects. I am wondering how to visit any Urban Farming projects or sustainability sites that you might know of? I would be very willing to share any information or consultations services of mine if needed. We are really wanting to experience and witness the way in which farmers and communities in India are responding to pressures of capitalism, Bio-tech and industrial AG and how another way is possible. Especially to the plight of communities and people in the urban environment and those communities that are dealing with the issue of farmer suicides. Our hope is to learn new ways to grow food in cities as well as the countryside with little inputs and lots of innovation. We fly in on Jan 21 to Delhi with a small tour in the North, and then head south. We will be in Goa on Feb 2-8 in which we would hope to connect with some projects Thank you I hope to hear from you soon. Benjamin for more info of myself, see my bio is below http://permacultureglobal.com/users/923-benjamin-fahrer Below is an overall brief of our tour *BUILD India Tour 2013***** Rupa and the April Fishes <http://www.aprilfishes.com/>* with ***** *The Permaculture Research Institute * January 25*th** **– March 10**th** 2013* **** Every 30 minutes, an Indian farmer commits suicide. Whether by pesticides, hanging or other tragic means, the underlying cause is invariably the same: debt. As the world suffers from the burden of unsustainable economic practices, the greatest weight is borne by the poor, in grieving families in local communities around the world. **** ** **For many NRIs, the story of India’s rural suffering sits awkwardly alongside the language of India’s global economic triumph. Yet for every Ambani, there is a crore of rural poor. To learn more, and to bring increased awareness around farmer suicides in India, the NRI (nonresident indian)-led global mashup band Rupa & the April Fishes will be heading to India this January in partnership with farmer-activist Benjamin Fahrer from the Permaculture Research Institute, to tour, share, learn and publicize the situation facing communities in the states hardest-hit by these suicides. Throughout the 6-week tour, this traveling group of farmers and musicians will perform nightly concerts in rural farming communities. During the days, they will learn from rural communities, and share their skills at daytime permaculture workshops partnering with local groups already working towards solutions combatting the ongoing suicides. The group will also be traveling to major urban centers in India, with the band performing in traditional music venues and farmers being present to educate the public about issues behind this tour. The BUILD India tour will create a bridge, and a space of encounter, between the polarized worlds of the urban and rural experiences of modern Indian life.**** ** **BUILD’s bridge will also be international In order that the situation in India be better known to NRIs, the tour will also be accompanied by a team of videographers, who’ll capture the lessons learned by the tour, and amplify some of the voices least heard outside (and often within) India. Those lessons will be shared with the world soon after the tour ends. ** **The BUILD India Tour will create a place for artists, farmers and the public to serve as witnesses to the current state of affairs around challenges faced by today's farmers, to exchange information between farmers that may serve to re-localize farming practices and reinvigorate pride in historic Indian agrarian culture, to bring heightened awareness to the issues bringing farmers to this desperate state and to use genre-blending music as a vehicle for connecting communities, both urban and rural, Indian and non-Indian, in a moment of shared reflection, hope and further activation for the imagining of another way. Benjamin Fahrer Ecological Builder, Designer, Educator & Consultant. *International Research and Assessment* permiesun...@gmail.com *skype : benjaminfahrer108* *Profile and Projects<http://permacultureglobal.com/users/923-benjamin-fahrer> ** * * phone 831-667-2376* * * * * * * *The Prime Directive of Permaculture* ** *"The only ethical decision is to take responsibility for our own existence and that of our children. Make it now."* -- *Imagine Goa celebrating with the Christmas SPIRIT only half as much as it pushes its LIQUOR *......*hic* ................................................................ there *is* anOTHERgoa at <http://www.anothergoa.blogspot.in> & <http://www.youtube.com/anothergoa> ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' muriel & mario, c/o FULKAR, 6/22, sonarbhatt, saligao. bardez. goa. 403511. tel: 0832-2278276 / 2409999 <anothergoa AT gmail.com> ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''