Agriculture in the service of man and nature

Maryline Goustiaux

Intensive agriculture is at the heart of today’s climate and social challenges.

On the one hand, its systematic use of chemicals causes soil deterioration and contributes to deforestation. In the Amazon, for example, according to Green Peace, “Just over 65% of the cleared land is now occupied by pastures”.

On the other hand, the population of farmers is suffering and decreasing, due in particular to extremely difficult working conditions.  According to figures from the National Suicide Observatory (ONS), there is about one suicide of a farmer every two days in France.

SOL: Alternatives Agro écologiques et Solidaires, is an association that is committed to “putting people back at the heart of their environment and supporting this necessary change.” In France, India and Senegal, SOL is working for sustainable agriculture by raising awareness and training local communities in methods of saving and producing peasant seeds. The objective is to develop autonomous agro-ecological farms.

Since 2016, in 40 villages in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan states, 430 farmers have been trained in agroecology and 28 climate-resilient seed varieties have been conserved and seeded in 3 community seed banks.  In 2018, 270 farmers who have been trained are currently being made autonomous.

The Foundation has been supporting the empowerment of these local communities for 3 years.

 

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