A D I S I L

Natural Dye

2011-10-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

Natural dyeing has been an age old tradition in India, recent invention of chemical dyes and their excessive usage has caused health related problems. The vegetable dyed and printed fabrics adorned homes not only in India but to the homes of western world also. The people who are conscious to the environment have been searching for alternatives to synthetic dyes. This has led to the reinvention of natural dyes.

Natural dyes are obtained from renewable resources and the usage of these dyes contributes the conservation of the nature. As the pigment content in these dyes is very low, lot of source material is required. Natural dyes are not marketed in large quantities as these dyes are consumed only by few specified groups. Lot of varieties that give rise to good colours are present in the forests and other waste lands. Collection of these dyes will not only provide livelihood to rural people but also make the dye ready for promoting value chain in natural dyes.

Sl.	Latin Name	Common Name	Parts Used	Color Obtain	Indian Name
1.	Acacia Arabica	Babla	Bark	Brown	Babul
2.	Acacia Catechu	Cutch	Wood, Bark	Yellow, Brown, Black	Khair, Katha
3.	Acacia Sinuate	-	Bark, Leaves	Light Brown	Shikakai, Reetha
4.	Archis Hypogea	Groundnut Kernel Skins	-	Purple, Brown, Pink	Mungfali, Sing
5.	Areca Catechu	Betel Nut, Nut	-	Deep Pink Brown	Suprari
6.	Calendual Spp	Marigold	Whole Plant, Flower Heads	Yellow	Genda
7.	Curcuma Longa	Turmeric	Roots, Barks, Stems	Yellow	Haldi
8.	Emblica Officinalis	Indian Gooseberry	Leaves, Fruits	Yellow, Brown, Grey, Black	Amla
9.	Eucalyptus	Eucalyptus	Leaves	Deep Gold, Grey	Nilgiri
10.	Gossypium Herbaceum	Cotton	Bark, Hull	Yellow	Kapas
11.	Indigofera Tinctoria	Indigo	Leaves	Blue	Neel
12.	Jatrpha Curcas	Physic Nut, Wild Castor	Leaves Seeds	Yellow, Green, Khakhi Brown, Black	Wild Erandel
13.	Mangifera Indica	Mango	Bark	Yellow	Aam
14.	Morinda Citrifolia	Indian Mulbery	Roots	Red, Brown	Ashi Ach
15.	Moringa Pterygosperma	Drumstick	Leaves	Yellow, Orange	Sanjana, Shenga
16.	Punica Granatum	Pomegranate	Whole Plant	Brown	Anar, Dadari
17.	Rubia Cordifolia	Indian Madder	Whole Plant	Orange, Red	Manjista Manjith
18.	Tectona Grandis	Teak	Bark, Leaves	Yellow	Sagun, Sagwan
19.	Terminalia Bellirica	Belerie Myrobalan	Fruits, Leaves	Yellow, Brown	Bahera
20.	Terminalia Chebula	Myrobalan	Fruits, Leaves	Yellow, Black	Harad, Hirad
21.	Zingiber Officinale	Ginger	Rhizome	Brilliant Yellow	Adhrak, Adhu
22.	Ziziphus Mauritiana	Indian Jujube	Bark, Fruits	Red	Ber, Bor, Bora

ADISIL team make following shades,

CONTACT

2010-11-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

ADISIL

15/B Pioneer Colony

Tirumangalam, Madurai - 625706

email: adisilmail@gmail.com

phone: 098420 48317

ORGANIC COTTON

2010-09-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

CONVENTION

2010-08-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

Convention on FARMER RIGHTS IN TAMIL NADU, INDIA

India is one of the agriculture-based counties in the world. Near about 70% of the people are depending upon farming in Tamil Nadu, India. After Independence Indian policy makers were consecrating on agriculture and food security of the wider section of people. In 1990 the new economic paradigm set up for the entry of globalisation. The FDI driven globalisation model of development being pursued is predatory in nature and has severely damaged the farming community in Tamil Nadu. Small and marginal farmers are facing extinction and majority of them are willing to abandon farming if they have an option. First time in the Indian history the tragedy of mass suicides among the farming community are spreading all over India.

Farmers and farming are critical for the simple reason that without the food farmers produce people cannot live. Food is clubbed with water and air for human existence. Of these only food is produced, and this is what farmers do. Producing adequate food within the country is at the core of food security and this cannot be compromised at any cost. Food is not the only product of farming. Farms produce a whole range of products that are critical for human well-being, industrial development and employment generation. Besides it gives livelihood to vast majority of population.

After globalisation severe onslaught of Multi Nationals, moneybags and speculators acquiring tens of thousands of acres of agricultural land for exotic purposes like SEZ, Satellite cities, IT Townships, MNC industries and luxury real estate projects. Land Ceiling laws are being blatantly violated with full support and even involvement of State Government

In addition to water conflicts, which are already raging, SEZs and MNCs have triggered land wars. This is just the tip of the iceberg and worse would follow if immediate steps were not taken to counter this reckless ravaging of land that deprives livelihood for the masses while transplanting an unsustainable jobless development model.

After the introduction of Green Revolution farmers were lose their self-reliance of seed, manure, technology and market. But the new gene revolution is pushing the entire farming community out of the field and the food safety of the public is also questioned.

India’s current agri-crisis is rooted in the so-called green revolution farming practice and policies of the last 30 years which has resulted not only in the deterioration of our land and water but also shifted the power gradually from public to private domain, from governments to MNCs, the new influencing agents of political and economic policies of the third world.

A rally was organised by Thaalaanmai Farmers Movement and more than 15 NGOs in the month of December 2007.

The convention started on 28^th December 2007 morning 10.00 O’clock.

Near about 2000 farmers were assembled in the convention. Eminent leaders, Government authorities and Activists had participated in the convention. Series of resolution passed in the convention.

Dr. Devinder Sharma – Agriculture policy analyst, Dr. Naryana Reddy – well-kown organic farmer, Ms. Barthi Patel- Svaraj, Mr. S.N. Nagarajan – Scientist, Mr. Chandrasekar – Spices Board, Dr. Jeevanandam – Green Movement, Er. Venkatachalam, Er. Balakrishnan and others had given valuable presentations.

District wise presentation had provided in the convention by fifteen district convenors of Thaalaanmai Farmers Movement.

Sundararaman - Organic Farmer and Trainer

2010-07-24T01:57:00.001-07:00

The problem of degraded soils, insects and weeds

Degraded soils are a major problem in many developing countries and the Bangalore conference heard practising experts explain how organic techniques can be employed for restoration.

Claude Alvares

Facing insects, disease and weeds

One major problem facing all farmers, organic or conventional, is the appearance of troublesome insects, weeds and plant disease. SR Sundararaman, a highly respected and knowledgeable organic farmer from Tamil Nadu, made the main presentation on techniques farmers can use to solve most of their plant disease problems and any difficulties with insects.

The interesting thing about Sundararaman is that he not only functions as a knowledge centre, but his knowledge and expertise keep growing. Universities find it hard to keep up with him. Having been a chemical farmer two decades ago, he knows what he went through and why chemical methods failed.

Sundararaman has worked with interested colleagues and engineers to create microorganism-enriched mixtures (which he calls MEM) for the control of soil-borne diseases, nematodes and root grubs. He also has a large number of recipes made from leaf extracts, buttermilk, waste fish and egg extracts, panchagavya and some unique other solutions which he calls 'fruit gaudi' and 'archae'. While some of these are bacterial preparations, others deal effectively with unwelcome visitors to his soils, including grubs. All his recipes and techniques today are freely available to other farmers.

Sundararaman was followed by Joseph John, another organic farmer, who presented a wide range of non-chemical-based bioremedies for plant illness and disease.

On behalf of herself, her husband Dr Anurag Goel and their daughter Maya (a family of organic farmers from Coorg), Sujata Goel shared 10 years of rich insights on their organic farm which grows largely coffee and spices. Goel told her attentive audience that plants have their own natural defence mechanisms and it is far more effective to work in tandem with the plant's own defence strategy than to attempt to bypass it with deadly chemicals. Unless we understand these natural defence mechanisms, she said, we would continue to make costly and unnecessary mistakes. Using deadly sprays of chemical poisons not only suppressed these defence mechanisms, they ruined the product as well since pesticide residues are bound to remain after the harvest as most pesticides are non-biodegradable. The Goels are trained microbiologists and lab technicians who deserted Delhi to move to Coorg in south India where they took over an existing spice farm and turned it completely organic over a 10-year period.

*Third World Network No. 230, October 2009, pp 18-19

ACTION AGAINST GENETICALLY MODIFIED SEEDS

2010-07-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Anti GM Seeds மரபீனி மாற்று விதை எதிர்ப்பு

PUBLICATION (பனுவல்சோலை)

2010-07-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

Tamil Books on Organic Farming Techniques

1. Uyirma Velanmai Arimugam (Introdution to Organic Farming)
2. Alli tharum Nilam (Organic Farm Manual)
3. Payir Valarpu Pathukappu (Organic crop production & Protection)
4. Matku Eru (Compost making)
5. Manpuzhu (Earthworm Culture)
6. Elam Sakupadi (Cardamom Cultivation)
7. Valarchi ookigal (Growth promoters)
8. Thira Nunnuyir (Efficient Microorganisms)
9. Nell Sakupadi (Organic Paddy Cultivation)
10. Uyir urangal (Bio-fertilizers)
11. Sana Erivayu Uram (Bio fertilizer from bio-gas Slurry)
12. Thaalaanmai Pannaiyam (Self-reliance farming)

தாளாண்மை உழவர் இயக்கம் (Farmers Movement)

2010-07-12T12:57:00.001-07:00

Thaalaanmai Farmers movement is an independent movement working for the farmers rights in Tamilnadu. It demands fair price for the agriculture produce and direct subsidy to the farmers. It is organizing seminars, rallies and conventions in various places in Tamilnadu.

contact:
Go. Thirunavukkarasu
Thaimann Farm
Sembiyanallur
Valangaiman Taluk
Tiruvarur Distrit
Tamilnadu, India
Phone: 09380297522

தாளாண்மை இதழ் (Magazine)

2010-07-12T12:50:00.001-07:00

தாளாண்மை இதழ் (Magazine)

'SAVE PALMYRA' - CAMPAIGN

2010-07-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

Palmyra Palm (Panai) is the official Tree of Tamil Nadu. It can live 100 years more and reach height 100 feet. Palmyra palm tree has numerous uses. Almost every part of the tree has some kind of utility. People generally use the hard outer wood to posts, beams and for domestic purposes. The vacant stem of the Palmyra palm tree is considered as best for making water pipes. The leaves of the tree itself have a large number of uses. People can make fans, mats, baskets, buckets, hats, umbrellas and sandals from them. They can also be used as a very good thatch. People also enjoy eating the jelly like pulp of the fruit and the soft kernels of young fruit very much. The developed nuts and their enlarged, fleshy embryos are also cooked and eaten as vegetables. Moreover, the midribs of the leaves and the fibres from their stalks has the ability to be used in making brushes and people use the net-like material at the base of the young leaf for making into torches as well.

Palmyra felling is very common in Tamil Nadu. Most of the rural area lost its beauty of Palmyra.

ADISIL has started a campaign to 'Save Palmyra Palm'

one lakh seed plantation work started in the month of October 2009 at T. Kallupatti, Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. The district collector inaugurated the function and planted a seed near the common pond.

Every year the action will be continued with support of local community. Anybody can join this campaign.

RAISED BED FARMING

2010-07-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

Raised Bed Farming – One of the simple solutions for food crisis

Today, our world communities are confronting the worst food crisis in 45 years. The World Bank estimates that 100 million people are falling deeper into poverty as prices for basic staples that feed the world - wheat, rice, and corn - have risen by a staggering 83%. Right now, hundreds of thousands are facing potential famine and starvation unless something is done to curb the rising cost of food.

"With one child dying every five seconds from hunger-related causes, the time to act is now," stressed Prime Minister of Great Britain, Gordon Brown during a joint White House news conference with President George Bush.

According to the survey, conducted between December 2005 and August 2006, a whopping 45.9 per cent of India's under-three kids are underweight, 39 per cent are stunted, 20 per cent severely malnourished, 80 per cent anaemic while infant mortality hovers at 67 per 1,000. More than 6,000 Indian children below five years die everyday due to malnourishment or lack of basic micro-nutrients like Vitamin A, iron, iodine, zinc or folic acid. Overall, India hosts 57 million - or more than a third - of the world's 146 million undernourished children.

After the globalisation and liberalisation the overall control of the world is belonging to the business corporate houses. Food security and sovereignty is under threat of the small and marginal people. Agriculture investment is decreased due to the external pressure to the Government. Every day the crisis of food security is increasing through various angles.

We have 65% of the population dependent on agriculture but we have less than 2% public funding in the agriculture sector. Yields are declining because of soil deterioration due to “Green Revolution”. Excessive chemicals and pesticides used in the conventional methods as prescribed by the "Green Revolution". In the 1950's Green Revolution had its relevance when the soils still had fertility and there was water table. But now it has outlived its utility. There is an over draw of groundwater by tube wells owned by big farmers who are able to create irrigation facility. These farmers, as long as there is water available in the tube well, do unsustainable cultivation in the form of growing Paddy, Sugarcane, Banana and such other water intensive crops in dry areas!!

Land degradation and salinity due to water logging and poor drainage because of the big irrigation dams resulting in thousands of acres of land. Lack of crop rotation and mono cropping has increased the risks of pest attacks and soil degradation resulting in the usage of more fertilizers and chemicals.

Small and marginal Farmers are not able to afford the cost of fertilizers, petroleum fuels & energy at commercial rates. They are heavily indebted due to crop failures resulting from pest attacks & vagaries of climate. Most of these small and marginal farmers are also dry land farmers with no irrigation facility and hence the heavy dependency on Monsoon.

Whenever the Government conceives of any program for agriculture it is always property-centric. There is also not much effort put in to create awareness to the farmers about the same and one should be an enlightened khata (patta) holder of a piece of land for you to avail of these benefits. Recently somebody was telling that by the time they got the information, the department people said that the beneficiaries have been already distributed the benefits and they have to wait for the next batch!! What this means is that only the rich and influential people who have anyways access to everything also have access to these programs. The marginalized or the resource poor farmer doesn't get any information at all. Let alone the benefits.

Now let us come to the plight of the landless agricultural labourers or the resource poor ones. These are the people who are dependent on the work that they get from the land holding farmers. If there is good monsoon and all the other conditions are favourable these people get work and their livelihood gets somewhat taken care of but otherwise the only option left to them is migration in search of labour and the resultant proliferation of the cities / towns and the creation of slums and their associated health problems. Some of them also is fighting for their land rights as well. For nearly 58 yrs their struggles have yielded very minimal results.

ADISIL had experimented a small venture to safeguard the food security of the local community through Raised Bed Farming initiative. It will address the food crisis, landlessness, women enslavement and unsustainable agriculture.

The following objects of the intervention,

To supply organic and local food to the community

To make the women working as a cooperative way in the village

To make employment and income through the vegetable cultivation

The "raised" part means that the soil level in the bed is higher than the surrounding soil, and "bed" implies a size small enough to work without actually stepping onto the bed. A bed should be no wider than 4 feet, but length can be whatever suits the site or gardener's needs. Wider beds can be subdivided into sections accessible from planks or stepping-stones. The bed does not have to be enclosed or framed, but if unframed, the use of power tillers is feasible. Framing offers several other opportunities, however; and a properly maintained bed will not need power cultivation.

Another reason for greater production in a given space is the improvement of soil conditions. Soil compaction can reduce crop yields up to 50 percent. Water, air and roots all have difficulty moving through soil compressed by tractors, tillers or human feet. Ploughs, tillers or spades have been the usual answer to this problem, but gardeners can avoid the problem completely by creating beds narrow enough to work from the sides. Soil organic matter content can be increased greatly without getting bogged down.

The narrow dimensions of beds are advantageous for water conservation. There are several watering systems that ensure the water gets only where it is needed. Canvas soaker hoses, perforated plastic sprinkle hoses and drip-type irrigation disperse water in a long, narrow pattern well suited to beds. They also reduce disease by directing water to the soil instead of wetting leaf surfaces as with overhead irrigation.

A small village in Madurai district was the target village and a 20-member women group was the target people. They were landless poor belongs to Dalit community.

The small group of women was taking responsibility of this project. Half an acre of Land hired for the trail cultivation. The 25% of profit would be given to the landowner. She had accepted to supply water for the raised beds. The women were come forward and followed the various organic farming techniques. ADISIL expert team had provide the technical support. The beds are prepared by the women folk with small tools and hand. They collect the biomass around the village and put it them in the bed. The bed was put up with garden soil and biomass. This mixer was turning slowly in rich humus.

The size of the bed was 4 feed breadth and 20 feet length and the height was 2 feet. Two feet pathways were allocated to feeding water and collect the vegetable. Vegetables are high value crops because of their perishable nature. They are short-term crops (45-60 days) with a chance of doing 3-4 cycles in a year. Since they can be repeated over 3-4 cycles, if for some reason a mistake happens and the crop is lost there is still a chance of doing 2-3 cycles more and overcome the loss due to the mistake. Vegetables have high nutritive value and help to eradicate the malnutrition of the rural community.

After the cultivation the women were harvest cluster beans continuously. Twenty nos of beds were cultivated with bendi, brinjal and tomato crops in rotational basis. They are consuming themselves and also selling the vegetables in the local villagers.

This venture attracted a local bank manager and he initiated a dialogue with the TADCO official. ADISIL coordinator also contacted to the Project Officer and gets a loan of Rs. 40000 with a subsidy of Rs. 1.25000 to up scaling the project further.

This is a model and viable replicable model for the landless poor women communities.

Svaraj’s support for this intervention:

Only through the Svaraj, Bangalore support this venture had succeeded. Svaraj had provided not only the finance support but also guidance to organise the women committee and conceptual clarity. Mr. Rajkumar (Svaraj team) discussed with ADISIL team elaborately about this project. He had visited two times to the village and discussed with the committee members.

ACTIVITIES

2010-07-12T11:36:00.001-07:00

Consultancy

On site and office based consultancy service to enable the farming community organizations to accomplish specific tasks related to farming and marketing. We provide relevant information and necessary guidance on techniques, strategies, resources etc.

ACTIVITIES

2010-07-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

ACTIVITIES

2010-07-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

Training camps

One-day, two-day and three day trainings organised by ADISIL. Tamilnadu Farmers Technology Association is the training wing of ADISIL. It is organising training camps for organic farming in various places. Two days training camp organised in Sathyamangalam, Erode district with demonstration.

- Lectures

- Demonstrations

- Group discussions

- Field visits

- Practical sessions

The following subjects dealing in the training

- History of Agriculture in Tamilnadu

- Present Crisis of Agriculture

- Organic Soil management

- Water management

- Organic Crop management

- Organic Pest control

Interested persons and groups contact:

Mr. Sundararaman

Tamilnadu Farmers Technology Association

Kottuveerampalayam

Sathyamangalam

Erode district

Phone: 09842724778

TAMILNADU FARMERS TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION (தமிழக உழவர் தொழில்நுட்பக் கழகம்)

2010-07-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

Tamilnadu Farmers Technology Association is the training wing of ADISIL. It is organising training camps for organic farming in various places. Two days training camp organised in Sathyamangalam, Erode district with demonstration.

- Lectures

- Demonstrations

- Group discussions

- Field visits

- Practical sessions

The following subjects dealing in the training

- History of Agriculture in Tamilnadu

- Present Crisis of Agriculture

- Organic Soil management

- Water management

- Organic Crop management

- Organic Pest control

Interested persons and groups contact:

Mr. Sundararaman

Tamilnadu Farmers Technology Association

Kottuveerampalayam

Sathyamangalam

Erode district

Phone: 09842724778

MILLETS

2010-07-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

Millets are small-seeded grasses that are hardy and grow well in dry zones as rain-fed crops, under marginal conditions of soil fertility and moisture. Millets are one of the oldest foods known to humans and possibly the first cereal grain to be used for domestic purposes.

Millets are also unique due to their short growing season. They can develop from planted seeds to mature, ready to harvest plants in as little as 65 days. This is important in heavily populated areas. When properly stored, whole millets will keep for two or more years.

Nutrition:
They are highly nutritious, non-glutinous and not acid forming foods. Hence they are soothing and easy to digest. They are considered to be the least allergenic and most digestible grains available. Compared to rice, especially polished rice, millets release lesser percentage of glucose and over a longer period of time. This lowers the risk of diabetes.

Millets are particularly high in minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Finger millet (Ragi) is the richest in calcium content, about 10 times that of rice or wheat and barnyard millet is rich in fiber 6 times than rice.

Environmental:
Unlike rice and wheat that require many inputs in terms of soil fertility and water, millets grow well in dry regions as rainfed crops. By eating millets, we will be encouraging farmers in dryland areas to grow crops that are best suited for those regions. This is a step towards sustainable cropping practices where by introducing diversity in our diets, we respect the biodiversity in nature rather than forcefully changing cropping patterns to grow wheat and rice everywhere.

Supporters:

This programme supported by

SVARAJ/ Oxfam India, Bangalore

www.svaraj.in

MARKETING அடிசில் சோலை

2010-07-12T09:32:00.001-07:00

adisil cholai

HISTORY

2010-07-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

A team of socially concerned professionals having considerable experience in different fields and having diverse backgrounds, including development work, farming, journalism and engineering.

We have been continuously reflecting on the importance, relevance needs and challenges of sustainable development in India in the wake of the changing global socio-economic scenario. We also wished to find expressions to our common vision and aspirations related to sustainable development and add a concrete approach to development practice.

Traditional knowledge systems and technologies are Nature-friendly. They decentralize the production and distribution of various goods and services. Hence, they naturally helped people live in a sustainable manner even as they prospered. We realize that traditional knowledge should be implemented with current scientific input. We have already continuously working with farming community in a non-formal way. After that we have planned to establish a resource center functioning in this perspective can fulfill the requirements of the weaker section of the society and the environment.

All these factors put together led to the setting up of ADISIL (Agrarian Development Institute for Sustenance & Improved Livelihood), in February 2005, as a Public Trust for educational and charitable purposes.

Initially ADISIL team was working with farmers in an informal way. After we met Ms. Bharti Patel of SVARAJ, Bangalore, ADISIL is formally registered and its activities also expanded. She is one of the promoters of this organisation.

The main objective ADISIL is to create livelihoods through organic farming for small and marginal farmers in Tamil Nadu.

ACTIVITIES

2010-07-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

Village meetings

ADISIL has conducted over a thousand meetings in villages all over Tamil Nadu. These meetings are scheduled for late evenings so farmers can complete their daily work and participate. We introduce the concept of sustainable farming and describe organic farming techniques. This is followed by a group discussion. ADISIL invites those farmers who show an interest to our monthly training camps so they can learn more and decide for themselves about going organic.

Village level farmers meeting organized in the evening times. This year most of the expenses had meat out by the local farmers. There were 42 meetings organized in 20 villages of Virudhunagar and Madurai districts. These meetings organized by our volunteers in the village and one organic farmer would explain his experience on sustainable agriculture in the meeting.

In the meeting the following topics discussed,

1. How to enrich the soil?

2. What are problems facing by the farmers and how to tackle them?

3. Water management techniques

4. Crop management methods

After the lecture of the resource person the farmers were raising questions in the meeting. The expert would clarify the doubts and give solutions to the concerned farmer.

PHILOSOPHY

2010-07-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

View

What is life? Life is nothing but food!

What is food? Food is nothing but land and water.

(Undi koduthor Uyir Koduthor!

Unavenappaduvathu Nilathodu neerea! - Purananooru -200 BC)

This is the traditional view of the Tamils and this link between human life and Nature is continuously affirmed in various Tamil epics and poems. Self reliance, sustainable living, and love of - and due respect for - all living beings including the earth itself were the basis on which the Tamils built a civilization that flourished for several millennia.

Thirukkural, the sacred text of Tamils, asserts that all living beings are equal at birth. Hence, Thirukkural ordains that of all the beneficial activities that a human being is capable of, the most important is sharing (food, etc.) with every living being. Not just sharing, but Thirukural advocates providing a bigger share to the vulnerable among humans. Going one huge step further, it advocates such disproportionate sharing across species, such that more vulnerable organisms get more protection.

Such a harmonious way of living was practiced by indigenous peoples throughout the world.

Tragically, such a glorious tradition slowly gave way to the anthropocentric view in which human beings arrogated to themselves dominion over all beings, living and non-living. Scientific and technological advancements over the last two centuries hastened this process of domination of Nature. The ever-widening chasm between humans and Nature has lead to increasing inequalities among human beings themselves.

We need not look very far for signs of such inequalities. Worldwide it is estimated that over 800 million people go to bed hungry every day.

Hunger is the root cause of all other social evils, from unconscionably high rates of child and maternal mortality to global terrorism. Eradication of hunger by living in harmony with Nature is the only way of eliminating all social ills.

Since we envision the creation of a hunger-free world, we set out to form an organization.

Vision

ADISIL envisions a society that offers adequate and equal opportunities for all living organisms, including all humans surpassing the barriers of caste, religion, region, gender and age, to live in peace and harmony with nature.

Mission

Enabling the community organizations/farmer associations and individual farmers in the region engaged in skill and knowledge development education and action,

• to increase their understanding and awareness of their livelihood issues and context,
• to build their organizational capabilities through a process of accompaniment
• to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness in empowering the communities/Individuals they work with towards achieving integral and sustainable development through education, action and research

Goal

Eradication of poverty and creation of employment opportunities in rural Tamil Nadu by ecologically conscious and socially committed actions through developing a replicable agro-educational system for sustainable, self-reliant livelihood.

Values

ADISIL has been founded, and will be run, according to a set of values mentioned below which form the core operating principles of the organization.

Participation

This is to ensure that ADISIL’s constituency and its colleagues have a sense of active involvement in all plans and programs, that the programs are not imposed from above but rather, they emanate from within, through a process of consultation and discussion true to the partnership spirit.

Collectivism

This is to ensure collective leadership at all levels, requiring sharing, cooperation and a positive team spirit among its members. Duties and responsibilities are shared and decisions are made at group level rather than by individuals.

Openness

This is to emphasize the need for being open and receptive to new ideas and remain flexible in our policies, plans and approaches. This is also to reiterate the fact that development is never static but a dynamic process, which demands an open mind to world views and trends.

Equity

This is based on the firm belief that all humans need to be treated equally irrespective of their material wealth, social status, gender, knowledge, occupation and skills. ADISIL respects the integral worth and dignity of every person.

Justice

An organization cannot preach justice outside if it does not practice it internally. All of ADISIL’s policies, programs and actions will be guided largely by this core value. It is ultimately ADISIL’s wish to see that justice is restored to the common person in all spheres - social, economic and political.

TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGY

2010-07-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

ADISIL has revived the traditional millet processing technology in the villages. It is a no carbon footprint technique. Through this process the nutritional value maintained in millet rice. Milled millet rices has no barn.

In terms of community and home level decentralisation, Zero conventional energy consumption and prevention of air pollution, generation of rural employment, creation of cultural get-together space for women this project stands apart from other interventions who claim that they are promoting appropriate technology and livelihood.

Do you need more information please contact,

ADISIL CHOLAI

15/B, Pioneer colony,

Tirumangalam, Madurai - 625706

Tamilnadu, India

Phone: 9865809336

advocacy

2010-07-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

RALLY TO FARMER RIGHTS IN TAMIL NADU, INDIA

A rally was organised by Thaalaanmai Farmers Movement and more than 15 NGOs in the month of December 2007.

Rally started on 22.12.2007 from Ulavarkudi at Tutukudi district, Mr. P.V. Rajagopal, Presedent of Ektha Parisad and eminent activist raised flag and launched the rally. The Rally was passed through 1200 kms distance across 10 districts of Tamil Nadu.

Along the passageway more than 50 village meetings organised with the participation of local farmers. Awareness songs and cultural events were demonstrated in the villages.

The Rally demanded that to protect Agriculture from massive industrialisation and give more attention to farming sector.

The rally request the government to setting up of a Farmer’s Income Commission, similar to the Pay Commission for government employees, to ensure remuneration for farmers.

ORGANIC COTTON

2010-07-06T09:40:00.001-07:00

ADISIL is working with 300 rainfed organic farmers in Madurai district. The cotton was procured through the farmers committee and sold to the open market.

After the meeting with Alessandra L’ Abate a Gandhian activist and Italian weaver ADISIL has enter into organic cotton processing work. In the year 2008 we procured the raw organic cotton and converted to cloth and yarn through hand spinning and hand woven. We are now producing organic cloth with natural dye.

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