Course cum Workshop on

Sustainable Development with a Difference

India's economy is growing at 8% per annum and our leaders are projecting that in another 10 years we will be the third largest economy in the world and thus an economic power. India also has a very ambitious space program and we are thinking of sending a man to the moon. However, 60% of our rural population still live in extremely primitive conditions and without any basic amenities of life. Thus they have practically no access to electricity and use 180 million tones of biomass every year for cooking via very primitive chulhas (cook stoves) which creates health hazard for the housewife. Unless and until we provide the rural population with basic amenities of life and try to bring them in the mainstream of national development, our talk of being an economic power will sound hollow.

At the same time a small but growing percentage of India's population lives a very lavish and wasteful lifestyle. This "affluent lifestyle" which is mostly dictated and defined by the Western media is unsustainable yet it provides the role model and living standard towards which the developing world aspires. With increased access to TV and other mass media even the rural population aspires to it. For the whole world to have this life style will require the resources of four earths. Thus, for sustainability of India and the world this life style has to change.

How to create a new life style for all of India's population, which will be modern, emotionally satisfying, technology savvy and yet sustainable will be the subject of discussion and debate in the workshop.

Philosophy of the course

We believe some of the ways in which sustainable development and decent living for rural and urban population is possible are as follows:

  1. Each one of us should become sustainable in our life style so that we use the resources for our needs and not for our greed. Sustainable life style can be possible if we become spiritual (as against religious). Spirituality helps us become more secure. Increased internal security helps in reducing greed. When each one of us becomes less greedy, then the world will become more sustainable.

  2. We also believe that the key to rural development is the use of modern technology for it. Sophisticated modern technology is needed to efficiently convert the locally available resources and materials into useful products. In fact, much more sophisticated thought and high technology is required for solving rural problems since the materials and energy resources available in these areas are fewer and often only available in "dilute forms". Participants will therefore be exposed to various examples of modern high technology, which can make a difference in rural areas. It is also our belief that spirituality and technology go hand in hand and this aspect will be discussed and stressed quite a lot during this course.

  3. Corporate sector can play an important and active role in rural development. Thus there should be a partnership between corporate sector, NGOs and government in this area. For this to happen there is a need to sensitize the corporate, governmental, scientific, educational, international and civic sectors regarding rural problems and possible solutions. We need to explore together the problems and most important the possibilities. This theme will be stressed in the workshop through the exposure of participants to the problems of rural India first hand.

Contents of the course

The course will be a 5 days long intensive training program featuring both theoretical and practical teachings, and will leave room for philosophical debates and feedback based on the personal experiences of the participants. Thus the whole course will be very interactive in nature where the resource persons will pose problems and challenges and the whole group will try to find solutions. Besides the classroom instruction, participants will be involved in hands on experience with the technologies being developed at NARI and other institutes. These will include energy, agriculture and sustainable development. There will also be some site visits.

The course will cover wide range of technological and philosophical issues. Specifically they will include:

The teachers will be NARI staff together with 4 - 5 external experts who will be specifically invited for this course. The course will be centered on the philosophy and the writings of NARI's Director Anil K. Rajvanshi.

Who should attend?

The participants will be mainly CEOs, very senior managers of corporate world and members of civil society who are concerned about the issues of our times affecting the rural India and want to find real answers to them. Besides we will also welcome policy makers, scientists, journalists, bankers and anyone interested in sustainable development. The number of seats for the course is limited and we can accept a maximum of 25 students per session.

Course fees

The fees will be around Rs. 13,000/- per participant. This will include stay for six nights in a local hotel, all meals and course fees. The participants will have to make their own transportation arrangements to come to Phaltan. Transport can however be arranged from Pune to Phaltan at a cost.

When and where will it take place?

The first session of the workshop will most probably be held in October/November 2006. The exact dates will be intimated later on. The session will take place in the existing buildings of NARI, in the rural town of Phaltan, Maharashtra. Phaltan is 300 km SE of Mumbai and 100 km SE of Pune. It can be reached from Pune by road in about 3 hours. There are around 70-80 buses per day plying between Pune and Phaltan.

About NARI

The Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is a well-known non-profit research and development institute located in Phaltan, Maharashtra (India). It is registered under the Societies Registration Act XII of 1860 and the Bombay Public Trust Act of 1950. The Institute conducts very innovative research and demonstration in agriculture, renewable energy, animal husbandry and other issues critical to holistic sustainable development.

We need your help

There is a need to set up a new building to house this center. Thus we need funds (~ Rs. 50 lakhs) for this purpose. If, like us, you believe in our concept, then you can make a donation. Please send your donations to the President, NARI. Any amount is very welcome.

The Institute has a tax exempt status under Section 35(i)(ii) of the Income Tax Act which results in contributions and donations to the Institute being 100% tax deductible. NARI is also registered under Foreign Contribution Act and hence can accept foreign contributions.

For any other question, comments or suggestions please contact us:

Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI),

Tambmal, Phaltan-Lonand Road,

P.O. Box 44, Phaltan-415523, Maharashtra, INDIA.

Phones: +91-2166-222396/220945

Fax: +91-2166-220945

Email: nariphaltan@gmail.com

Website: http://nariphaltan.virtualave.net

 

URL of course; http://nariphaltan.virtualave.net/cslworkshop.htm