It’s a beautiful spring morning in Delhi when I meet Babulal Dahiya, a Padma Shri-winning farmer from the Satna district in Madhya Pradesh. He is in the capital at the invitation of the Delhi Organic Farmers Market, a very active organisation of small farmers that sells chemical-free produce at weekly markets throughout the NCR, in collaboration with residents welfare associations, chefs and hotels alike. This group has organised a panel discussion on indigenous rice varieties, and Dahiya and I are panellists. The 30 minutes that I spend with him before our on-stage discussion is enlightening in a way that it has fundamentally altered my food choices since.
Why we need family farmers
Not only will they give you access to clean food, but your patronage will help them practise sustainable agriculture. It’s a win-win
A farmer at Spudnik Farms, Bengaluru
First published by The Hindu on 26 Apr. 2019
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