Learning from the experiences of small scale farmers in India

The Development Studies Lecture Series for 2012 presents Dr Tarak Kate who will deliver a lecture entitled Agriculture and Climate Change: Learning from the Experiences of Small Scale Farmers in India. Kate has an MSc and PhD in Botany and for the last 22 years has specialised in appropriate technology, organic recycling, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and waste utilization. His main work is helping small farmers in India with holdings of less than two acres to maximise returns from their land. Central to his program is an emphasis on bio-diversification, geared to the needs of local farmers, that comprises sericulture, pisciculture, animal rearing, poultry farming, crop cultivation, land banking and watershed management on land previously cultivated only for staple and cash crops. This package ensures diversified agricultural output throughout the year, a steady supply of crops for personal and market consumption, and gainful employment of members of farmers’ families on their land.