Sustainability and Social Justice:A Case in Organic Farming

Sustainability and Social Justice: A Case in Organic Farming Rev. Dr. Alexius Ekka, SJ Sustainability and Social Justice are like the two sides of the same coin especially in organic farming. It is also called environmental-friendly farming which relies on the use of indigenous seeds, self prepared fertilizers and nature’s prey-predator balance and bio-pesticides. This biodiversity based agriculture also produces more food and more nutrition per unit area and is able to provide food security to the poor at the affordable price. This paper will explain further the larger meaning of sustainability as long lasting resource base, regenerating and renewing of the natural resources like soil and water as well as the non polluting and non depleting practices of agriculture. Similarly, it will further probe the meaning of social justice as providing everyone the share of the earth’s produce especially to the poor and the deprived and the care of the earth our common home. In order to illustrate the point the study will present the case of Navadanya of Dr. Vandana Shiva at Dehradoon in the state of Uttranchal in India. It is an organization involved in organic farming practices over the last fifteen years comprised of practicing farmers and agro-ecologists. It is also a movement to provide alternatives to industrial agriculture and globalized agriculture. Further it is a movement for ecological security and economic security for small and marginalized peasants. Navadanya has evolved sustainable alternatives which are creative, innovative and practical as against Green Revolution and Genetic Engineering that have destroyed the soil fertility and vitiated the natural growth of plant species. And yet ironically the governments in collusion with the business houses have promoted hybrid and genetic seeds, monoculture in farming, use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for sheer profit but causing hunger and poverty of farmers even leading to suicides. The study will further discuss how organic farming is indeed sustainable and is best suited to bring about equity and justice in society and the best security to provide food for millions of hungry people especially in the developing countries. Keywords: sustainability, social justice, organic farming, environment-friendly farming, indigenous seeds, bio-pesticides, bio-diversity based agriculture, food security, industrial agriculture, globalized agriculture, green revolution, genetic engineering, farmer suicides. - Maximum of 8000 words in length including abstract, footnotes and bibliography