SIS India Practicum 2017

Living in environmentally conscious Washington DC, I thought I understood “Farm to Table” and “going organic,” but it wasn’t until I visited Mayaganahali village in India, located 60 km southwest of Bangalore, that I truly became aware of their meaning. Next door to a garment factory, Nagrajaiah, a local farmer, grows coconuts, mangoes, jackfruit, and some American favorites such as bell peppers ( capsicum in Kannada) and tomatoes among other delicious fruits and vegetables. In addition, he has one Tom Turkey which would make any American Thanksgiving feast complete.   A farmer in India grows food for his family’s personal consumption and to sell produce at the market. For instance, Nagrajaiah grows traditional crops such as finger millet ( ragi)  to feed his family. Additionally, he also grows silk worms to compete on the world market (this is the silk capital of the world, after all). Farm to Table aficionados would appreciate Nagrajaiah’s use of co...

Team Triple A photo at a Krishi Bhagya scheme farm in Magadi taluk Farmers watching an informative video on Krishi Bhagya Team Triple A checking in from Bangalore!  We’ve completed our first week in India studying the impact of government-subsidized irrigation schemes for rural farmers, and it has been fantastic and a great learning experience for all of us so far. Group trips and academic lectures have broadened our awareness of Indian culture and modern agricultural and water issues. The centerpiece of our trip—interacting with rural farmers to assess the impact of their irrigation schemes—began this week as well, and it feels like just our presence on those farms has made a positive impact.  Along with the fantastic support from local government agencies and academics, we hope to continue the great work into next week. Within 24 hours of arriving in India we successfully navigated Indian customs and settled into our beautiful dorms at Bangalore’s Instit...

This blog highlights the activities and study abroad experiences of 11 incredible students participating in an American University, School of International Service practicum based in Bangalore, India.   The blog documents class activities, field experiences, and student observations. The course in India is a 3 credit course that focuses on public service delivery of water in the state of Karnataka, India. Students are working on a project for the Karnataka State Department of Agriculture under the direction of State Agriculture Minister, Krishna Byre Gowda (also an American University Alum), to evaluate the Krishi Bhagya Scheme —a water and micro irrigation scheme that helps farmers collect rain water through farm ponds used to irrigate their crops. ( Krishna Byre Growda meetings with SIS Studetns) CLASS BACKGROUND INFORMATION Despite promising gains in agricultural output and increasing modernization of irrigation in Karnataka, the state is facing a situation ...