Across the globe, there are ubiquitous chemists that sell out medicines to make sure you are free of headache, stomach-ache, body pain, etc. Do you believe your self-regulatory body needs the human touch of medication to remain healthy? How about spending on the right food instead?
Too Old to Care? No!
Dr. Keshav Vyas has this unique question that can trigger the thoughts of a family. He is a jovial senior citizen of the nation, but a young-at-heart volunteer who trespasses the rough, long, and tiring roads of Madhya Pradesh, invoking in people the need to re-think about food. “Once in a speech at a chemist association’s meeting, I told the attendees that it is good to sell medicines and save lives, but then it is not a good idea to thrive on medicines, so we need to eat right and eat natural food. I invited them to visit the model farms built on the principles of natural farming. They were really impressed,” he says.
Dr Vyas is a retired teacher who now teaches Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), a course for farmers on natural-farming techniques that involve minimal to no expenditure.
He wishes to spend this life-time serving the society through farming. He has made major contributions to multiple national-level efforts, including working with various organizations and small-scale agriculture lovers, to convince farmers to go from practicing chemical-based farming to adopting natural-farming. He thinks the consumers can greatly motivate the farmers in this cause by buying the organic, natural food products.
Do You Deserve Ill-Health?
“ZBNF is for the future generation. We are a farmers’ direct consumers, we have it in our powers to choose the right product in the market. A good scope for their products in market will inspire more farmers to take up natural-farming and also, the next generation is saved from the manifold effects of chemical-based food. We have to be aware that we are eating poison and they have no choice but to grow poison because of our ignorance. So, please wake up and share the benefits of natural farming,” he explains.
Narrating an anecdote, he says that he once met a farmer who was proud of injecting a bottle-gourd and how after two days it had grown to a great height. “We were shocked to notice the ignorance. This is the reason for cancer. Cancer was never as prevalent as it is today. We do not deserve such diseases.
Building Famers, Building India!
The biggest obstacle of all is that these communities have lost touch with not only the ancient ways of farming but also their unity. But after the ZBNF course, they are filled with enthusiasm. They open up to fellow farmers. This bonding and unity happens on the course. They find strength and confidence by witnessing each other’s success and mistakes,” he smiles.
At the harvesting of wheat grown using ZBNF techniques, the unbounded happiness was evident on every farmer’s face. “The farmers want their happiness back; they want their respect back; and they want those days back when every child in India was healthy. My vision is to do service to the society under the guidance and inspiration of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar till my last breath,” he states, as he rides off to another village.
Beware! It’s Brinjal!
“There is an insect particularly found on brinjal. The farmer's rely on chemicals and psticides to kill them. This chemical, when sprayed, makes the whole plant poisonous. We consume that chemical. The vegetables are sprayed with chemicals so many times, and it all goes into our stomachs and affects health.”
Dr. Kesahv Vyas’s first-hand experience.
Written by Monica Patel
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