From plough to pen:agriculturists promote farm
journalism
From Frederick Noronha
Farmers have a lot to say, but simply
don¿t get a chance to say it. This is the experience of an organisation working
in nearby rural North Karnataka, trying to give a voice to those working in the
fields.
CAAM, or the Centre for Alternative Agricultural
Media, was set up in December 2000, and since then has been working to promote
alternative efforts in agricultural communication and help the farmers¿ cause,
"using communication as the main tool".
Farmers have jumped on the bandwagon, and the
experiment has grown. "It grew swiftly in various dimensions it has caught
the attention of scores of personalities in the field," Dharwad-based CAAM
director Shivaram Pailour told this correspondent, on marking its first
anniversary. Its efforts have won it praise from even distant US, and farmers
have found their initiatives to write on relevant subjects getting a boost.
CAAM, as part of its venture, currently runs a website (www.farmedia.org).
To mark its first year, this network held a two-day workshop titled ¿giving a
pen the to farmers hand¿. This workshop was held on December 3 in Hulakoti near
Gadag. Gadag is a district headquarters near the north Karnataka district of
Dharwad, just outside the western coastal state of Goa. Farmer-journalist Shree
Padre, development journalists and organic farmers have been sharing ideas with
farmers in this largely rural northern Karnataka hinterland, and explaining
concepts of ¿farm writing¿.
To fill in the gap for much needed agri-related
information, over the past one year, the centre released some 19 e-bulletins
written by analysts and development journalists. These bulletins have covered
farm and environment related issues and developments in the farm policies.
"CAAM¿s library has a fair collection of books and journals on farm and
environment related topics. This has helped quite a good number of students and
researchers who are interested on the subject," says Pailoor.
To focus on this emerging concept as a theory, the
network started farm journalism workshops in colleges and universities. CAAM
says it is "targeting" mass communication and agricultural extension
students for this. This network also played an active role in drawing
nationwide attention to the ¿endosulfan tragedy¿ in certain districts of
Kerala. Pesticides aerially-sprayed on cashew crop in the region are suspected to
be behind health problems in some villages along the Karnataka-Kerala border,
though pesticide companies deny the charge.
This network was recently selected by the Earth Island Institute of America for
the Positive Notes award. Pailoor feels the work suggests "a promising
future in creating issue-based awareness through Internet". Its plans
include adding a section in the local Kannada language, to help local farmers
and vernacular press to access information easily. It is also planning to provide
a section for organic farmers to publicise their produce.
Recently, two local farm writers were presented
awards, to strengthen "need based, farmer-friendly journalism" by
encouraging farmers to take up writing based on their experience.