Agraria_Journal_WINTER_2022

NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH DEEP ROOTS Soil. It’s fundamental to life and health. All human beings, not just farmers, need to know more about it, researcher Aravind V. Ramadas believes. “Everything comes from the soil,” he said. Ramadas is partnering with Agraria on a soil-building and regenerative agriculture project through the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program, in collaboration with the one.two. five Benefit Corporation. The initiative will complement his research at The Ohio State University, where this fall he began his Ph.D. studies in soil science. Soil has fascinated him since he was a child “playing in the dirt” at Mitraniketan, an intentional community and school in Kerala, India. Founded in 1956 by Ramadas’s grandfather, K. Viswanathan, to empower disadvantaged youth, women, and farmers, Mitraniketan was inspired in part by the work and vision of Arthur Morgan. Viswanathan met Morgan at a conference in the United States and subsequently lived and learned alongside him at Community Service, Inc., before returning to India to start the people- centered rural development organization that still flourishes today. The connections among Mitraniketan, the Morgan family, and Community Solutions/Agraria span generations. Ramadas’s partnership with Agraria deepens this unique tie, even as it promises to generate research of value to sustainable and regenerative farmers here and in Kerala. "I hope to gain experience of agriculture in the United States that I can take back to my community,” he said of his research at OSU and with Agraria. Back home in India, Ramadas has already begun developing what he calls a “practical school” for children that combines academic lessons and agricultural ones. Whether children go on to farm or seek opportunities in other sectors, Ramadas believes they benefit from an intimate knowledge of where and how food is grown. “Every individual needs to have a basic awareness of agriculture. It’s best to start with children, who are more flexible and more likely to develop an interest,” he said. Ramadas’s school features an extensive medicinal garden and incorporates a range of innovative growing techniques, including vertical gardening, soil-less farming, and the recycling of water bottles to grow leafy vegetables. In line with Mitraniketan’s practice of sustainable agriculture, Ramadas seeks to support farming methods that build, rather than degrade, the soil — as mitigation against climate change and an investment in the human and planetary future. “I believe I have a responsibility toward the next generation,” he said. ~Audrey Hackett STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE THROUGH COLLECTIVE ACTION Strategies to strengthen local food purchasing and access, improve regional water quality, and increase wildlife and habitat protections in and around Yellow Springs are among the actions the Agraria-led Climate Action and Sustainability Plan (CASP) committee is exploring. Central to the mission of the CASP program, which is funded by the Village of Yellow Springs, is education about climate action strategies for organizations, community members, and Village staff and government officials. The Village is already one of three Ohio cities partnering with Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO), a coalition that advises local governments and municipalities on carbon reduction efforts. Next steps for 2023 include hiring a full-time CASP Coordinator. The position will oversee research, data collection, and community initiatives with regional stakeholders in an effort to establish a cooperative model to make the community more resilient in the face of climate change. The CASP committee is also eager to support Agraria’s efforts to work with the Yellow Springs school district to develop a climate action curriculum for youth. “They will be charged with finding and applying solutions well into the future around this global issue,” said Agraria Outreach Director Alex Klug. The CASP Committee includes leaders from Agraria, Glen Helen Association, Miami Township Trustees, Village of Yellow Springs (VYS) Environmental Commission, VYS staff and government leaders. “We are pursuing opportunities that will collectively bolster climate action in our immediate community,” 38 AGRARIA JOURNAL 2022