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E-dialogue: the role of cooperatives in strengthening the rural economy

Organised in collaboration with the National Cooperative Union of India and chaired by Dr Sudhir Mahajan, NCUI’s Chief Executive, this e-dialogue drew experts from across the country.

Shri Sajith Sukumaran, Chief Operating Officer of the Kudumbashree programme in Kerala, explained the women-centred initiatives under the scheme and how they have empowered women from underprivileged backgrounds. Dr Ranjit Kumar, Head of Agribusiness at the National Agricultural Research Management in Hyderabad, argued for capacity building at every level of the cooperative structure, and for making farming genuinely profitable in a sustainable way.

Dr Ramanjaneyulu, Executive Director of the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, described the natural farming initiative supported by the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana — designed to serve the economy and the ecology at once. Hemant Chavan, a natural farming expert from Nagpur and close associate of Padma Shri Subhash Palekar, explained how the ‘Nagpur Naturals’ model built farmer associations and found them a local market.

Shri Gopi Sankara of Navadarshanam Trust in Bangalore spoke on building market linkages for organic produce; Shri Sarvanan of the Barefoot Academy of Governance, Tamil Nadu, on the need to rebuild trust between the people who make up the agriculture sector. Rupesh Rai, founder of the Green People community in Uttarakhand, set out a village-centred economic model built on eco-tourism and natural farming, and V. Swaminathan described the Organic Farmer Association of India’s work supporting cotton farmers and indigenous seed.

Closing the session, Dr Sudhir Mahajan stressed the need for innovative measures to support farming communities, and committed NCUI to building links with progressive organisations and entrepreneurs. Shri Sumit Singh, Director of Ubantu Foundation and convener of the programme, thanked the speakers, research scholars, social workers and delegates who took part.

Webinar series on nutrition and wellness

Dr Savita Ahluwalia, a health and nutrition expert, opened by discussing the part nutrition plays in preventing disease and managing stress.

Dr Kahkashan Parvin, Head and Assistant Professor at Era University, Lucknow, set out the foods that make a real difference to daily life, with guidance on balanced diets and calorie intake. Ms Amina Zaida, Assistant Professor at CSM University, Kanpur, gave a detailed account of the classification, digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, and the diseases caused by carbohydrate deficiency.

Dr Shikha Singh of Nehru Gram Bharti University, Prayagraj, presented ‘Minerals at a Glance’ — their functions, requirements and sources. Dr Seema Jaiswal, also of Nehru Gram Bharti University, spoke on dietary fibres and their role in the body’s water balance. Dr Navneet Dubey closed with a presentation on cultured meat grown from stem cells as a future alternative to animal meat.

Webinar on the International Day of Yoga

A virtual session marking the International Day of Yoga, with a question-and-answer segment where participants raised their own questions about nutrition, organic food and starting yoga as a beginner.

Dr Sudhir Mahajan spoke on the importance of yoga. Mr Rakesh Senger described how yoga changed his life, and spoke about his initiative for child-friendly districts and states. Participants then shared their own experiences and the difference yoga had made to them.

Webinar on World Environment Day

Speakers and participants were invited to share what they had actually done in environmental conservation and waste management.

Mr Shrikant, who has worked on two major UNFCCC programmes — the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) — described the effect of dumping grounds on the communities living beside them, including respiratory and liver disease, and introduced the concept of a Zero Waste Society.

Mr Chatar Singh shared farming practices developed despite limited rainfall, growing chana, sarso, wheat, peas, coriander and mint without pesticides. Mr Chatrabhushan Tiwari, who has planted trees since January 2006 and grown over 11 lakh trees, spoke about the recognition his work has received and how he encourages children — especially from underprivileged backgrounds — to take up tree planting.

Further participants, including Rooh Chowdhury, Asha Varma, Bhagwan Singh Rathore and Vansh, spoke on reusing waste, the main environmental schemes available, and the management of biomedical waste.

Webinar on Menstrual Hygiene Day

A virtual session on the importance of sanitation and hygiene, held to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed every year on 28 May. Its purpose is direct: to change the social stigma and taboo attached to menstruation.

Guests included Dr Muskaan Khosla — MBBS, MS and DNB General Surgery, MRCS (Edinburgh), MPH — Director of Public Health and India Lead for Clinical Operations, alongside Dr Poornima Shyam Desai and Dr Rooh Chowdary.

The subject connects directly to Ubantu’s oldest programme: the biodegradable sanitary pad unit in Pilgao, Goa, which began with exactly these conversations in a village hall.