An existing problem with Wayanad’s farming community is not a lack of crop success; rather there is success…of the same crops! Cash crops such as rubber, black pepper, and coffee are three of Wayanad’s principle crops. These usually yield economic growth for the developing farmer; however, Wayanad’s farmers favor these crops to such an extent that the market is saturated; thus leading to reduced profits. In other words, too many farmers are growing coffee, rubber,
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By 10 am on February 18th, the Profugo house was filled with people from nearby areas. Some of them came walking a long distance. Our first public program on agriculture, a farmer’s training in collaboration with Kerala state agriculture department was being held. At 10.30 am we started the inaugural session with a prayer song and Program Manager Aneesh welcomed the gathering. Mr. Jose, a ward member, presided over the function. Mr. Alex Mathew, the
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The grass does not shine as bright green on our surrounding hills anymore. While some cold towns in the U.S. are buried by mountains of heavy white snow, here, in Prashanthagiri, a powerful hot sun hovers over the fields. Those dark green and brown crops stand in soil that eagerly awaits the first refreshing drops of the upcoming rainy season. Our land at Profugo’s Center of Development is not an exception. Looking at our experimental
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It started to rain heavily. Nevertheless, the children came. Big, grey clouds hovered over the beautiful lime green hills overlooking our yard. Despite the rain, the community’s children came happy. They walked up to Profugo’s Center of Development (COD) with big smiles unbothered by the wet mud stuck to their shoes. It was their first Children’s Club meeting after its inauguration and they also knew Jenny, our director had come from the US with her
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I could feel my boots growing heavier and heavier, as if they were becoming the very stones I was climbing up. The moon and stars faintly lit the rocky trail as we approached the summit, weak, weary, and stiff from the cold. I began the hike with friends hours ago in the middle of the night and now we gazed out onto the horizon having reached the pinnacle of our journey, the 14,265 foot summit
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