Like many women in Wayanad, Sheeba Valady seems like a person who can truly do it all. Her seemingly endless capacity to be a skilled farmer, a strong leader, and exemplary mother is awe-inspiring. A visit to Sheeba Valady’s house allows any visitor to…
Integrated Agricultural Systems are a sustainable practice that has economic, environmental, and social benefits. This farming technique is a “whole system” approach that utilizes existing biological relationships (Agriculture Sustainability Institute). It builds upon the concept of agroecology, which is the application of ecological principles…
The monsoon season is a dynamic phenomenon that impacts life in many areas of the world. A monsoon is a seasonal change in wind patterns, resulting in extreme wet and dry seasons throughout the course of the year. Though they do exist in parts…
Malnutrition is a public health issue affecting children under the age of five worldwide. 50% of the 10-11 million children under the age of 5 die each year from malnutrition and the preventable health consequences (Collins et al., 2006). Malnutrition is a result of…
I recently revisited a cookbook a friend gifted me a couple of years ago. I wanted to make Indian food at home and practice combining & balancing spices. I didn’t realize Healthy Indian Cooking for Vitality and Wellness by Monisha Bharadwaj would be a…
Many people do not ever consider going to a local market or the local section of their neighborhood Whole Foods Market; however, there are countless benefits from eating locally grown foods. Locally grown foods support the community economy, the environment, and are healthier for…
Preventative nutrition and health care is the best way to save yourself from getting sick or developing a major illness. What we put into our bodies is the biggest factor in how our body works. The lack of nutrients can lead to disease and…
Sona will be the first to tell you that her home is a work-in-progress. The floor is currently made of tightly-packed mud, dried and swept clean; strips of palm tree trunk covered with red wavy clay tiles make up the roof, and thick bamboo…
So far, we have highlighted the importance of agriculture to both the economic life of a nation as well as to its culture. In today’s blog we will be exploring the relationship between agriculture and environmental and human health. Agricultural practices like intensive farming…
In my previous entry we learned about the global economic contribution of agriculture. Despite the significance of its contribution to the wealth of nations, agriculture-and the preservation of the trade-has much more to offer, especially to Indian society. In many articles I’ve found online,…