Research accomplished!

During the past two weeks we’ve finally managed to break into some serious research for Alice’s project on fair trade and cotton production. Unable to make any breakthroughs by phone, Alice decided to ’show up’ at Agrocel’s main office in Mandvi. Where emailed and telephone failed, the face-to-face approach worked like a charm. Agrocel was incredibly welcoming and open to us both. Lucky for us they had their top inspector/farming consultant ready to hit the field - they asked us who we wanted to visit, and helped us work out a program for the very next day.
He met us at our hotel the next day, and we took a bus to Rapar - a village about 200km away that had been chosen as an ideal location for organic farming. One of the reasons organic farming can do so well here is that with the low rainfall and frequent droughts, conventional farming just doesnt work very well. Many small farmers were already working mostly organic - either due to insufficient irrigation for most chemical fertilizer/pesticides, or due to religious beliefs whereby they didnt want to harm insects.

I’m working on compiling information on all the different communities and ethnic groups in the area to help fill-out Alice’s research. For now though, here are some pictures from our most recent excursions.

drying fabric, brewing natural dye, rinsing

Alice’s Interviews - at farm, focus group in town, nearby school (where fair trade group donated funds for drinking well + compost)

Other great sites… Beach near Mandvi (find this in goa!), ship building in mandvi, more farmers after focus group

Cooking millet chapati’s, hanging out with embroiderers

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