Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM) is a non-profit, civil society action group founded in 2005. It works in the field of sustainable agriculture, conservation of natural resources, environmental health and eco-sustainable technologies. KVM is registered as a trust, with head office at Jaitu, Faridkot, Punjab. About Us
The Mission
A conviction and commitment for voluntary work that is come out of this pain and agony, has become foundation of KVM. The formation of KVM was a result of constant efforts and a dedicated evolutionary process of re-vitalizing our own society; make our motherland prosper with imperishable abundance and sustainable life systems. KVM owe to the future generations of Punjab to protect its ecology and nature. KVM is a civil society movement with compassion and concern for the nature, ecological sustainability , environmental health, safe food and livelihood of poor and socially and economically marginalized people. The Vision
Green revolution and the resultant prosperity have seriously affected the ecology of Punjab on one hand and the health of its people on the other. The Grain Machine has started rusting and the repercussions have started to show up like scars on the landscape of the land of five rivers. The myth about Punjab's glorious past is beginning to unfold. Kheti Virasat Mission is of firm belief that organic farming is the appropriate answer in this context; it is need of hour to motivate the farmers of Punjab to gradually switch over to the organic farming practices. We seem to be quite close to a stage, which can rightly be called "agriculture chaos" The time to act is now. In the present circumstances, organic farming practices and sustainable technologies those are in-tune with nature and eco-system are perhaps only alternatives, and can help the people of Punjab, to come out of this agricultural, ecological, economic and civilizational crisis. The Action
KVM is working at the grassroots with decentralized participatory mode covering the vast arena of sustainable agriculture, conservation of ecology and natural resources, environmental health, cultural aspect of ecology and other issues related with globalization, livelihood, environmental and social justice. By involving the very first stakeholder’ the farmers’ especially the sufferer one KVM had undertaken various activities to enhance their capacities. Making them enable to undertake the endeavour for sustainable development and sustainable use of natural resources. KVM has a dream to make framers- especially the small and marginal farmers’ debt free living in non-exploitative system, self-reliant - nurturing their genetic resources and conserving their knowledge system. KVM has started diverse initiatives to achieve this goal. In the beginning KVM has focused on mass contact with farmers holding formal or informal group discussions in villages, introductory farmers' workshops, seminars on ecological issues and public dialogging on different issues related to crisis of Punjab. To have these training workshops more systemically KVM has started Bhai Bhagtu Kudrati Kheti Vidyalaya, at Dera Bhai Bhagtu , near Jaitu at village Ramgarh-Bhagtuana. The BBKKV is working as a centre for non-formal education and training of sustainable agriculture practices and providing training of various methods of organic farming. In last six years KVM provides extension services to the farmers for this purpose more then 3500 village level awareness meetings and farmer field workshop were organized across the state. More then 15000 farmers had participated in these workshops and meetings. At present, more then 2500 farmers are practicing natural farming in association with KVM. These farmers had adopted various natural methods of soil nutrition management, pest management, crop management and water management. The Farmer experts of KVM is also updates regularly there farmers associates with latest technological information and new farming practices.`
Action / Working Groups of KVM : Associate action groups of KVM
* Environmental Health Action Group
* Women Action for Ecology
* KVM Global Initiative for Restoration of Ecology in Punjab
* Creativity for Environment - A forum of literary and creative artists
* Environment Justice Action Group - A forum for environmental laws
* Vatavaran Panchayat - Vatavaran Panchayat is a participatory forum and grass root level network for KVM activists, sympathisers, supports and partners, working for wider environmental and developmental issues. It is ecological action and working group of KVM. Vatavaran Panchayat has its units in most of districts in Punjab covering all regions. Rightly, it can be called a peoples’ initiative for environment running with the peoples’ resources, voluntary participation and thoughts. It is true eco-democracy.
