Feature Article

India has just won a landmark victory in the long-drawn-out war on polio. Fourteen months have gone since 13 January 2011 without a single case of polio caused by wild poliovirus (WPV). But how sure are we that in this vast country, with about 125 million under-five children and a poorly performing health management system, there is no case of wild virus polio? Rest assured, India’s polio eradication project is a shining example of how India can pull itself together, even without a robust infrastructure, and solve ad hoc, specific problems. India has really eliminated WPVs.

It has been 35 years since 1977, when the world observed the last recorded case of naturally occurring smallpox. We had finally defeated a disease that had devastated mankind for centuries. It was a critical victory for the many doctors, scientists and health workers who laboured tirelessly to eradicate this terrible disease. It clearly demonstrated what a resolute immunization campaign could accomplish with support from the global community and local governments. However, most of all, it was a validation of one of greatest advances in modern medicine – vaccines.

Nature is kind enough to create human beings after all its other creation so that we can enjoy and live happily and
easily. But owing to our memory and thinking capacities, we became selfish and lazy and wanted to have everything for

Farmers Diary - Recalling biodiversity, farming the Agnihotra way. Homa farming is a system which comes from ancient science of Vedas. Homa is a Sanskrit word used here synonymously with Yajnya. Yajnya is the technical term from the Vedic science of bio energy denoting the process of removing the toxic conditions of the atmosphere through the

Owls are natural predators of rodents, of which seven species are agriculturally important pests. Conserving owls will not only result in better rodent control preventing huge crop losses, but will also prevent indiscriminate chemical use, thus preserving the ecological diversity. Educational programs will go a long way in achieving this.

One of the ways in which farmers can protect their soils is through the use of mulch. When the soil is covered with a
thick layer of organic matter, it is protected from extreme rainfall, winds or drought. Mulch also serves as a home for
insects, helping attract many species which significantly improve soil texture and soil fertility.

Insect behavior is largely decided by farming practices. Both plants and insects are mutually dependant. While plants provide food to insects, insects provide the necessary ecological services to the plant. Farmers therefore need to manage cropping as a part of a larger ecosystem management. This requires deeper understanding of the relationships of various living forms in an ecosystem.

Promotion and growth of the pollination enterprise can help improve livelihoods for several mountain farming families by
generating employment and income as well as boosting the production and quality of crop. Managed pollination of apples as practiced in Himachal Pradesh, India is an excellent example of enhancing income and food security of not only apple
farmers but also beekeepers. However, there is a need for scientific research, capacity building of farmers and putting appropriate rules in place to strengthen the system of managed pollination of apples in the state.

India is young and young people don't like to be sermonised. Slogans would not help conserve water. But taking small steps, practising a few things daily, and auditing one's own behaviour will make one more responsive to his/her inner call. Once the call for conservation and hygiene emanates from within, perhaps change will follow inevitably. But the inner call will call for authentic appeal. Mizos can help us.