Kalpana Manivannan, the accomplished author of the recently released book "Farmer Sutra," is a multifaceted personality who has dedicated her life to the principles of organic farming, sustainability, and environmental consciousness. Her literary work provides readers with a captivating glimpse into her transformative journey as an Urban Organic Farmer.
With a postgraduate degree in Life Sciences, Kalpana brings a wealth of knowledge to her agricultural pursuits. Her commitment to sustainable living extends beyond the confines of traditional farming practices. As an Urban Organic Farmer, she has pioneered innovative techniques that promote the cultivation of crops without the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides.
In addition to her role as a farmer, Kalpana wears many hats, including that of a Sustainability Coach & Mentor. Her expertise in this field has earned her recognition and accolades, such as the prestigious "Karmaveer Chakra Award" and the "Swami Vivekananda Change Maker Award." These honors underscore her significant contributions to the realm of sustainable agriculture and social entrepreneurship.
Kalpana Manivannan is not just a practitioner; she is also a dedicated teacher. With a decade-long career in education and certification as an educator, she imparts her knowledge to the younger generation. Her commitment to education is reflected in her efforts to teach organic farming to school children, instilling in them the values of environmental responsibility and sustainable living.
A sought-after speaker, Kalpana engages with audiences at corporate events, sharing her insights on organic farming, sustainability, and the importance of conscious living. Her ability to communicate complex concepts in a relatable manner has made her a respected figure in both academic and corporate circles.
Beyond her physical presence, Kalpana extends her influence through her writing. As an award-winning blogger, she articulates her thoughts and experiences, contributing to the discourse on sustainable living and organic farming. "Farmer Sutra," her recently released book, serves as a comprehensive guide and an inspiring narrative that invites readers to join her on the path of organic farming.
Acknowledging her impact on society, Fox Story India has recognized Kalpana Manivannan as one of the "50 under 50 Quality Leaders." This recognition further solidifies her standing as a thought leader and influencer in the realm of sustainability and organic agriculture.
Kalpana's journey from a life sciences scholar to an acclaimed Urban Organic Farmer is not just a personal narrative; it is a testament to the power of passion, dedication, and the transformative potential of sustainable living. Through her diverse roles as a farmer, educator, speaker, and author, Kalpana Manivannan continues to inspire and lead the way towards a more sustainable and harmonious coexistence with the environment.
1. Congratulations on the release of your book, "Farmer Sutra." Can you tell us what inspired you to write this book and share your journey into organic farming?
>Thank you very much. When I ventured into farming, I was desperately looking for a book that documented an urbanite’s farming journey; someone who was balancing work and family, with no background in this field and yet who felt called to it, like me. But I couldn't find anything close to what I had in mind. There were tons of books on gardening know-how, but the connection with another aspiring farmer or a kindred spirit is what I was missing. Being a reader, I guess I was looking for a companion in a book. Not finding such a book gave rise to a strong desire to document my journey. Like Toni Morrison’s quote says - If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.
2. As an Urban Organic Farmer, Sustainability Coach, Mentor, and Social Entrepreneur, you wear many hats. How do you manage to balance these roles, and how do they contribute to your overall mission?
>As you rightly pointed out, I definitely don many hats but I don’t do them all at the same time and that’s how I get to play all these roles to my satisfaction. Having clear expectations and goals really helps. As an entrepreneur I get to decide how much I take on and I have very clear boundaries for what I give my time and attention to. I have my week planned out for each of these roles but it definitely overlaps and, on most days, I take it as it comes. But that’s also the fun of being your own boss; I never have a dull or a monotonous day.
Though the roles look quite varied, they all come together seamlessly to fulfil my core mission. As an organic farmer I like to lead by example and advocate for safe food, self-sufficiency and healthy living environment for all. I believe that any change must first start with self. And in my role as a coach and mentor I help others reach their sustainability goals which ties up with my mission beautifully. As a social entrepreneur, I try to provide solutions for the pain points of my community of eco-champions. My mission is amply supported through my roles as a teacher and a writer as well in spreading the message forward.
3. "Farmer Sutra" seems to be a personal exploration of your experiences. Can you share a memorable moment or lesson from your journey into organic farming that has had a profound impact on you?
>My memoir “Farmer Sutra” is full of those moments and lessons but the one that comes to mind is the moment of truth when I realized why we don’t see any worms in our brinjals and lady’s fingers anymore. That was one my earliest memories of something clicking into place; learning about the pesticide menace disturbed me enough to make me want to do something about it, which eventually paved the way for me to becoming an organic farmer.
4. Being a certified educator with a background in Life Sciences, how do you integrate your knowledge into teaching organic farming, especially to school children? What unique challenges and rewards come with educating the younger generation about sustainable living?
>Being a certified educator tremendously helps in imparting the lessons to young children. Through my lived experience I have observed that being an expert in something doesn’t guarantee that one can effectively transfer that knowledge to others. I truly believe that “knowing something and teaching it to others” are two completely different things. Having taught children of different age groups for close to a decade, I have my pulse on how children learn best.
Regarding challenges, I haven’t seen any; in fact children are so much more intuitively drawn towards nature and sustainable ways of living than adults! As adults we are so set in our ways and are averse to change whereas children have an innate openness to learn. The inquisitiveness and curiosity they bring to the conversation is so refreshing. I realize that as adults, we can learn so much from children.
Speaking of rewards, there are plenty. Every year the school management and teachers have a reflection session with their students and my heart sings when I hear that most of the kids who attend my sessions mention farming classes as their most favourite one. They also take home the lessons and bring wonderful changes in their own homes and in the perspectives of their parents, grandparents and their communities. This has been by far the most wonderful impact I see in teaching younger generation. They are the effective messengers and changemakers in our society and we need to focus on imparting the right education to them if we want a better world.
5. Your book reflects a commitment to sustainable living. In what ways do you believe individuals can make a difference in promoting sustainability in their daily lives?
>I believe that the first step is to become aware and conscious of our own ways of living. Anyone can start living a more sustainable life by simply becoming cognizant of their consumption habits. Doing a simple audit of what we bring into our homes, where does each of those items end-up and how much waste do we generate in the process, can give us a clear picture of what we need to avoid. Once we figure out the problem areas, we will automatically become inclined to finding better alternatives. Slowly and steadily, we can all shift to practices that are not only good for us but are better for our planet as well. I truly believe that as individuals taking charge and bringing small changes in our lifestyles, we can collectively have a massive impact on curbing this issue.
6. Can you elaborate on the significance of the "Karmaveer Chakra Award" and the "Swami Vivekananda Change Maker Award" in recognizing your contributions to sustainable practices and social change?
>As the name suggests, I received these awards essentially for being the change I wanted to see in my environment, and in doing so, understood the challenges and tried finding solutions that worked for me. I took those learnings and contributed towards spreading that knowledge and message to others. As an urban organic farmer, mentor, writer and social entrepreneur I am constantly trying to change the perception about farming and sustainable living. I am taking farming to schools and working towards making farming a part of their curriculum to embed a positive shift in the minds of the younger generation. I provide courses and workshops to individuals and corporate groups that have so far enabled thousands of families across the world to shift to a sustainable lifestyle. It has also empowered many entrepreneurs in the field of sustainability.
I consider these awards not mere recognitions but rather a huge responsibility placed upon my shoulders. It has made me realize that my work needs to continue to be more impactful and far-reaching to bring about more positive change in our society.
7. "50 under 50 Quality Leaders" is a prestigious recognition. How do you see your role in influencing and leading others towards embracing a more sustainable lifestyle, both in corporate events and through your writing?
>I strongly believe that a leader must lead themselves first. Leading starts with self and involves compassion, integrity and open-mindedness. In my opinion, these are the values necessary to envision and welcome change in the world.
Writing is a powerful medium and it helped me advocate for safe food and self-sufficiency. Being a writer, gave me a medium to express my opinions and thoughts on things that really matter to me. It gave me a platform to voice my views on sustainability and organic way of life. It helped me carve out space to write about my successes and challenges in urban organic farming and reach out to like-minded people aspiring to do gardening/farming. It helped me document my journey as an urban city-dweller balancing my farm life and my city life. I wanted to change the perception of farming for city folks. I wanted to show that it is possible to strike a balance between the two worlds. And I was able accomplish this through my sessions and writing.
8. What challenges do you think urban areas face in adopting organic farming practices, and how can individuals overcome these challenges to create a more sustainable urban environment?
>The biggest challenge in cities is obviously the space constraint. But that’s exactly what I am trying to bring a perspective shift in by advocating for kitchen gardening even in small spaces. Focusing on the problem doesn’t help the cause so I look at what can be done despite this constraint. Individually one can grow food for their family in balconies or people can come together to do this collectively in their apartment communities by utilizing the common areas and terraces. In urban spaces, every little space available can be used effectively for growing food. Vertical gardens and other space saving models can be employed to address this issue. Composting is another way to effectively manage one’s waste and turn it into useful supplement for the garden. As they say, if there is a will there is a way.
9. As an award-winning blogger, how do you use your platform to raise awareness about organic farming and sustainable living? What kind of impact do you hope your writing has on your audience?
>I use writing as a tool to effectively share resources with anyone aspiring to live a sustainable life. My website www.kalpavrikshafarms.com is created to fulfil this purpose. I share lots of free resources to help people get started in their journey towards sustainability. I also have courses and workshops for anyone who wants to learn new skills whether it is gardening, making natural cleaners for home or soapmaking, thereby helping people take actionable steps towards self-sufficiency. I also document my farming journey through my farm blog where I share my experiences to help and encourage fellow farming aspirants. I definitely credit my writing and blogging practice for helping me create a huge reservoir of information that supports others on this path. It has helped me create a huge community of around 10,000+ people globally who have benefitted from my courses and resources.
Now, with my debut book “Farmer Sutra”, I am receiving lots of heartwarming reviews from many urbanites. It seems to be rekindling the dormant feeling of many farming enthusiasts wanting to give urban farming a chance.
10. Looking ahead, what future projects or initiatives are you passionate about, and how do you envision continuing to contribute to the promotion of organic farming and sustainability in the coming years?
>Going forward, I would like to curate hands-on farming sessions for gardening enthusiasts on my farm. I would also love to organize sessions on farm-to-table cooking. I plan to take my “Farming in Schools Initiative” to many more schools to spread awareness among younger generation. I want to reach and inspire a larger audience of gardening enthusiasts so together we can change the world around us for better. I want to establish a trust fund to support the education of underprivileged children from the farming community. This would be my small contribution towards giving back to the community.
תגובות