Mysuru:  “I grew up in poverty in my village and like any villager dreamed big of the city life. I went to Bangkok and was overwhelmed by its glitz, glamour and the rich people. But I could not live there for long and returned to my village,” said Thailand farmer Jon Jandai.

He was sharing his experience at an interaction session with organic farmers organised by Belavala Foundation and Sahaja Seeds at the Belavala Organic Farm in Belagola near here this morning.

“After I returned, I decided to take up farming. I would go and collect cow dung to use it as manure to grow vegetables in a patch of land I owned. But the villagers thought I was crazy as I used cow dung. They complained to my mother that I was of unsound mind. But I did not care and continued using natural farming methods. Within six months I grew a lot and the same people who were criticising me started praising me,” he said.

Jandai who hails from Yasothorn Province, inaugurated the interaction by lighting a earthen lamp and has been farming all his life, started building earthen homes on his family farm in 1997. “Just as birds build their own nests we can also build our own homes using naturally available materials which is called earthen homes,” he said.

“We are starting a ‘Seed Movement’ to fight against the onslaught of multi-nationals. We are also having a seed festival, seed exchange and interaction between seed savers and Jon Jandai,” said Sahaja Seeds’ Krishna Prasad.

There was a festive atmosphere in the air as organic farming exhibition and exchange of ideas between the farmers was also organised at the venue. All the organically grown vegetables, fruits, seeds were on display.

Organic farmers Shivakumar from Chamarajanagar, Hoysala S. Appaji from Holenarasipur, Rechanna from Hosamalangi, Arul Swamy from Kollegal, Vishakante Gowda and Govinda Shetty from Arepalya are all participating in the exhibition. They are displaying varieties of millets, quinoa, tomato seeds of cherry red and cherry green varieties, water apple, rose apple, varieties of paddy, organic mango varieties like Alphonso, Neelam, Thotapuri, Badami and Kumkum variety tomato to name a few.

Jandai, who co-founded Pun Pun Centre for Self-reliance, an organic farm outside Chiang Mai and who is interested in preserving heritage in seeds,  is accompanied by his American wife Peggy and son Than.

The Belavala Organic farm in Belagola is owned by Joint Director Horticulture (Retd.) Dr. Ramakrishnappa. Jon Jandai will visit the local fruits and vegetables wholesale market and Chamundi Hill tomorrow.