New Year's in La Paz, Bolivia

New Year’s Resolutions in La Paz

I suppose it is fitting that I am ringing in the New Year in a city whose name translates to “The Peace.”  I really hope that for my family, friends, and self, 2014 is a year of both peace and prosperity, though the latter is a rather ambiguous term that I would prefer to associate with happiness and contentment instead of the traditional materialistic meaning.  I have transitioned to La Paz, Bolivia from Bhutan after an exhausting 5 days of traveling.  I still feel jetlagged, tired, and of course, altitude sick, coming from Lima, Peru, which is basically at sea level.  I’ve moved in with a family and am taking Spanish classes with the father for two weeks.  So far, it’s been a less than appealing situation.  I’ve been quibbling with him over money, feeling that he is way overcharging me for lessons, room, and partial board.  I miss India and Bhutan dearly, there things were cheap and people housed and fed me for free.  Even the poorest of farmers refused to take my money.  I felt that I didn’t have to question the authenticity of these interactions and rather that people were helping me out of the goodness of their hearts.  So far, I cannot say the same about Bolivia.  I hope it changes once I get out of La Paz and into the countryside.  Moreover, my homestay mom has been telling me various stories of how four people who lived with them at different times were all victims of the same scam: a fake tourist and fake police officer collude to rob them of all their belongings.  Needless to say, I am nervous about going out alone around the city.  I feel a bit trapped in the house and it’s almost reminiscent of my time in Tanzania where going out on the street alone was stressful.  The adjustment has been a rough one as well because of the language barrier.  It is strange and doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I almost feel more isolated here where I can understand some-most of what is said and respond in a somewhat limited capacity.  It is extremely exhausting trying to decipher the words of rapid speakers and reply in broken Spanish 24/7.  In contrast, in Tanzania, India, and Bhutan, I did not master Swahili, Hindi, or Dzongka respectively, so trying to listen and understand seemed fruitless and in some ways, I knew that I could tune it out.  And while I know I missed out on a significant amount of the dialogue in this countries, I knew I could always try to default back to English.  Simultaneously, however, it is exciting and empowering to be in a country where I can understand the street signs, hail a [radio] taxi, and bargain in the market with my limited language skills.  I can make more small talk with the family than in many of my homestay situations in other countries, which should also feel more unifying.  I guess only time will tell.

Despite the wonderful celebrations of Diwali in India and National Day in Bhutan, for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, this has been the most lonely holiday season I’ve ever experienced.  Spending them in a low quality Indian hotel, navigating various airport connections, and a partying in a famous backpackers’ hostel in the massive and aloof city of La Paz respectively has made me miss my family and friends more than I could have imagined.  Although I was surrounded by people on all occasions, they were not the people whom I love and value.  In a room full of people, I felt inexplicably lonely and isolated.  Thus, in terms of resolutions for 2014, I am really starting to understand what makes me happy.  I now know more than ever that I enjoy spending time with loved ones and people who have similar values, interests, and aspirations in life.  In contrast, I have spent some time with backpackers, albeit limited, and I realize how much I don’t see eye to eye with them.  I am not bouncing around various party hostels getting drunk every night with other foreigners or taking organized buses to the most popular tourist hotspots.  In contrast, I enjoy and want to spend time with families and immerse myself in the nuances of the local culture, preferably in rural settings.  Thus my resolutions include wanting to dig even more deeply into my project and the various cultures if that’s possible.  I want to spend less time on social media and more time in real conversation.  I want to exercise regularly, eat better, sleep more and just generally take care of myself – my body and my mental wellbeing.  After all this exposure to Buddhism, I should know that happiness comes from within and is all about attitude.  Even though La Paz has felt like anything but home over the last four days and it’s been nothing but rain, I am hopeful that if I just try to apply a more positive mindset, then things will improve.

And to wrap up this post, I will share some inspirational and fun quotations from a list-serve email I recently received:

“Happy New Year! Time to make 2014 the stuff of legends

This is it. Your moment is here.

All it takes is a little inspiration and motivation to go after what you want. Try it this year. We’ll cheer you on every step of the way. In fact we’ll start right now:

 “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

 “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” (Confucius)

 “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” (Ayn Rand)

 “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

 “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” (Coco Chanel)

 “The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others.” (Vincent Van Gogh)

"Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn." (Harriet Beecher Stowe)

 “Life is very interesting… in the end, some of your greatest pains, become your greatest strengths.” (Drew Barrymore)

 “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. (Harriet Tubman)

Here’s one more quote to sweeten your day: “You’re only human. You live once and life is wonderful, so eat the damned red velvet cupcake.” (Emma Stone)”

Here are also some New Year’s resolutions related to sustainable food from Food Tank – The Food Think Tank, based in Chicago:

“As we enter 2014, there are still nearly one billion people suffering from hunger. Simultaneously, 65 percent of the world's population live in countries where obesity kills more people than those who are underweight. But these are problems that we can solve and there's a lot to be done in the new year!

2014 was declared the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Food Tank is honored and excited to be collaborating with FAO around highlighting how farmers are more than just food producers--they're teachers, innovators, entrepreneurs, environmental stewards, and change-makers!

And negotiations are continuing around the new Sustainable Development Goals that will replace the Millennium Development Goals. It's our hope that the new goals will help not only reduce hunger and poverty, but find ways to improve nutrient density and improve farmers' livelihoods.

In addition, the issue of food loss and food waste is gaining ground thanks to the U.N.'s Zero Hunger Challenge, which calls for zero food waste, as well as the good work of many organizations including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Feeding the 5000, the U.N. Environment Programme, and WastedFood.com who are showing eaters, businesses, and policy-makers solutions for ending waste in the food system. 

And youth are taking the lead in pushing for a more sustainable food system. Young people like Edward Mukiibi, who is helping Slow Food International's 1,000 Garden in Africa's program gain momentum. In addition, the Young Professionals for Agriculture Research and Development (YPARD) is helping connect agronomists, farmers, researchers, and activists around the world. Food Tank will also be announcing some exciting work around mobilizing youth in 2014!

Through concrete action, hope and success in the food system is possible.

As Nelson Mandela said, “sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great.”

Together we can be that generation and find solutions to nourish both people and the planet!

Here are 14 food resolutions for 2014:

1. Meet Your Local Farmer

Know your farmer, know your food (KYF2) aims to strengthen local and regional food systems. Meeting your local farmer puts a face to where your food comes from and creates a connection between farmers and consumers.

2. Eat Seasonal Produce

By purchasing local foods that are in season, you can help reduce the environmental impact of shipping food. And your money goes straight to the farmer, supporting the local economy.

3. End Food Waste

More than 1.3 billion tons of edible food is wasted each year. Tips to reduce waste include planning meals ahead, buying ‘ugly’’ fruits and vegetables, being more creative with recipes, requesting smaller portions, composting, and donating excess food.

4. Promote a Healthy Lifestyle

Many diseases are preventable, including obesity, yet 1.5 billion people in the world are obese or overweight. Promote a culture of prevention by engaging in physical activity and following guidelines for a healthy diet. Gaps in food governance must also be addressed to encourage healthy lifestyles, including junk food marketing to children.

5. Commit to Resilience in Agriculture

A large portion of food production is used for animal feed and biofuels--at least one-third of global food production is used to feed livestock. And land grabs are resulting in food insecurity, the displacement of small farmers, conflict, environmental devastation, and water loss. Strengthening farmers' unions and cooperatives can help farmers be more resilient to food prices shocks, climate change, conflict, and other problems.

6. Eat (and Cook) Indigenous Crops

Mungbean, cow pea, spider plant...these indigenous crops might sound unfamiliar, but they are grown by small-holder farmers in countries all over the world. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that approximately 75 percent of the Earth’s genetic resources are now extinct, and another third of plant biodiversity is predicted to disappear by the year 2050. We need to promote diversity in our fields and in our diets!

7. Buy (or Grow) Organic

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has found that at least one pesticide is in 67 percent of produce samples in the U.S. Studies suggest that pesticides can interfere with brain development in children and can harm wildlife, including bees. Growing and eating organic and environmentally sustainable produce we can help protect our bodies and natural resources.

8. Go Meatless Once a Week

To produce 0.45 kilograms (one pound) of beef can require 6,810 liters (1,799 gallons) of water and 0.45 kilograms (one pound) of pork can require 2,180 liters (576 gallons) of water. Beef, pork, and other meats have large water footprints and are resource intensive. Consider reducing your "hoofprint" by decreasing the amount and types of meat you consume.

9. Cook

In Michael Pollan’s book “Cooked,” he learns how the four elements-fire, water, air, and earth-transform parts of nature into delicious meals. And he finds that the art of cooking connects both nature and culture. Eaters can take back control of the food system by cooking more and, in the process, strengthen relationships and eat more nutritious--and delicious--foods.

10. Host a Dinner Party

It’s doesn’t have to be fancy, just bring people together! Talk about food, enjoy a meal, and encourage discussion around creating a better food system. Traveling in 2014 and craving a homemade meal? For another option try Meal Sharing and eat with people from around the world.

11. Consider the ‘True Cost’ Of Your Food

Based on the price alone, inexpensive junk food often wins over local or organic foods. But, the price tag doesn’t tell the whole story. True cost accounting allows farmers, eaters, businesses, and policy makers to understand the cost of all of the "ingredients" that go into making fast food--including antibiotics, artificial fertilizers, transportation, and a whole range of other factors that don't show up in the price tag of the food we eat.

12. Democratize Innovation

Around the world, farmers, scientists, researchers, women, youth, NGOs, and others are currently creating innovative, on-the-ground solutions to various, interconnected global agriculture problems. Their work has the great potential to be significantly scaled up, broadened, and deepened—and we need to create an opportunity for these projects to get the attention, resources, research, and the investment they need.

13. Support Family Farmers

The U.N. FAO has declared 2014 the International Year of Family Farming, honoring the more than 400 million family farms in both industrialized and developing countries, defined as farms who rely primarily on family members for labour and management. Family farmers are key players in job creation and healthy economies, supplying jobs to millions and boosting local markets, while also protecting natural resources.

14. Share Knowledge Across Generations

Older people have challenges--and opportunities--in accessing healthy foods. They're sharing their knowledge with younger generations by teaching them about gardening and farming, food culture, and traditional cuisines. It’s also important to make sure that older people are getting the nutrition they need to stay active and healthy for as long as possible.

You can share this awesome list with friends and family by following this link: http://foodtank.org/news/2013/12/fourteen-food-resolutions-to-bring-in-the-new-year?utm_source=Food+Tank%3A+The+Food+Think+Tank&utm_campaign=aa0d51d624-14+Resolutions&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c6d5c4b977-aa0d51d624-12452989

Sunset over Holland from Alitalia airlines

Welcome to Juliaca, Peru!

"Your smile decorates my day"

First views of Lake Titicaca

At the border between Peru and Bolivia in the town of Desaguadero

Welcome to Peru...except we were going towards Bolivia ;)

Woke up to the breathtaking views of La Paz from my hotel window

"I wish that everyone smiles and is happy"

One of the many incredible murals sprinkled throughout La Paz

My homestay brother with alpacas in the city

My visit to "Moon Valley"

With my homestay brother Jose

Spirit of the Andes

Jose and I :)

Care for your planet

Cholitas and angry birds...

"La Paz: the force of the revolution, example of transformation"

2nd Quarterly Report (India and Bhutan)

2nd Quarterly Report

Dear Watson Family,

Happy holidays from Lima, Peru, though I think I left my heart somewhere in the Himalayas! I have crossed 12 time zones in the last three days, miraculously made six international connections, and somehow managed to keep my luggage all the way to South America. Not the ideal way to spend the holidays, but in lieu of Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, I enjoyed Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, and National Day (in honor of Bhutan’s king). Today, my body and internal clock have no idea what time it is and I feel so exhausted, I can barely sleep. Spending time, albeit brief, in the airports of Europe where squat toilets cease to exist, designer stores like Dior are everywhere, and westerners with an excess of belongings abound was disorienting. You know you have been traveling for a while when it’s actually more comfortable to eat with your hands, when you are accustomed to squat-toilets, and when you actually prefer to take a bucket shower. Moreover, I continue to reply to people with the distinct Indian head wobble that indicates yes/no/yes/maybe. I have also grown accustomed to waking to incense overwhelming my olfactory system, a distinct part of Buddhist puja (prayer) each morning. But rewind three months to when I last wrote you from India. After visiting eight states, spending a total of 7 days on buses and trains, residing in 15 homestays, and conducting more than 60 interviews and visits, I have learned so much that I truly cannot begin to explicate, but I will try.

After leaving the majestic mountains of Ladakh in India’s northernmost state, I made my way south to Vandana Shiva’s biodiversity conservation farm and learning centre, Navdanya. Although I have been dreaming about coming here for ages, I have mixed feelings about my one-week stay. I can imagine that being there for a long time would have its pros and cons, but spending the majority of time with fellow foreigners made it feel like it wasn’t the “real” India (whatever that means). It was more like a bubble or a distorted reality that has the potential to make one feel trapped. So lesson #1: sometimes Plan A is not ideal. Despite these downbeat aspects, I suppose I should also focus on all the good things: I met many inspiring people whose varied backgrounds lent well to resource exchange, which helped me critically analyze my own research and make future contacts in India. I got my hands dirty working in the field(weeding, cleaning rice, sorting seeds, transplanting, and harvesting), and I still find weeding cathartic and therapeutic, as well as harvesting (getting to see the product) and planting (knowing that you are giving life). I taught yoga for the first time, which not only made me feel physically good but the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the class has inspired me to want to become a yoga teacher when I return home! Most importantly, however, while at Navdanya, I’ve realized that my own mindset and attitudes have changed since I left for my trip. I think that before the Watson, in the comfort of college and my extracurricular involvement in Slow Food, I was easily swayed and convinced that local, organic, small-scale, traditional, and simple living is the most desirable. However, at Navdanya, I found myself annoyed with people who “just want to live simply” and seem opposed to anything remotely modern, globalized, and change-oriented. Deep down, I want those same things, but I also don’t think we can ignore the other side, which I often found myself defending. I don’t think I would have found myself in this position last Spring, though I hadn’t realized it until I was surrounded by people who seem brainwashed – it’s a huge step for me. I want to continue to ask tough questions in the future and not complacently accept the “easy” answer, whichever side it may fall on.

After Navdanya, I made my way to the state of Punjab, the birthplace of the Green Revolution (GR) and the granary or breadbasket of India (though it is now known as the cancer state from overexposure to agro-chemicals). Initially unplanned or rather a “Plan B,” I am so glad I fit Punjab into the itinerary and felt like my knowledge and experience were profoundly enriched. It even turned out to be one of my favorite places in India: the state is mostly Sikh religion (think turbans and long beards), the food here is divine, and I am officially obsessed with Indian clothes and need to stop buying them. Here I was able to speak with two young girls who lost their fathers to debt-related farmer suicide, and my most memorable visit was with a young farmer who is experimenting with organic. It’s a difficult transition, I am realizing more and more. He told me stories of how his neighbors think he’s crazy for growing vegetables, when they just grow rice and wheat with government support. They laugh at him when he rides his bicycle 11 km to the nearby town to sell at the market. Even his own mother asks, “why are you doing this rubbish?”

Agriculture in Punjab feels contradictory: prosperous and tragic. Some farmers are producing huge yields (with the help of subsidies and chemicals), while others are stuck in a debt trap and resort to suicide. They know about the ill-health effects of chemicals but are willing to take the risk for menial profit. I have also come to understand the inherent paradox to mechanization: on the one hand, it displaces labor and forces farmers off their land; on the other hand, it relieves farmers from drudgery and has the potential to incentivize youth to come back to the land. Thus agricultural technology has the potential to assist farmers if it is implemented appropriately, which is where the term “appropriate technology” comes in. Even though my stay was just a little more than a week, I feel like I’ve learned so much and that I am being challenged in all directions. For better or worse, organic farming is not as simple as it seems. Those who try it do not have the support of family, community or government. They are like salmon swimming upstream to spawn – against all odds, trying their best. Even just weeding for a couple of hours, I can see how it might be tempting for farmers to simply spray pesticides and herbicides on their fields instead of backbreaking, monotonous labor. I think that it is so simple to romanticize organic but in reality, it’s just not that easy – labor is expensive, making compost and biopesticides is labor and time intensive, the government does not support it, and there are no assured markets. So I am coming to many realizations here and also trying to push aside my inherent biases and preconceived notions.

After my stay in Punjab, I felt more prepared to attend the World Agricultural Forum Congress in Hyderabad, which was supposed to focus on smallholder farmers. During the conference, I randomly met another female delegate who offered to host me for four days at her home. She helped me dress in saris for the Congress gala dinners, and one night, we even rode to the venue on her scooter, an incredible experience, zooming through the crowded streets of Hyderabad, riding sidesaddle in a flowing sari on the back of her motorbike. The wind whipped through my hair (on a helmetless head, mind you) and ruffled the fabric of the traditional dress (which I was careful to tie up so that it wouldn’t catch). India has the power to make me feel so alive. Despite its imperfections and drawbacks, I find myself in love with this country.

Fortunately, the World Agricultural Forum (WAF) 2013 Congress was a significant opportunity for me to engage, learn, and collaborate with a variety of stakeholders in the global farming system, ranging from industry leaders to politicians and farmers to academics. There was also deep irony in that one of my hosts (a scholar and activist) and his colleagues withdrew their invitations to speak at the Congress, held a press conference/rally at the fair, and made demands for the state government to withdraw support, all in protest of the corporate-dominated agenda. Essentially, I am discouraged and tired of hearing the same rhetoric on opposing sides: the organic movement critiques MNCs and the industry for exploiting small farmers and on the other hand, industry says that privatization, technology, and modern inputs are going to be the saving grace of small farmers. I feel pulled in opposite directions and seek a neutral opinion, as both ends of the spectrum articulate and support their arguments eloquently and compellingly. While I acknowledge that all stakeholders have their own values and agendas, I like to think that everyone wants the same thing and that it is just a matter of how we achieve these collective goals without letting vested interests get in the way.

Moving on to two weeks in Vidarbha, the farmer suicide belt of India. Again, it was quite the whirlwind tour of dryland farming in this marginally productive area. I spent time with Subhash Palekar, founder of the Zero Budget Spiritual Farming movement in India. Although I commend Palekar’s efforts to mobilize a mass movement of farmers who are saying no to market dependence and uplifting themselves through proactive measures, I am extremely skeptical of his conspiracy theorist tendencies (he recently published a book titled, “Is Organic Farming a Conspiracy?”). Though he did raise one excellent point, which further motivates me to take up farming as an occupation and lifestyle at some point in my future:

“All these techniques and principles of organic farming are introduced by those intellectuals in society who are not practicing farming, they do not know how to plough or harrow the soil; how to sow the seeds, how to harvest with their own hands. They don’t know the actual problems, which the farmers are facing.” 

On the model farm visits, I was able to see impressive yields and incomes, content farmers, and generally successful operations. It made realize that seeing is believing for farmers who have not yet phased out chemicals.

After the tours, I found myself in the town of Yavatmal. During my 7+ farm visits, I saw firsthand how technology definitely does not mean progress. I was able to contrast Punjabi farmers who have the most modern technology (which demands monoculture) with marginal dryland farmers in Vidarbha who, without access to irrigation or high tech machines, are intercropping cotton and pigeon pea for nitrogen fixation. In my mind, this mixed cropping and lack of mechanization is actually much more “progressive.” It was powerful and depressing being in the birthplace of cotton where farmers don’t understand the BT GMO technology and are killing themselves, coexisting alongside farmers who very much recognize the flaws and are avoiding the system. The Director of the Centre of Sustainable Agriculture aptly told me, “Where we thought and assumed that technology was not available it was the other way round. The suicides were a result of technology failure.” It was a poignant moment attending a farmer meeting where I asked them if they know about the genetic modification technology behind BT Cotton and when they replied “no,” hearing it explained to them for the first time. Ultimately, my time in Vidarbha was dominated by both theoretical and practical learning, as well as stark visual comparisons. I received a basic lesson in watershed development; an explanation of pesticide management techniques (comparing integrated pest management (IPM), non-pesticidal management (NPM), and Insecticide Resistance Management (IRM)); and the importance of data-driven studies directly comparing organic and chemical farming systems.

And I can’t think of a better way to wrap up my research in India than visiting the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai. Almost since the beginning of my time in India, I had been hoping to meet and interview Dr. MS Swaminathan himself. He is known as the “Father of the Green Revolution in India” and worked with the late and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1960s to double India’s grain production, transforming the hungry nation from food insecure to a self-sufficient net exporter. Dr. Swaminathan is a bit of a foodie/ag celebrity in my mind, so I was shocked and exhilarated when his secretary was able to arrange an interview. Although he just celebrated his 88th birthday, he is still very much young at heart. My time at MSSRF was useful because of the overall balanced approach to these issues. Dr. Swaminathan summed up very well that everyone has to devise their own thoughts on new developments and technologies, but it should not be based upon emotions, ideology, whims, or other people’s flimsy opinions but rather data-driven, independent science. Furthermore, there is no magic bullet solution to the agrarian crisis – as Dr. Swaminathan said, “organic is not the panacea for everything” (and neither are GMOs). Yes, sustainable agroecological farming may hold the answer to many of our problems, but perhaps it really does entail some integrated approaches (i.e. not ruling out external inputs, chemicals, and hybrid seeds all together) – honestly, I really don’t know. And as stated before, I’ve spent my fair share of time with conspiracy theorists and ideology-driven people on both ends of the spectrum: comparing the March Against Monsanto global protest, which I attended in New Delhi in October, with the corporate-laden World Agricultural forum is a stark contrast. However, I finally feel like neutral voices are coming through. Lastly, I asked Dr. Swaminthan what his advice would be for an aspiring young person such as myself and he said: “My advice would be don’t go by slogans, emotions, or because somebody says, ‘this is bad. That is bad.’ Apply your own mind,” which is exactly what I am attempting to do this year.

I finished my time in India by taking side trips to Varanasi and Darjeeling, which made me feel like I am teetering on the edge of being a tourist and an inhabitant. By no means do I claim to be an expert in Indian culture or to have any true comprehension of the crisis of poverty and hardship here, but I do feel like I have been able to closely observe and experience the beautifully rich culture (e.g. politics, food, dress etc.) through my rural and urban homestays. I also acknowledge that I am much closer to a tourist, but my quotidian activities feel far from touristy. That being said, I become disoriented when I meet other travelers, since it has been a very long time since I’ve encountered them. I realize that this fellowship and all of its independent glory allow me to intimately and genuinely interact with communities and issues that would most certainly be inaccessible if I were a merely a tourist or in a group. This distinction was further highlighted by the fact that I was able to go to Bhutan on a non-tourist Visa. By working with the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Organic Program, I bypassed the $250 per day tariff and got off the beaten path, going places that tourists are not allowed. Without the Watson, this would have most certainly been impossible, so thank you.

Bhutan. What can I say about this amazing little Himalayan kingdom? One that makes up for its lack of size in natural beauty and personality, and the first country in the world to declare the goal of 100% organic agriculture. It is called the Land of the Thunder Dragon or the “Last Shangri-la” for its remoteness and cultural preservation, but I would rather call it the “Land of the Unexpected.” For instance, I’ve eaten more meat in the last week than the last six months combined and Bhutanese are Buddhist, meaning they shun the killing of animals and thus I expected them to be largely vegetarian. Not to say that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy the yak burger or wild boar, but my stomach is overwhelmed and confused. Moreover, I honestly thought that coming to Bhutan, a country that was an absolute monarchy until 2008, that uses Gross National Happiness (GNH) alongside GDP as an index of growth, where Internet and TV didn’t come until 1999, a national traditional dress code is required in government offices, and all buildings must conform to the national architecture, would be true cultural immersion into a pristinely traditional society. Instead being in the capital city of Thimphu felt more like home than anything in the last 6 months: a shower with running hot water, eating pasta and tomato sauce for dinner, watching a Pixar animated film on a flat screen TV, going to a bar to listen to acoustic covers of American bands – all in the company of my new Bhutanese friends who are part of the growing urban, middle class.

Yet I quickly found myself in a truck going 6 hours south, mentally preparing for a short stay with a farming family. During this drive, I once again re-boarded the time machine and have since been jolted out of both time and space. Practicing milking a cow, churning butter, making cheese, weeding the broccoli patch, harvesting yams, maintaining the vermicompost, transplanting, and seeing the water mill were just a few of the activities. I imagine this is how it would have been living in Old Sturbridge Village, a popular field trip site during elementary school where people would dress up in colonial-era clothes and churn butter for an audience of restless schoolchildren. Except this isn’t 18th century New England – this is 2013 in rural Bhutan in a village where electricity didn’t come until last year.

Over three weeks, I did four farmer homestays, saw five Dzongkhags (districts), and conducted 28 interviews/visits with a variety of stakeholders. Through these enriching experiences, I have come to understand many things. For instance, Bhutan may still be attempting to scale up to 100% organic, but this doesn’t actually seem to be the hard part. In reality, the country is facing a number of other unique challenges, namely related to its dramatic topography, varying climate, and sparse population. The issue is not that farmers are dependent on chemical inputs for farming or are at the whim of multinational corporations such as Monsanto, as is the situation in much of India. In contrast, one of the major problems is very poor road infrastructure, which limits marketing options for farmers, keeping most in a subsistence lifestyle. Moreover, fragmentation has led to even smaller land holdings and even those minute acres are often mountainous, difficult to cultivate, and nearly impossible to mechanize. And the lack of both export and domestic markets dis-incentivizes farmers from scaling up to commercial production.

Unlike India and many other countries in the world, the Bhutanese government plays an extremely large role in the agricultural system with most areas entirely nationalized and minimal privatization. There seems to be genuine concern for farmer welfare on behalf of the state and the necessary oversight, though perhaps too much in some cases. At the National Biodiversity Center, I was told about efforts to promote biodiversity and traditional seeds through value addition and marketing of local products; of the importance of appropriate technology at the Agriculture Mechanization Center; post-harvest storage and processing for preservation and value addition at the National Post Harvest Center; different methods of pest, disease, and weed control at the National Plant Protection Center; various nutrient management techniques at the National Soil Services Center; and aims to promote food self-sufficiency through improved seed varieties at the National Seed Center. I also observed first-hand the potential for private business through the eyes and experiences of a young entrepreneur; about struggles with improved methods such as System of Rice Intensification from farmers, extension officers, and department directors; and efforts to support farming through academic conduits at the secondary school and university level.

After an enjoyable week living with four different farming families, attending a Bhutanese wedding (the first wedding in my life! I can add this to the list of the unexpected), conducting nine farmer interviews, and gaining hands on experience in farming, I found myself back in the capital city of Thimphu. And it was perfect and just in time for a very special guest: Andre Leu, President of IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements headquartered in Bonn, Germany). Andre was visiting Bhutan to do a seminar for Ministry of Agriculture executives, including the Minister himself. Obviously, I was not expecting this, so it was a wonderful surprise and remarkable way to celebrate the six-month mark on the Watson Fellowship. The most poignant part of his seminar, titled “Achieving Food Security with Science-Based High Yielding Organic Agriculture in Bhutan,” was that modern organic agriculture is not the same as the low-yield, backbreaking farming of the past. He noted that today, organic agriculture combines tradition with innovation and science by focusing on ecological processes, biodiversity, and local cycles. An exciting “Aha” moment for me: I think organic farming may be one of the answers I have been looking for all along: how to marry traditional indigenous wisdom with modern science and technologies for improved agriculture.

Like Dr. Swaminathan, Andre also emphasized the deep need to remove dogma from the organic discussion and instead promote science. In a balanced and realistic approach, he introduced me to concepts such as Ecological Function Intensification. He did some myth-busting about organic with well defined arguments as to why yields do not have to go down, the potential for small-farm income generation, and the prospective for participatory guarantee system (PGS) certification in lieu of an expensive third party scheme. It was a striking moment hearing the Minister of Agriculture himself admit that the presentation was eye opening and to observe ministry employees show both the resistance and eagerness to move forward on the national organic plan. Thus, the last major unexpected aspect of Bhutan: during my interviews, I felt some clear reservations and doubt within much of the ministry with regard to the 100% organic plan, as many individuals argued for integrated pest and nutrient management systems that utilize chemical inputs as a last resort.

So now, as I prepare to embark on my next Watson journey, this time to the Bolivian Altiplano, where I hope to spend the next three months learning about quinoa, I will leave you with visions of Bhutan:

As I sleep and wake to the rhythms of the Earth, it’s like heaven here. It feels like I am closer to the sky, within kissing distance as the clouds engulf the lush and verdant hillside.  Today, while harvesting pole beans, the sun’s rays pierced through and peaked out over the impending clouds, as if the Gods were splitting open the heavens with a triton of sunshine.  The air is so crisp and fresh; life just seems to make sense. I am not saying that a rural existence is easy, but it is logical.  The Earth is ready to give us so much – why not borrow it as long as we give back?  For instance, harnessing and mimicking nature through vermicompost or water-powered mills – these simple schemes are low cost and environmentally sound.  I am truly amazed by the productivity of such a small landholding: 30 crops on one acre – the way the fields are just bursting with life in an abundance of fruits and vegetables.  The feeling of having fresh compost slip through my fingers or the snap of the stem when picking beans.  To some degree, I crave self-sufficiency and I hope that I can take some of these lessons home: the slowing down and letting the seasons and daylight be my timekeepers.

Thank you again for everything and best wishes for a Happy New Year,


Lauren

Post-Bhutan Ponderings

December 27, 2013

Some photos from my final day of research, field visits, and interviews in Bhutan:

At the National Seed Center

Certified seeds

With my host and Coordinator of the National Potato Program - in the tissue culture lab :)

Agriculture Machinery Center

Paro Museum was under construction

Paro Valley in the background

Last time wearing my kira!

As I provide my own final re-cap and analysis of this magical place, I will amalgamate some particularly poignant quotations from Married to Bhutan, the memoir written by Linda Leaming, which I have so often cited in my recent blog posts.  This entertaining book had become a sort of helping hand for me while in Bhutan, as I was able to relate to and trace the progression and emotional/spiritual development of another Western woman who eventually called this Himalayan kingdom home.

“The world outside Bhutan seemed drained of color.  I had never been so in love with a place and its people as I was with Bhutan.  For the first time in my life, I was pining for something.” (p. 26)

Likewise, I think I left my heart somewhere in the Himalayas; how else can I explain the void and weariness that permeates my bones?  Or perhaps it’s the inexplicable exhaustion and jet lag that is leaving me feeling empty and homesick. I have crossed 12 time zones in the last three days, miraculously made five international connections, and somehow my luggage also ended up in South America.  My body and internal clock have no idea what time it is and I feel so exhausted, I can barely sleep.  I began the long journey departing from Paro International Airport in Bhutan on Tuesday morning.  The sequence of tiring travel events started when I accidently had my Swiss army knife packed in my carry-on bag, which made the security check interesting.  This incident was followed by the fact that I couldn’t get through immigration because the border police had not stamped my passport when I first arrived in Bhutan, overland from India.  In fact, they merely looked at my paperwork, including my paper visa, and let me go freely.  In retrospect, they should have charged me $20 and stamped my passport, but I had no idea.  So here I am, frantically trying to get through immigration and having them explain the difficulties in leaving the country.  After several phone calls to higher ups, I managed to pay the $40 visa fee, get my passport stamped, and ran to the tiny plane where they had already fired up the engines and I was literally the last passenger to board before they closed the doors.  Adrenaline rush to say the least!  This was compounded by the fact that I was graced with surreal views of the Himalayas as my flight made its way westward to Nepal, including vistas of Mount Everest.  

Last one on the plane!

Goodbye Bhutan!

Hello Mt. Everest and Nepal

I spent about ten hours in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, of which a brief two-hour city tour occupied some of my time.  I way overpaid for a taxi, not realizing that the exchange rate of Nepalese Rupee is even better than the Indian Rupee and the Bhutanese Ngultrum, if that’s even possible.  But I was smart enough to ward off some extra men who offered to “be my guide” by retorting that the taxi driver could serve as both driver and guide.  One man responded with: “oh you are clever, madam.”  Yep, sometimes I can be.  However, I didn’t realize that entrance to one of the temples would cost another 1000 Rs.  This may not seem like a lot, but when you are trying to operate on a shoestring budget, these kinds of unexpected expenses really catch you off guard. 

So to the tune of around $10, I was able to enjoy another UNSECO World Heritage Site, Pashupati Temple.  I can add this to my growing list, which now includes several national parks in Tanzania, the Taj Mahal, and the Darjeeling Himalayan Express Train to name a few.  According to one brochure, “Pashupatinath is Lord Shiva, the God of Gods.  Ancient Scriptures have described Him as Lord of the entire living beings and the source of eternal bliss and peace.  The Pasupatinath Temple is one of the holiest temples of the world revered and worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists.”  Records indicate that it was rebuilt around 1120 AD and today, it is part of Pashupati Development Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The temple “symbolizes Nepal’s national glory.  It is a centre of faith and religious piety for the Hindus and Buddhists of the world, as well as a unique treasure that forms part of the world heritage.”  

Looks like Varanasi, India

I was told that these old men sit around all day on drugs...interesting

Famous Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu

I love this: Buddha Air alongside Yeti Airlines.  (Jack - I think I found Sasquatch in the Himalayas :P)

Spending only a few hours in Nepal was mildly disorienting because it felt like being back in India, if only for a fleeting moment.  The crowded streets had a palpable layer of dusty smog and scattered litter as rickshaw-like vehicles rambled by.  In fact, Pashupati Temple reminded me of a mini Varanasi (the famed Hindu city in Uttar Pradesh), as there were even burning ghats where people were cremating the bodies of loved ones along a contaminated river. 

--

“This little spot I have come to think of as my hideout.  Living in Bhutan is already like hiding out from the rest of the world, so here I suppose I’m about as far away from the world as I can get without leaving the planet, a hideaway within a hideaway.  I recommend two things to anybody interested in finding out more about who they really are, what they’re made of, what they can endure, and how far humor will take them: running away and hiding out.  If you have a chance to do either or both in your life, then by all means, take it.  Two trees at the bend in the river act as camouflage.  Some people might call what I’m doing meditation, but I prefer the term daydreaming.  It is a lost art.  I look around.  Everything is achingly beautiful, shining in the pristine air.  The glorious early-winter light; the river, now bright blue reflecting the sky; whitecaps, perfect in their water-ness – these white flecks of pure liquid energy make me feel relaxed.  I think of the movie White Mischief and the character that actress Sara Miles plays, a jaded American heiress living in Kenya.  Every morning she opens the French doors in her bedroom and views the spectacular Kenyan landscape, the flawless sky, and says, ‘Oh, God, not another fucking beautiful day.’  I don’t want to be jaded by this beauty.  The water is rushing and so clear you can see the smooth black and brown rocks shimmering in the bottom.  In fact, everything shimmers.  The thin air is crisp and electric.  A haze in the distance will burn off in an hour or so.  Hot sun high up takes the edge off, so it’s not that cold.  The brush-covered cliff to my right had bear tracks below it a few weeks ago.  The bears were foraging, getting ready to hibernate.  Above, the tree line goes all the way up a small slope to the sky.  The landscape is one-third blue sky, two-thirds sand and evergreen trees pointing up, taking my eyes to heaven.  Nearby, green and red prayer flags on long poles whip gently in the wind, sending prayers off the cosmos.  I envision myself growing roots like a tree.  My legs knot at the place where they meet the ground, my buttocks grow long roots that push me into the earth.  My straight spine forms one long brown taproot that burrows into the ground as it forms fine lateral rootlets.  I am immovable and unyielding.  Rivers figure largely in my personal metaphors: water coming and going means being graceful, fluid, and adaptable.  Learn to be water.  In dreams, rivers are symbols of change or transition…I’m aware how far away the world is from this maze of rivers cutting through mountains.  I can’t stop thinking of this as an impossible place, as magical.  It’s certainly done its magic on me, and I feel like a benevolent Buddha.  Of course, I am far from Buddha-like.  I am very much of the world, and stressed.  That’s why I’ve come to the river.  I like to unwind here because even in Bhutan the world closes in.  There are things to do, hassles, and tensions, and we’re always broke.  But here we live so much in the moment.  It’s a gift to know this: that life and the world are fleeting, like water in a river.  Knowing that change is inevitable and life is ephemeral is being mindful.  It makes each moment rich with possibilities.  To really understand this, to feel it, you have to derail, switch off, and run away.  That’s why I come here.” (Leaming, p. 140-142)

Next, I found myself on a fifteen-hour red eye flight from Kathmandu, Nepal to Paris, France with a brief stopover in the Middle Eastern city of Doha in Qatar.  I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know Qatar was a country before this and had only heard of Doha because of the famous round of economic talks.  I managed to watch some good movies including When Harry Met Sally and Dead Poets Society, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.  However, I was dreading getting to Paris because I was extremely worried about not making my connection.  At the time of booking, I guess I had a little bit of a brain lapse because I didn’t realize that Paris had two international airports.  So I was very relieved and excited when I saw that I could fly to Lima, Peru from Paris with an ample four hour layover between flights.  Yet to my surprise, I had accidentally booked my second flight from Orly International Airport, not my port of entry: Charles de Gaulle.  Worst case scenario, I thought to myself: take a train from Paris to Amsterdam if I miss the connection.  Fortunate reality: I made it across the city in a mere hour with plenty of time to spare.  Next stops: Rome and Amsterdam, which hardly made sense, because flying to Italy was like going back in time and space when I really needed to move westward to South America, but alas, one cannot control these absurdities.  After some serious internal debate, I decided to book an overpriced hostel in Amsterdam so I wouldn’t have to spend Christmas sleeping in the airport.  In fact, everything about Europe feels drastically overpriced, from the train fare to the hostel to my dinner, especially coming from India where I could often get by on less than $3 a day.  Spending time, albeit brief, in the “West” where squat toilets are not a thing and designer stores like Dior were everywhere, was disorienting.  Even seeing so many white people with an excess of belongings draped over their bodies was disconcerting.  I had become so used to only see Indians or Bhutanese people that being jolted back into the developed world was a shock and one from which I was eager to extract myself.  Unfortunately, in Amsterdam, I had to wait until 15 minutes before the gate closed to know whether I would make it on my flight out of Europe, since KLM Royal Dutch Airlines had overbooked the flight and I didn’t yet have a seat.  As you can imagine, this was quite stressful.  Miraculously, however, I made it on the flight and after an additional one hour delay on the plane, I even enjoyed several more films: two Woody Allen movies (Match Point and The Scoop – I’ve decided he’s one of my new favorite filmmakers), The Butler (a film about an African American butler who served several administrations in the White House, tracing his family’s personal story of growing up picking cotton in the deep south, through the era of the Civil Rights Movement up until the 2008 election of Barack Obama), Elysium (a rather violent dystopian sci-fi-y movie with Matt Damon and Jodie Foster), and Argo (again, though I slept through most of it as I struggled to keep my eyes awake).  So all in all, I can’t believe I made it to Peru, with my bags!  It was strangely comforting arriving in a warm city where I can (mostly) read and understand the billboards and even communicate freely with my Spanish speaking taxi driver.   

--

“It’s almost winter, my favorite season.  I know this is unusual.  I love the way the trees have a soft brown look without their leaves, and their sap, their life force, concentrates in the trunks.  The river makes a soft lulling sound, a winter sound; and water moves slowly, like it is caught up in the sunlight and wants to stay.  Slow glistening of the sun on the slow-moving water.  A clean sound.  Here, my body rooted to the earth, my thoughts flowing, I understand that we can’t see what’s right in front of us unless it is comfortable and expected.  To truly see something, we don’t need to reply on senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing.  For clear perception, we need to rely more on natural, not reasoned, impulses.  I think of the choices I’ve made in my life.  For me, there is a big difference between choosing and deciding: Choosing means we take the initiative – we learn about options, think of alternatives, and then pick one – and I prefer it.  Deciding means someone has already made the choices for us.  They are assembled in front of us, like a big menu in a fast-food restaurant.  We merely pick A, B, or C.  IT is more passive.  These aren’t the traditional dictionary definitions of choosing and deciding I’m using, but I make the distinction because in the world, so many things seem to be decided for us.  We don’t really believe we have much choice but we do.  If we choose to follow our dreams and desires, then other things, good or bad, fall into place.  I discovered this in Bhutan.  In its remotest corners, with so many layers stripped away, I find my inside self is the same as my outside self.” (Leaming, p. 143-144) 

But rewind back to Bhutan.  What can I say about this amazing little Himalayan kingdom, one that makes up for its lack of size in natural beauty and personality?  Although I was only able to spend a mere three weeks there, I feel like I am coming away with a much deeper understanding of both its agriculture and culture.  I don’t know how I can possibly summarize what I’ve learned, but I’ll try.  In short, I did five homestays (four of which with farmers) and saw five Dzongkhags or districts, in addition to 28 interviews/visits with a variety of stakeholders:

·         Two interviews with the Coordinator of the National Organic Program
·         Interview with an Agricultural Marketing Officer at the Centenary Farmers Market
·         Visit to Wangsisina Organic Research Farm and interview with Farm Manager
·         Personal Interview and International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) Seminar with IFOAM President Andre Leu
·         Several informal conversations with a Senior Research Officer of the National Organic Program
·         Visit to the National Post Harvest Center
·         Interview and Visit to the Agriculture Machinery Center
·         Interview with Director of the Plant Protection Center
·         Interview with National Soil Services Center
·         Interview with Marketing Officer of the National Seed Center
·         Interview with National Biodiversity Center
·         Interview with Agriculture Professor at the College of Natural Resources
·         Interview with Agriculture Extension Officer doing trials in SRI
·         Interview with Druk Organic Farm Manager
·         Visit to an Organic Research Center
·         Visit with young entrepreneur of “Himalayan Chefs Garden”
·         Interview with seed producer and farmer outside Thimphu
·         Informal conversations with Agricultural Extension Officer of Sarpang
·         9 farmer interviews in Tsirang and Sarpang Dzongkhags

“Living here, I understand the notion of time as a quality or shade of being.  We are ruled by weather, so time is inseparable from the seasons, what food we eat, where we go, what we do.  We are able to forget about the schedules of the world for now and make a little world of our own.  Sit back and take care of our own…I’ve been sitting with my eyes closed.  Sometimes I fear that if I blink or tilt my head in a certain way, all the beauty of Bhutan, these gorgeous evergreen mountains dotted with fall foliage, the white snowcaps in the distance, will disappear.  Mindful of being mindful.  Change is constant.  Suffering inevitable.  Sow your own garden.  If enlightenment is possible anywhere, I think it is particularly possible here.  Tantric Buddhism teaches that there are many paths – as many as there are stars in the sky.  Vajrayana, the diamond vehicle, means that anything can be an aid to enlightenment: jade, meditation, coq au vin, standing still, sex, walking out of a door, compassion, waking up, happiness, intuition, choosing, not taking yourself so seriously, mountains, breathing.  Like the title character in Voltaire’s Candide: Or Optimism, the 18^th century satire about how we ought to view the world, I’m a disenchanted optimist.  Most optimists are, when they reach a certain age or accrue enough experiences.  Dr. Pangloss, Candide’s teacher, said, “This is the best of all possible words.”  This is not true.  Yet I do believe in miracles and magic in this part of the world.  I believe in accidental enlightenment.  It could happen, and probably about as easily as one could become enlightened form, say, reading a lot of books about Buddhism.” (Leaming, p. 155)

Through these enriching experiences, I have come to understand many things.  For instance, Bhutan may still be attempting to scale up to 100% organic (without a set time frame), but this doesn’t actually seem to be the hard part.  In reality, the country is facing a number of other unique challenges, namely related to its dramatic topography, varying climate, and sparse population.  The issue is not that farmers are dependent on chemical inputs for farming or at the whim of multinational corporations such as Monsanto, as is the situation in much of India.  In fact, very few farmers have access to synthetic fertilizers and even less to pesticides and herbicides.  In contrast, one of the major problems is very poor road infrastructure, which limits marketing options for farmers, keeping most in a subsistence lifestyle.  Moreover, fragmentation has led to even smaller land holdings and even those minute acres are often mountainous, difficult to cultivate, and nearly impossible to mechanize.  And the lack of both export and domestic markets dis-incentivizes farmers from scaling up to commercial production. 

Unlike India and many other countries in the world, the Bhutanese government plays an extremely large role in the agricultural system with most areas entirely nationalized and minimal privatization.  There seems to be genuine concern for farmer welfare and the necessary oversight, though perhaps too much in some cases.  However, efforts are being made to privatize some aspects of the agricultural supply chain to relieve the burden on the government and promote efficiency and quality, but also to monitor to prevent exploitation of farmers.  The country lacks agricultural subsidies in the conventional sense and the import and distribution of synthetic inputs is highly regulated at the federal level.  Unlike in India where the state seems to be failing farmers, Bhutanese farmers get most of what they need from the government, including a well-developed extension service.  At the National Biodiversity Center, I was told about efforts to promote biodiversity and traditional seeds through value addition and marketing of local products.  Of the importance of appropriate technology at the Agriculture Mechanization Center; post-harvest storage and processing for preservation and value addition at the National Post Harvest Center; different methods of pest, disease, and weed control at the National Plant Protection Center; various nutrient management techniques at the National Soil Services Center; and aims to promote food self-sufficiency through improved seed varieties at the National Seed Center.  I also observed first-hand the potential for private business through the eyes and experiences of a young entrepreneur; about struggles with improved methods such as System of Rice Intensification from farmers, extension officers; and department directors and efforts to support farming through academic conduits. 

“Even as Bhutan evolves and modernizes, it is as if the geography and weather are holding it back.  Nature is saying, ‘Not so fast.’  But the Bhutanese are philosophical about it.  They take things as they come.  I think it has something to do with the fact that they see things in a continuum.  They don’t have to have everything in this lifetime.  They have an ease with death and dying, maybe because the end isn’t the end if you believe in reincarnation.  It’s just a blip on the screen of your existence, a momentary setback, an intermission in the movie – go out and get some popcorn and it will all start again…When people die in Bhutan, being good Buddhists, they are cremated…mostly the Bhutanese are concerned not so much with the dead body as with the spirit of the dead loved one.  Cremation is to help the spirit find its way to the next reincarnation…Some people come to Bhutan to die because they think it is an auspicious place to achieve their next life.” (Leaming, p. 185-186)

In addition to learning about the various challenges that farmers face from the government side, I was also able to observe and interact with small farmers themselves.  I saw that Bhutanese farms are predominantly small, diverse, and integrated operations (e.g. 30 different crops on one acre, livestock, and agroforestry).  Some are selling half of their produce or more but struggle to make ends meet financially because of expenses such as transporting produce, high labor costs, and lack of surplus.  I was also able to witness the benefits of participating in a farmers group first hand: free hybrid seeds, polythene greenhouses, increased attention and training from extension agents, group financial accounts with low interest loans, economies of scale and joint marketing.  In terms of agricultural development, I observed a sequence of development in that farmers were naturally more interested in roads and electricity than agricultural implements.  Largely speaking, the farmers I met seem to be very satisfied with their occupation and quality of life, including contentment with government support, agreement with organic farming and are aware of human health effects of using chemicals, and hopes of obtaining larger land holdings and more commercial activity.  Furthermore, I was exposed to organic technologies such as vermicompost, vermiwash, biofertilizers, green manuring, botanicals, and biopesticides, and was able to gain valuable hands-on experience in farming activities, including: milking cows, making butter and forming cheese, weeding the vegetable patch with hand tools, harvesting grass for fodder with a small scythe-like knife, harvesting vegetables by hand, seeing a hydro-powered traditional thresher and the water wheel stone mill, cleaning millet by sifting it through a hand woven basket, learning how to maintain vermicompost, preparing the field/bed for planting, transplanting seedlings to the field, and transferring compost and planting seeds in a nursery.

“In my life, adventure and dreams have taken precedence over desire for material objects.  I follow my intuition and my dreams because this is the only way change happens.  I am not adverse to working without a net.  And I’m not adverse to leaps of faith…In the West, it is possible to live and be asleep.  In Bhutan, one is compelled to wake up.  There are all kinds of ignorance in the world.  Education, learning to read and write, doesn’t necessarily give us knowledge.  We have to learn to use our minds to see what is really happening…[but] Some things in life are more important than understanding.”  (Leaming, p. 216-217)

After an enjoyable week living with four different farming families, attending a Bhutanese wedding, conducting nine farmer interviews, gaining hands on experience in farming, and twisting/spraining my ankle from falling down a treacherous hillside path (the not so enjoyable part), I found myself back in the capity city of Thimphu.  And it was perfect and just in time for a very special guest: Andre Leu, President of IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements headquartered in Bonn, Germany) was visiting Bhutan to do a seminar for Ministry of Agriculture executives, including the Minister himself.  Obviously I was not expecting to meet Andre, so it was a wonderful surprise and awesome way to celebrate the six month mark on the Watson Fellowship.  And even though he’s probably traveled to more than 100 countries representing this international umbrella organization (that has a presence in 120 countries around the world), he is very much approachable, humble, and does not make you feel intimidated at all.  He raised a number of excellent points, both in his seminar and in our two-hour interview.  The most poignant parts of his seminar, titled: “Achieving Food Security with Science-Based High Yielding Organic Agriculture in Bhutan,” was that modern organic agriculture is not the same as the low-yield, backbreaking farming of the past.  He noted that today, organic agriculture combines tradition with innovation and science by focusing on ecological processes, biodiversity, and local cycles.  Andre also emphasized the deep need to remove dogma from the organic discussion and instead promote science.  In a balanced and realistic approach, he introduced me to concepts such as Ecological Function Intensification or the science of applied agroecology to deliver multiple ecosystem functions.  He did some myth-busting about organic with well-defined arguments as to why yields do not have to go down, the potential for small-farm income generation, and the prospective for participatory guarantee system (PGS) certification in lieu of an expensive third party scheme.  It was a striking moment hearing the Minister of Agriculture himself admit that the presentation was eye opening and to observe ministry employees show both the resistance and eagerness to move forward on the national organic plan.  Yet during my interviews, I felt some reservations and doubt within much of the ministry with regard to the 100% organic plan, as many individuals argued for integrated pest and nutrient management systems that utilize chemical inputs as a last resort.  Regardless, I think the IFOAM president sums it up quite well, as in my interview, I asked what it would mean for the rest of the world if Bhutan succeeds in its 100% organic plan:

“There is a lot of misunderstanding about organic.  People are saying if we went organic, the world would starve and they are confusing organic with old style traditional.  Seeing a country like Bhutan go ahead with it is very important in providing an example to other countries.  I personally see Bhutan as a shining beacon of light in the world, not because of organic but also the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH).  If you look, everywhere else has gone down using GDP and its effects: overcrowding, pollution, depression.  Most of us would agree that we haven’t developed the world the right way.  Here we have an experiment that could show the world the right way to go.  Combining the issue of human and social well being and the right level of development that looks after the environment.  It may be a little country but a huge shining beacon of light to the world.” 

And lastly,

“I’ve learned not to question so much.  I understand that life is full of these happy, life-altering coincidences.  They probably happen much more than we think or know, especially when we are traveling, loosened from our moorings, if you will.  They happen quite often in Bhutan.  And I know that if a day comes when you’re in a place that seems absolutely magical, when you feel like anything can happen, you just have to go with it: go ahead and let yourself get carried away.” (Leaming, p. 224).