GROW Campaign Launch Programme: Mumbai
GROW was launched officially in Mumbai at 1.00pm on 1st of June (IST) with 32 regional media attending the Press Conference. The short film by Sandhya Srivastav was shown to give a context to the global food scenario. The media was addressed by Moutushi Sengupta, Director Programs and Advocacy Oxfam India who explained the GROW and the reason behind such a global campaign. Anand Shukla, the regional manager for the western region talked about the situation in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh where farmers’ suicides are on the rise. He quoted Gandhi that “the Earth provides enough from our need and not for our greed” to explain the need to look at sustainability.
Dilip Gode, the president of Vidharbha Livelihood forum spoke about why conservation is so important for livelihood. He put across a simple point that there are no suicides in communities who are dependent on forests for food and livelihood. He also reinforced that Indian economy is linked to agrarian resources which is linked with our natural resources.
Shubhranshu Choudhury, the founder of alternative media platform CGNet told media that there is a need to question why most industrialization in India happens in the most fertile land.
Smriti Z Irani, a well known TV actress and a social activist spoke in Hindi and told media that “It’s time that we take up the fight on hunger for the farmers who give us food on our plates not leave the problem for them to fight alone.”
She also insisted that “all citizens should take up the cause to bring change and not just let only NGOs, activists and media to fight or support the issues.”
Her concern was that “as a mother, I want to see that my future generation does not suffer.”
Post a Q&A session, the panelists unveiling the International Manifesto and the brochure on key India asks.
Smriti Irani also inaugurated the photo exhibition titles ‘Portraits of Hunger’.
Event:
The theme song by Sandeep Srivastav was presented with a beautiful audio-visual depiction of the situation faced by the farmers in rural India.
Naman, a dance troupe from Alibag performed a short dance drama to depict some of the problems faced by farmers in the villages. Naman, lead by Amol Janardhan Kapase ‘has won the International Celeste Dance Award twice. They have performed in many shows on national TV like Boogie Woogie and various other shows. Shri Amol and his dance group enacted a story about a village where life was good and food abundant, a place where people loved nature. Things slowly starts to change as increasing prices leads the men folk to migrate to cities to work. The women of the village are left behind to look after the children and farm. She toils and works hard but changing climate is adding to her troubles as rain does not come on time. She’s left hungry. Her children are hungry as she waits for the rain.
Asutosh is the lead singers in local groups Rahmania, Wondering Souls and Musical Devine and has also sung in many Marathi movies. Swapnaja Lele, another key singer of the band Rahmania is a known singer from the Sa Re Ga Ma fame. They both sang well-known Marathi and Hindi songs which they chose specially for the Campign.
Lok Seva Kala Sanch of Talegoan in Jalna district is a folk media group who has been raising awareness about various issues in and around their village for the past 25 years. They use their special art forms of songs, dance and skits to drive the message across. Dilip Pimple, the founder and his group are traditionally farmers but have been using folk media for generations.
Lok Seva Kala Sanch presented a very entertaining look at the issue of women farmers in the villages across India, the right of every farmer to food and the importance of nature in everybody’s life. They will use their traditional folk methods of Gan (Naman), Batawani (Dialogues) and Shaheri Powara to spread their message to us and the world.
The photo exhibition was open to the public throughout the duration of the show which was followed by tradition food from the state.
The event was attended by approx 150 people from partner agencies, community members and a few donors.
Quotes:
Shubhranshu Choudhury, the founder of alternative media platform CGNet, says about GROW: “Farmers, hunger, poverty are so unfashionable subjects now, though actually there can’t be anything more important for the majority. I’m looking forward to this biggest campaign of Oxfam with lots of hope.”
Aniruddha Sharma (CEO, Carbon Clean Solutions)
"The campaign is ambitious and takes into account many perspectives to the whole livelihood issues in India and the world. It’s time we start deliberating on realities and prepare for long term changes aimed at common cause rather than only looking at next 5 years plans. I really hope that the campaign is successful and we get to see positive change. Wishing Oxfam all the best for taking up this onus."
Lakhshay Verma ( Group VP – Marketing, RP Group)
Oxfam has got its finger on pulse of massive global problem and the fact that this needs global participation, change and answers. Changing things on such a large scale will be a huge challenge but if it can be done, it will solve an entire range of issues in our country and elsewhere. Wishing Oxfam good luck for Grow.