20-10-2020
For developing my line of inquiry further, I had to go through few readings that gripped my mind, I am listing here the same:
- Barnes, Jessica. 2016. “Separating the Wheat from the Chaff: The Social Worlds of Wheat.” Environment and Society , Vol. 7 89-106.
- Leverink, Joris. n.d. Seed Freedom & The Future of Farming. An interview with Vandana Shiva, Roar Magazine.
- Sandhu, Jashandeep Singh. 2014. “Green Revolution: A case study of Punjab.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, Vol. 75, Platinum Jubilee 1192-1199.
- Sundararajan, Louise & Raina, Maharaj. 2015. “Revolutionary creativity, East and West: A critique from indigenous psychology.” Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology. 35.
As a part of reimagining transition student going through these readings, I was able to ponder upon the transition that is happening between farmer-wheat relationship. Wheat is a member of grass family. Wheat has a place in worlds most important crops, permeating different kinds of breads for daily consumption as well as being used as an unseen ingredient in many other food and industrial products. Global wheat consumption is increasing day by day and there is a shift in farmers intimate relationship with wheat as they manage its production and transition from seed to harvest.
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
As quoted by Robert Louis Stevenson above, if we look at the wheat as a seed, there are constant experiments going on for high harvesting variety of wheat for meeting the increasing international demands. There are two distinct agricultural paradigms that have changed the nature and identity of wheat through time, where various actors have sought to transform the seeds of this crop:
- Agro-ecological system: It has evolved over 10,000 years and works with nature and respects the ecological principles.
- Agro-industrial system: It has been developed by the chemical companies which have turned themselves into agrochemical companies after World War II
The research I am proposing here focuses upon how farmer-seed relationships are shifting with scientifically produced varieties of seed and emergence of donor-driven context. How farmers are engaging with this constantly shifting risk scape and do they accept or challenge dominant wheat frameworks, through organic cultivation or cultivating heritage varieties. The study will look at these relationships through three major points of seed transformation:
- It will look at the human seed relation during the time of origin and domestication of wheat.
- It will ponder upon the Green revolution and its effects on wheat production providing the first shifting scape of human seed relation.
- It will talk about genetic modification of wheat and what will be the possible shifts in farmer-seed relationship, due to the same.
Authenticity is defined as being “original, genuine, real, true to yourself” but the study I am proposing will look at the question of: What is or should be the authentic relationship between the farmer to wheat and his engagement with wheat? Does he have any freedom to be creative with the wheat he grows? Is he able to have an authentic relationship with what he grows, where he grows and how he grows?
All of these are research questions, my discussion with Padmini after this was about how to look at this whole issue as a designer. She explained the importance of “How” and “What if” questions in design research methodology. This has led me to change my question to “What if I create a system or a platform in which farmers can share their relationship with the wheat they grow?” and “How can I create it?”. These questions provide practice-based approach to the project with designing as a way of learning. Some further readings that was suggested are:
- Design, Ecology and Politics: Towards an Ecocene by Joanna Boehnert.
- Articles by Ashish Kothari and the look at Vikalp Sangam
Crafted Blueprints 