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The Professional Alliance for Conservation Agriculture (PACA)
is a platform that has emerged from concerns surrounding agriculture
given the increasing importance and diminishing interest. Recent
deliberations surrounding food security, diversion of croplands for
other applications, and the subsequent ecological impact are all adding
to heightening worry for farmers and policy makers alike.
Given this scenario and ensuing measures likely to
emerge to counter perceived threats, there is a need to rethink the way
agriculture should be practiced, with the emergence of a new paradigm.
It goes without saying that such a paradigm will have to address
concerns of poor farmers, of productivity, and of environment if it has
to be considered seriously. This is what forms the raison d’etre of the PACA initiative.
The task at hand is not one of a new technology or approach, but of
bringing a change in thinking of the manner in which agriculture is
pursued. Thus developing an understanding, internalising and building
conviction to gradually move in the right direction would hold the key.
This then would need to scale up through willingful adoption by farmers
who are the primary stakeholders of land based resources.
Understanding the scale of effort required to address accelerating
deterioration, PACA hopes to motivate concerned stakeholders involved
with agriculture to come together as a platform. Such a platform could
bring about the required change by addressing emerging needs through
adoption of Conservation Agriculture practices. As a beginning, PACA
will concentrate on building awareness about possible means to address
contemporary problems facing agriculture by focusing on needs of
developing nations in the Asian region. This will be complemented
through efforts directed towards policy and implementation in the
field, working through a “conviction by practice” approach.
PACA is promoted by Centre for Advancement in Sustainable Agriculture (CASA) and Society for Strategy Technology & Delivery for Development (Society STADD)
who will be managing the initiative that will seek involvement of
concerned stakeholders to join the movement and contribute to the cause.
If
you are involved with a farmer group, livelihood project focused on
agriculture, or are involved with the agriculture research or extension
system and feel you want to be a part of the change process, we look
forward to hear from you. Each one of us can make a difference and PACA
hopes to encourage and build on such collective strength.
http://www.conserveagri.org/
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