Philosophical Treatise on FOOD.

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This is an excert from the Proceedings of the Roayal Society of Arts, third

ordinary meeting, November, 1933 introduced by Sir Daniel Hall, KCB., LLD.,

FRS., Chief Scientific Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture, England, in the

Chair. It seems to have an extroardinary paralell with ISKCON today.

 

Sir Albert Howard:

'Although the holdings are small and the methods adopted extensive rather

than intensive, and although the cultivators possess little or no capital in

the shape of money or credit, nevertheless in one respect Indian agriculture

is in a very strong position. The cultivator, his family and oxen possess

abundant leisure which awaits profitable employment. Family labour is almost

everywhere available in plenty, and does not require a money wage provided

it is devoted to the holding for the benefit of the cultivator. One of the

tasks before the Indian Agricultural Dept., is to exploit this favourable

factor to the utmost by suggesting means by which at any rate a portion of

the working hours now running to waste can be utilized for the permanent

improvement of the fields.

THIS ASPECT OF THE RURAL PROBLEM IN INDIA (and Iskcon) HAS RECEIVED FAR TOO

LITTLE ATTENTION IN THE PAST.'

 

....'Today I propose to carry this subject a stage further and deal with the

most important limiting factor in crop production - namely, the supply of

organic matter to the soil in the form of humus, which in turn provides the

crop with the necessary combined nitrogen. This investigation took more than

twenty years to complete. The preliminary work was carried out at Pusa and

Quetta ; the final process was worked out at Indore between 1924 and 1931.

The results were published in book form towards the end of 1931.'

 

This book is now available in ISKCON, it's now called: THE LOST SCIENCE OF

ORGANIC CULTIVATION, it shows that same work that Howard did in the 1920's

and a comparative study done in Mayapur 80 years later in 1996-7.

 

'The supply of humus for the soil is obtained from the waste products of

agriculture (Temples and Farm Communities) at no cost to the cultivator

beyond the expenditure of a portion of his abundant leisure.'

 

This was the situation in India in the 1920's and I propose that the

situation today is the same if not worse in ISKCON. We ISKCON have centered

our agricultural endeavors around COW PROTECTION (milk production) rather

than AGRICULTURE with the consequences that we have seen in the last few

years and indeed before us today.

 

I propose that we carry forward the subject of todays economy a stage

further and deal with the most limiting factor, namely crop production at no

cost to the cultivator beyond the expenditure of his abundant leisure.

In ISKCON the labour force as Rohita prabhu puts it is either 'engaged in

book distribution or other related activities', intence spiritual sadhana or

abundant leisure.

 

This is a subject that can be addressed by our GBC and temple authorities.

 

 

I would however strongly recommend that before the spaghetti hits the fan we

should begin seriously looking at this issue on a global scale for all the

devotees as Howard did in India then for the benefit of the Indian peoples.

 

Srila Prabhupada always recommeded that our Farm Communities be supportive

of our city temples. This also means that it should work both ways; i.e.,

the city temples should take advantage of the wonderful produce that is

grown on our farms ('one hundred times more valuable than food found in the

market place') and purchase it. Therefore I feel there is a necessity to

enforce this issue, if it is not too strong a word, as it has been so

neglected and bring about a real sustainable economy for the devotees.

 

This not only means good ECONOMY but good HEALTH for both the farm and city

devotees. You only have to look around you wherever you are to see the

effects of poor diet.

For poor diet is the cause ill health. (Medical Testament,...'The food for

the most part is fresh from its source, little altered by preparation and

complete and that....the natural cycle should be complete. No CHEMICAL or

substitution stage should intervene.' Sir Albert Howard's work with Major

General Sir Robert McCarrison on nutrition of plants and food, initiated at

Indore and carried from India to many parts of the world, seems to

constitute a natural link in this cycle. Lady Eve Balfour, founder of the

Soil Association.)

 

The effects on health, both of humans and animals (cows), from food grown in

this way is the main compulsion I have had for writing this book and

teaching this system of 'completing the cycle' wherever I go. Not to mention

the profit that can be made from the simple practice, which we seem to have

established as Vedic, of recycling what would otherwise be regarded and

treated as garbage.

 

Your servant,

 

Radha Krsna das.