VSDP

[Guest guest]

To reinvigorate ISKCON farm communities in accordance

with the wishes of His Divine

Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the ISKCON

Ministry of Cow Protection

and Agriculture presents a Sustainable Development

Plan to establish a world-wide

farming system utilising lifetime-protected farm

animals managed according to

sustainable principles and practices of land use,

which provides for quality of life

aspirations for the participants.

VISION

We seek to establish a world-wide farming system

utilising lifetime-protected

farm animals managed according to sustainable

principles and practices of

land use, which provides for quality of life

aspirations for the participants.

 

MISSION STATEMENT

By 2003, to have a functioning development plan which

can be implemented

throughout the world to realise the plan’s vision.

 

 

VAISNAVA SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The Vaisnava Sustainable Development Plan (VSDP) is a

systems-focused plan that

follows a process of progression from a farm’s current

reality, labelled ‘A’, to the defined

goal, labelled ‘Z’, which is taken from analysis of

the Vedic scriptures. The farm’s

current reality (A) will be compared to the vision

goal (Z) via an auditing system

measured according to the accepted sustainability

format of environmental, sociological

and economical principles. The farms audit structure

will be assessed on a scale of 0 -

100% for ‘A’, either as an individual farm for sole

use, or standardised between farms

with differing spatial factors. ‘Z’ is set at 100% and

should represent the epitome of

environmental, social and economic perfection within

spatial and temporal variances.

Reality ‘A’ = Audited present state on a 0 - 100%

scale.

Goal ‘Z’ = Audited ideal according to scriptures

as the 100% Absolute benchmark.

Upon such a comparative observation between farm ‘A’

and goal ‘Z’ then goal-oriented

hypothetical changes to the farm can be analysed and

implemented within a reiterative

system. This analysis can be both theoretical and

practical through pilot projects. Any

conclusions will, through the implementation of

various management tools, lead to

progress from A to Z, thereby fomenting a development

process ultimately leading to the

attainment of the stated vision. The percentage scale

of achievement within the guiding

principles are therefore managed by various practices,

management tools, which will

differ in their means but will eventually lead to

their ends of the ‘Z’ 100% level as the

epitome of the plan’s vision.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL & ECONOMIC AUDIT FRAMEWORK OF

INDIVIDUAL FARMS

 

 

AUDIT FRAMEWORK

The audit framework of the farms are based on

environmental, social and economic

factors as in accordance with the principles of

sustainable development. The

environmental principles are based on ecological

concerns, and can be measured using

corresponding physical aspects of the five great

elements - earth, water, fire, air and

ether. The social principles are based on meeting the

basic human needs of eating,

sleeping, mating, defending and life education. The

economic principles are based on the

the management process according to the 5WH formula -

what, how, who, where and

when?

 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL

The environmental principles are based on ecological

concerns, and can be measured

using corresponding physical aspects of the five great

elements - earth, water, fire, air

and ether. The word ‘ecology’ means the study of the

home, with the home being taken

from a micro to macrocosmic viewpoint. Within these

‘homes’ are always found the five

basic elements and concurrent principles of their

corresponding physical manifestation

can be observed in whatever biome or ecosystem found

across the planet.

 

‘Z’ can be set as the highest state of ecological

harmony, wether for a desert or tropical

rain forest, taking into account sub-climax biome

conditions and the ‘nature-orientated’

human element of ecosystem management to plagio-climax

conditions. Present reality

‘A’ can then be juxtaposed to the set ideal condition

and measures brought forth to move

the ecosystem in the former direction. The audited

categories can be both a) Elemental

(empirical) and b) Sensual (subjective) in their

analyses:

 

 

 

 

 

1) a) Earth = Soil fertility, measured taking into

account the mineral cycle, soil

conservation and structural improvement.

b) Smell of soil, flora and fauna.

2) a) Water = Water conservation in the biomass,

taking into account conditions

within the biomes hydrological cycle.

b) Taste of flora and fauna-derived produce.

3) a) Fire = Energy conservation in the biomass,

taking into account conditions

within the biomes energy cycle.

b) Sight of visual landscape.

4) a) Air = 3 Dimensional landscape spatial

arrangement.

b) Touch as sense of feeling of presence in

landscape.

5) a) Ether = 3 Dimensional landscape temporal

arrangement - succession.

b) Sound of flora and fauna.

 

Example using above analytical environmental criteria:

Empirical analysis:

A 100 hectare farm in warm temperate zone of South

East USA with 100 head of cattle.

(5) Predominantly grassland with restrictive

successional opportunities due to high

intensity grazing keeping the land at a grassland

plagio-climax state. (4) 10 ha of

woodland mainly on field boundaries with 3 ha on a

7-year rotational coppice. (3) Low

biodiversity and energy conservation, main energy

flows from grass to animal with loss

in animal metabolism and animal-derived produce. (2)

Good land drainage, though low

water storage due to low tree cover. (1) Good soil

structure and conservation due to

organic farming practices, improvements could be made

with more tree cover leading to

deeper rooting and more leaf litter.

Sensual analysis:

A 100 hectare farm in warm temperate zone of South

East USA with 100 head of cattle.

(5) Low diversity of sound due to low biodiversity,

except for cows and few trees. (4) A

feeling of spatial emptiness not contrasting to

surrounding land area. (3) A visually

sparse landscape. (2) Food produced is tasty due to

organic nature but lacks in diversity.

(1) The smell of the land is of the cows and their

stool. Little aroma of other flora and

fauna.

 

SOCIAL

The social principles are based on the human needs of

eating, sleeping, mating,

defending and life education. Audit categories are

according to an absolute needs-based

assessment:

1) Diet and bodily health = Predominantly a locally

produced lacto-vegetarian diet with

meat eating only as a result of necessary culling due

to maintaining ecological principles.

Ayur vedic medicine preferred lessening to homeopathic

and allopathic.

2) Housing and clothing = Produced from local material

using local labour and skills.

3) Family = To form marital bonds and raise children

within extended family unit.

4) Protection of interests = To maintain diet, house,

family and education in face of

external and internal conflicts. To organise family,

village, locality and country political

framework to ensure continuity.

5) Education = To be educated in needs-based material

life and in spiritual matters.

 

 

 

Make a great connection at Personals.

http://personals.