Invitation to "Seeds of Future" - 20 min skit at Culah 2010 hosted by Mount Carmel College

"Seeds of Future" by Sarang

MY RIGHT TO SAFE FOOD sponsored by ANNADANA SOIL AND SEED SAVERS Invite you all to a 20min skit "Seeds of the Future" Developed in 2008, by Sarang at the Culah 2010 Jungle Fever, A National Cultural Fest hosted by Mount Carmel College Over 60 colleges participating and over 8000 students attending

Date - 4th Feb 2010

Time - 2.30pm - 3pm

Venue - Main Auditorium, Mount Carmel College (MCC),Palace Road, Vasanth Nagar, Bangalore -560052


Synopsis - As part of a learning exercise on the threats of the so-called ‘modern’ agriculture poignantly articulated by village children who apply miming techniques and projection technology. Minimum use of language is used, so as to adapt to audiences anywhere in the world. These young creative masterminds aged 8 to 21 raise awareness on the adverse affects of pesticide laden foods and further alert consumers on the sneaky onslaught of GM crops.

Contact - Sangita Sharma, http://myrighttosafefood.blogspot.com/ +91 9448068347
Palak Agarwal ( Asst - Cultural Secretary MCC) +91 9972524511
Anuradha Sarang - Sarang Team - 09481184685
-----------------------------------------------
A Concept Note to the Play

"Seeds of the Future"

Welcome to the Village. It could be one of hundreds deep in the heart of India. Its people live a self-reliant happy life. True, they work hard each day, but always in tandem with nature not against it. They are safe and satisfied in their simple lives. Life is a celebration of nature’s bounty for them.

Then one day, Big Boots, the multinational company steps into the village. Big Boots is busy collecting samples of traditional seeds, cattle for research and terrifies the farmers. Big boot’s messenger, the liaison officer arrives to assure the villagers that they are not enemies. That they have the technology to quadruple their harvest. He slowly lures the villagers into leaving their traditional ways and joining the ‘modern’ agriculture his company propagates. All but one. There’s one doubtful villager who believes that all this comes at a cost. He rebels against the change and desperately tries to convince his friends, but is gradually isolated from the others who are wonder-struck at their sudden prosperity. He threads in and out of the scenes collecting traditional seeds. They see the wonders of 'green' revolution, 'white' revolution and the use of large machinery. The villagers start noticing pests in their farms. They get worried and approach the liaison officer for advice. He initiates them into using pesticides.Then one day, the richest farmer/farm in the village is dying. The villagers along with the liaison officer try to perk him up using various props(more pesticide sprays etc) but to no avail. He dies. This shocks the villagers. They realize their folly and join hands with the rebel. They fight the liaison officer and overpower him.

In the climax, the seeds which have been tossed from one to another are seen to be safe in the hands of children, the seeds of our future.

P.S - Images enclosed

Background to Sarang Team

Sarang is an alternative school based in Kerala. In the year 1979, Gopalakrishnan & Vijayalekshmi, a young teacher couple embarked on a quest for an education system that would allow their child to grow into a good human being, responsible and responsive to the society. Sarang was conceived and developed around their first son, Gautham. Along with his wife, Anuradha, he strives to carry forward Sarang’s mission. Over the years, hundreds of children and adults have grown with Sarang. At present, along with Kannaki and Unniyarcha, Gautham’s sisters, there are eight more children at Sarang. Their age group is from 8 to 21. They live and learn together. Their parents are farmers, daily wages workers and from villages whose common goal is to nurture their children into good human beings.

In 1983, with the realization that education was not complete without agriculture which forms the basis of human life, the Sarang couple bought some barren land atop a hill to experiment with. Learning from old farmers and from hands-on work, they gradually converted the once arid land into a lush green land with plentiful water. From then on, organic farming has been a vital part of Sarang’s dynamic curriculum and lifestyle. Children as well as adults at Sarang learn the basics of natural farming by cultivating vegetable patches, experimenting with seeds, working on the land whenever possible and keeping their minds as fertile as the land. They feel the need to raise awareness about the threats posed by GM crops deeply and travel extensively carrying their message, emphasizing the importance of natural & organic farming and the need for protecting & propagating traditional seeds for the future generations.
http://saranghills.org