XLRI - Xavier School of Management hosted the sixth “Dr Verghese Kurien Memorial Oration on Sustainable Development”. Organised under the aegis of Fr Arrupe Centre for Ecology and Sustainability (FACES), XLRI, in memory of the founder of Amul, Dr Verghese Kurien, known as “the Milkman of India”, the oration aims to provide a platform to listen and learn from thought leaders, social entrepreneurs, development sector professionals and policy makers who have made a significant contribution to the idea of an empowered, prosperous and sustainable society.
Dr Vandana Shiva, environmental activist and an ecofeminist spoke on “Oneness vs the one per cent: Ecological responses to the threat for planet and humanity”.
Nirmala Kurien, daughter of Dr Verghese Kurien; Fr P Christie, SJ, Director of XLRI; Dr Ashis K Pani, Dean (Academics), XLRI; and Dr Madhukar Shukla, Chairperson, Fr Arrupe Center for Ecology and Sustainability (FACES), XLRI, were present.
Dr Vandana said, “The principles and ideas that shaped Dr Kurien’s contribution to the cooperative dairy sector are principles and ideas that have shaped my work on seeds, biodiversity and agro-ecology. These are principles of justice and sustainability.” She pointed out that Dr Kurien’s movement was built on cooperation and not competition. “Cooperation is the law of nature and justice in society, cooperation creates abundance and peace. Competition is an artificial construct that creates scarcity and conflict. Dr Kurien focused on the small producers and created the largest dairy economy of the world. He did not impose the violence of centralised factory farms,” she said.
Global solidarity
Explaining the Navdanya movement, she said, “Industrial agriculture based on fossil fuels and chemicals has destroyed soil, contributed to water emergency and climate emergency, which has led to hunger, malnutrition and chronic diseases. Navdanya’s work has shown that by conserving our biodiversity and practising agro-ecology, we can remove hunger, end farmers’ suicides, and stop the spread of toxics and chemicals which are killing biodiversity and spreading cancer.”
Fr Christie said, “We are indeed privileged to have with us Dr Vandana Siva, a well-known environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, and an active participant in the global solidarity movement known as the alter-globalisation movement. She has actively promoted biodiversity and indigenous knowledge to increase agricultural productivity, nutrition and farmer's income. She has devoted her life to give life to earth and the poor who have been affected.”
Dr Shukla said,“FACES at XLRI was established with the mission to promote practices and policies, which will help create an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable and just society.”