RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS

out-reach programs

PUNARCHITH also engages in continuous research on themes and issues that are pertinent to rural India. To date the following research studies have been completed:

Other research in progress includes a study of the drought conditions in the district and an essay on ‘Abandoned Land’ that focuses on the significance of the growing volume of uncultivated land. A handbook on teaching social issues to adolescents, and an analytical overview titled “Pedagogy and Practice” are forthcoming outputs from the Integrated Learning Programme.

[Publications by individual members are listed under the members’ names.]

2023: For this year until March 2024, we plan to organise awareness and out-reach activities at multiple levels. Climate Change workshops for rural youth have begun in June 2023 and will continue in a modular format for the same youth. In addition, awareness programs at Nagavalli, with a focus on improving green cover, garbage and sanitation management, water conservation etc will be conducted over the year. With permission from the Dept of Education, we will be conducting awareness programs with various government high schools and colleges in the taluka and the students will also visit Angarike Maala. At the end of the year, March 2024, we hope to develop a decentralised action plan for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

JanSwara or ‘People’s Voices’: A compilation of progressive songs. (Photo of book ONLY).

Dry Grain Complex, by Joshua Lobo. (pdf attached)

Between 2021-22, PUNARCHITH team members facilitated the translation of the book, ‘The State of Rural and Agrarian India 2020’ into Kannada and its publication by Sankathana Publications. K.P. Suresh was the lead translator and was assisted by P. Veerabhadranaika and A.R.Vasavi. Two versions of the report were completed; one is a longer and detailed version meant for a general audience and the other is a simplified version with more details about Karnataka.

UPPASARU is our compilation of local recipes (collected by the ILP learners and core team members) and consists of recipes using local edibles. The book was designed by Abhisheka K and is meant to promote local cuisine as a way to also sustain local food cultures and ensure food sovereignty.

Group Photo: June 18th, 2017 after the open-house on land restoration at Angarike Maala.

OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

From 2011 to 2017, PUNARCHITH has conducted training and short courses for the following institutions: Association for Persons with Disabilities, Bangalore; Terre de Homme, Davanagere; Spoorthi, Mukhanpalya high school; Govt. Degree College, Mobility India, Chamarajanagar.

In addition to these activities, team members have participated in and contributed to discussions and fora related to education, agriculture, drought conditions, democracy, new economic ideas, conservation etc. PUNARCHITH is also an active supporter of and participant in the activities of the Network for Rural and Agrarian Studies (ruralagrarianstudies.org).

We continue to conduct research on issues related to agriculture, rural issues, youth and democracy. With Badri’s book on Ashramshalas published, he will update and revise some case studies of government schools. Based on our observations on the increase of ‘runaways’ (youth who enter into inter-caste or inter-religious marriages and who leave home), we are documenting such cases and attempting to understand the changing family, gender and aspirational mobility forms in rural India. The details of the state of natural resources and the impact of climate change in the district will be documented for out-reach and advocacy purposes. After the March end meeting on

democracy with the youth of the district, we have decided to conduct such meetings and discussions on democracy on a regular basis at the district level. A handbook on democracy and the challenges in India will be developed over the coming year. Members of the team continue to write and publish on a range of themes including current socio-political conditions and trends, sociology of education, and agrarian issues. Regular out-reach work with farmers on sustainable agriculture (monthly meetings and demonstrations), with residents of Nagavalli village on water conservation, waste management and home gardens, and with the youth from our ILP programme on decentralised democracy continues.