After a short year end break, No-Cost Extension is back! In the first episode of 2024, Deval sits down with Deep Jyoti Sonu Brahma, co-founder of Farm2Food Foundation.

Deep speaks of his early years growing up and studying in Arunachal Pradesh, the impact the turbulent times in the North Eastern region had on him and later experiences with people led movements like the Narmada Bachao Andolan. His journey lead him back to Assam with a desire to work with young people and communities and place their needs at the centre. What grew from that desire was Farm2Food, a non-profit social enterprise working with communities to create sustainable, farm-based livelihoods, revive indigenous food traditions and improve the nutritional quality of the food people eat. 

Deep and Deval talk about the staggering diversity of India’s North Eastern states - culturally, linguistically and agriculturally - and why it’s important to protect this diversity from homogenisation. Deep shares how climate change has impacted communities, why ‘modernisation’ is not always the best thing, and how communities are increasingly disconnected from their natural surroundings. 

They also touch upon the work the Rebuild India Fund and it’s principles which deeply align with Deep’s own beliefs and practices. 

Listen to Deep and Deval discuss farming techniques, climate change, community led movements and why it’s important to place nature at the centre.

To know more about Farm2Food, visit http://farm2food.org

For more information on No-Cost Extension go to https://www.dasra.org/nce and follow Deval on X at @deval_sanghavi  and @Dasra