'Media should touch grassroots'

By CAM Team

Gadag MLA D.R. Patil urged the Union Government to bring in a bill where in bidding below the support price for a farm produce is a crime. He was addressing the audience at Centre for Agricultural Media’s ( CAM ) seventh anniversary held at K.H. Patil Krishi Vijnana Kendra at Hulkoti on November 25, 2007.

He presented his views on the present agrarian crisis and the role of media in changing the prospects of farmers. He also said that agricultural universities and scientists should help farmers to achieve self-reliance and thus reduce suicidal tendency among them. More emphasis should be given to less-external input, non-chemical farming which is proved to be sustainable. Journalists have to play a significant role in ensuring that such a method is accepted and their write-ups should reflect the situation at the grassroots.

Renowned development journalist ‘Shree’ Padre complimented CAM ’s effort in guiding a generation of writers on need-based development communication. He said that such a work in the last seven years has developed a new team of writers whose write-ups have made an impact on farming and rural development. He added that farming sector is losing hope in the present situation. At this backdrop, people of varied background joining the course with an objective to focus on much-needed but neglected rural issues is a welcome development.

He stressed, “When we say sustainable development we should understand that need-based communiation is also an important input towards achieving it.”

Nineteen candidates who completed the course last year were hounoured as CAM Fellows. ETV Kannada channel’s News Coordinator G.N. Mohan gave away the certificates to the successful candidates. A total number of 37 persons have completed the course successfully in the last four years.

Speaking on the coverage of development issues in media, G.N. Mohan said, more space should be given to development issues in the media. If there is less space we should effectively utilise. At the same time he added, it is also the responsibility of development writers to create space in the mainstream media. He hoped that CAM team would become a pressure group to strengthen farmer-friendly journalism in Karnataka.

Three books titled ‘Savayava Tharasi Tota: Ondu Inuku Nota’,‘Velvet Beans: Nelakke Jeeva Tumbuva Magic Balli’ and ‘Sahaja Samrudha: Beledu Banda Dari’ written by CAM Fellow Anusuya Sharma, journalist Ganadhalu Srikanta and another CAM Fellow Rekha Sampath respectively were also released on the occasion.

D.R.Patil and veteran development writer Nagesh Hegde gave away state-level farm journalism award instituted by CAM to Balachandra Hegde Saimane, Ravishankar Doddamani and Girish H.C.

A three-day contact programme was held to the fifth batch of CAM correspondence course in farm and rural journalism at the KVK from November 23-25, 2007. A two day development communication workshop was also organised by the centre on November 24-25, 2007. During the programme candidates were given orientation on the basics of development journalism, approach towards rural development etc. Practical training was also included in the programme as two sessions of field visits were arranged. Participants wrote articles based on their visits, which was then evaluated by the resource persons.

Nagesh Hegde, H.N. Ananda, ‘Shree’ Padre, G.N. Mohan, Shivananda Kalave, L.G. Hiregoudar, Sathya S., Prakash Bhat, Poornaprajna Belur, Mallikarjuna Hosapalya, Anandatheertha Pyati, Ganadhalu Srikantha, G. Krishnaprasad and Shivaram Pailoor were the resource persons.

K.H. Patil KVK head Dr. L.G. Hiregoudar, environmentalist Mukund Maigur, organic farmer R.S. Patil were also present on the occasion.

CAM Chaiperson Anitha Pailoor welcomed the gathering and compered the programme. Development Journalist Poornaprajna Belur presented vote of thanks.
(Photo:Girish H C receiving state level farm journalism award)

Flow of affection and love...

By Jayakishore Bayadi

She is Nadi. Nadi stands for river in Kannada. She is barely two months younger than my sose (niece), Prarthana. I just cannot explain the eonian bliss I get whenever iam with these little goddesses. For me, kid’s smile, is always bewitching. Their cry, smile, laughter are truly captivating, enchanting and inspiring.

So happened when I visited my good friend, Ganadhalu Shrikanta's house recently. Nadi is his daughter. Ganadhalu wanted her name to be Nadi just because; he wanted his daughter to be associated with nature always. Kudos Gans…

Indeed, nature and kid’s smile are related. Just because, nature as such is pure, green always. And so is the child’s smile. I think that’s why, home with a baby is always filled with repose isn’t it?

But as child grows, when he or she has to face the so-called ‘civilized human world’, they turn into ‘real humans’. Distressing fact is that nobody can exist here as pure as child. Most of the times smile doesn’t come from within….but still we can smile…from the heart at least, when we are with little goddesses….

By the way, Ganadhalu loves nature a lot. He can talk about organic farming, vanishing lakes in Bangalore, velvet beans and so many things at a stretch. Recently, This zealous journalist has released a book on velvet beans, in a function held at Gadag, organized by CAM. My hearty congratulations to Ganadhalu.I think, soon, he is going to launch a new Blog on his love, ‘nature’, it seems. We all eagerly wait for this.

It's Sweet Seven for CAM

By CAM Team

Centre for Agricultural Media ( CAM ) enters into eighth year of its activities with an encouraging note from its associates and well-wishers. Nineteen of the twenty-eight candidates of the farm and rural journalism course have successfully completed the course this year. They will be honoured as ‘CAM Fellows’ on the occasion of the centre’s annual ceremony on November 25, 2007 at K.H. Patil Krishi Vijnana Kendra, Hulkoti near Gadag in Karnataka.

CAM awards for best farm writings in Kannada will also be conferred on the occasion. The programme also includes release of three books. Hulkoti MLA D.R. Patil and G.N. Mohan, News Head, ETv Kannada will be the chief guests on the occasion.

Farm journalism awards: In the practicing farmer category Balachandra Hegde Saimane’s ‘Mane manegalalli tentaa enne’ published in the July 2007 issue of Adike Patrike a farm monthly published from Puttur has bagged the award.

In the general category Girish H.C. and Ravishankara Doddamani have shared the award. The award winning article by Girish titled ‘Cholenahalli kereneerige panne raitare donnenaayakaru’ describes a unique water management system of Cholenahalli tank in Madhugiri of Tumkur district. Ravishankar Doddamani ’s article ‘Tenguraajyadinda bidirige shapamoksha’ is a case study of an organisation which has helped villages in Waynad district of Kerala to earn a livelihood by utilising the much-neglected bamboo.

Farm and rural journalism course: This time a record number of nineteen candidates have completed the course successfully. They will be honoured as ‘CAAM Fellows’ on the occasion. New fellows are: Anusuya Sharma, Ravishankara Doddamani, Akshayarama K., Harshavardhana Sheelavanta, B.T. Poshini, Nitin Muttige, Lalita Rao M.G., Srikanta, H.V. Divya, Dr. Siddhalinga Swami Hiremath, G. Shivanna, Jayaprasad Ballekere, Sudha Rayanagoudar, Hema Moraba, R.B. Hiremath, Shreeprakash, Chandrashekhar Kallimani, B.M. Lavakumar, and Dr. G.V. Muralikrishna. All of them have proven their skills in writing on issues related to farming and rural development. Some of them are already getting assignments from major farm journals and farm supplements.

Anusuya Sharma has been selected as the best candidate of the year. Harshavardhana Sheelavant’s dissertation on the ‘Traditional medicinal practices in Uttara Kannada’ has been chosen for a special prize for the exhaustive study and beautiful presentation.

A three-day contact programme for the fifth batch of farm and rural journalism course will be held from November 23 to 25. Twenty nine candidates have been selected for this year’s award. They include practicing farmers, scientists, agriculture officers, journalists, freelancers and students. Nagesh Hegde, ‘Shree’ Padre, H.N. Ananda, G.N. Mohan, Shivananda Kalave, L.G. Hiregoudar, Sathya S., Prakash Bhat, Poornaprajna Belur, Mallikarjuna Hosapalya, Anandatheertha Pyati, Ganadhalu Srikantha, G. Krishnaprasad and Shivaram Pailoor will be the resource persons. During the course, candidates will be given practical training on farm and rural journalism.

Development communication workshop: A workshop on development communication has also been arranged on November 24 and 25. Twenty-five participants have been enrolled for this workshop. The two-day workshop aims to orient participants on the concept of development communication, its significance, techniques of writing, and different forms of development journalism and mode of presentation in electronic media.
Book release: Three books will be released on the occasion. Anasuya Sharma’s dissertation on organic terrace gardens titled ‘Savayava Tharasi Tota: Ondu Inuku Nota’ will be published by CAM and released on the occasion. CAM with financial support from well-wishers has been planning to publish one dissertation every year in the form of a book.

Journalist Ganadhalu Srikantha who won the farm journalism award last year, for his article on Velvet Beans, a legume which is of multiple uses for farmers has written a comprehensive book on this topic. This book titled ‘Velvet Beans: Nelakke Jeeva Tumbuva Magic Balli’ will also be released on the occasion.
Another book ready for release on the occasion is CAM Fellow Rekha Sampath’s dissertation on ‘Sahaja Samrudha: Beledu Banda Dari’. This explains the formation and growth of Sahaja Samrudha, an organic farmer’s group in Karnataka.

For more Details: Centre for Agricultural Media,#119, 1st main, 4th cross,Narayanapura, Dharwad- 580 008, E-mail: caam@sancharnet.in ~ Web: www.farmedia.org: Cell: 9900517749

New way to create water discovered!

Scientists at the University of Illinois have discovered a new way to create water, and without the pop. Scientists said that their work could also lead to better catalysts and less expensive fuel cells.

"We found that unconventional metal hydrides can be used for a chemical process called oxygen reduction, which is an essential part of the process of creating water," said Zachariah Heiden, a doctoral student and lead author of a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

A water molecule (formally known as dihydrogen monoxide)consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. But you can't simply take two hydrogen atoms and combine them onto an oxygen atom to create water. But the actual reaction to make water is a bit more complicated: 2H2 + O2 = 2H2O + Energy.

In English, the equation says: To produce two molecules of water (H2O), two molecules of diatomic hydrogen (H2) must be combined with one molecule of diatomic oxygen (O2). Energy will be released in the process.

"This reaction (2H2 + O2 = 2H2O + Energy) has been known for two centuries, but until now no one has made it work in a homogeneous solution," said Thomas Rauchfuss, professor of chemistry and the paper's corresponding author.

Interestingly, the well-known reaction also describes what happens inside a hydrogen fuel cell. In a typical fuel cell, the diatomic hydrogen gas enters one side of the cell; diatomic oxygen gas enters the other side. The hydrogen molecules lose their electrons and become positively charged through a process called oxidation. At the same time the oxygen molecules gain four electrons and become negatively charged through a process called reduction. The negatively charged oxygen ions combine with positively charged hydrogen ions to form water and release electrical energy.

The "Difficult side" of the fuel cell is the oxygen reduction reaction, not the hydrogen oxidation reaction, Rauchfuss said. "We found, however, that new catalysts for oxygen reduction could also lead to new chemical means for hydrogen oxidation."
Rauchfuss and Heiden recently investigated a relatively new generation of transfer hydrogenation catalysts for use as unconventional metal hydrides for oxygen reduction.

In their JACS paper, the researchers focus exclusively on the oxidative reactivity of iridium-based transfer hydrogenation catalysts in a homogenous, non-aqueous solution. They found that the iridium complex effect both the oxidation of alcohols, and the reduction of the oxygen.

"Most compounds react with either hydrogen or oxygen, but this catalyst reacts with both," Heiden said. "It reacts with hydrogen to form a hydride, and then reacts with oxygen to make water; and it does this in a homogeneous, non-aqueous solvent."
The new catalysts could lead to eventual development of more efficient hydrogen fuel cells, substantially lowering their cost, Heiden said.

Edited By B Jayakishore