Rice to Rise! - Reflection By Rev. Fr. Girish

Reflection

Rice to Rise!

Introduction

In 1988 when I was in the Jesuit Juniorate at Premal Jyoti in Ahmedabad, I learnt a saying in English: “Reading makes a full man; writing an exact man; Conference makes a ready man”. After so many years, today in 2014 while being a missionary in the new phase of evangelization, not only I understand the meaning of such a saying but I am very much part of it and promote the same saying with full enthusiasm and vitality to all persons whom I encounter in my life as a pilgrim. Truly, reading makes a full man. This is my experience and I continue to maintain such a rich practice of reading while being involved in the lives of the people. As a Jesuit missionary, in order to be creative, practice of consistent reading does help and I realize that it should not to be sacrificed at the cost of over involvements. Text and Context must go hand in hand.

This is what has happened a few days ago to me while reading the magazine “THE WEEK”, the January 12, 2014 issue. On page 56, I read about “Rice and Shine – A revolutionary farming system is working wonders in Nalanda district”, in Bihar, India. To substantiate such farming system the author recalls from history and boldly mentions: “Reaping Profits: The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an organic technique for increasing the yield of paddy. It was developed in Madagascar in 1983 by Henri de Laulanie, a French Jesuit”.

What a JOY to read about one of our elder Jesuit brothers’ success story on his SRI contribution and its global impact from the Indian weekly magazine! This at once generated a special interest in me to know MORE about our successful brother priest’s single minded missionary endeavour among the people of Madagascar, an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Southeast Africa.

After having energized through my little search, my purpose here is to share about the received energy and to lead you to our own Jesuit WELL and to make you to drink from the same WELL of inspirations. Let this process of knowing and learning from our own rich traditions motivate all of us while we celebrate the event of our Society’s Restoration and to have such a frontier ‘apostolic madness’ like our Fr. Henri de Laulanie in all our ministries.

The Person Fr. H. Laulanie

The Jesuit visionary and agronomist, Henri de Laulanie was born on February 22, 1920 in Poitou, France. He arrived in Madagascar in 1961 and died there at the age of 75 years on 23 June, 1995. His body rests in the cemetery at Ambohipo.

As part of the Catholic Mission, Fr. Henri de Laulanié was sent to aid communities of the Fathers and Sisters to intervene technically with agricultural training centers, craft and household under the concept of the development of any person and all persons. He was the first agronomist who discovered the System of Rice Intensification. His experiments are compiled in a book with the evocative title: Rice in Madagascar. He dreamt and worked for the rural people of Madagascar the socio-economic leap into the 21st century. His whole commitment was to change the mentality of the Malagasy peasants from low thinking to high thinking and acting. Today, it is highly remarkable that in all over the world his SRI principles are taught through various agricultural universities. In this way his SRI has become a heritage of humanity and treasure of Jesuits.

The Four SRI Principles of Fr. H. Laulanie

1. Early and healthy transplant – Seedlings are transplanted when they are eight to twelve days old.

2. Reduce plant density – The roots are carefully protected to minimize ‘transplanting shock’.

3. Improved, organic soil conditions – To avoid root competition and to encourage faster growth, seedlings are planted 25cm apart in a square grid pattern. Soil is enriched with organic matter. Some farmers use urea to achieve balanced fertilization.

4. Reduced and controlled water application – Ten days after transplanting, a rotary hoe is used every seven to ten days. It keeps weeds under control, provides superficial tillage, aerates soil, prunes roots of the crop and removes water patches in the field.

Speaking about SRI, it is said that besides rice the system can be used in other crops like wheat, mustard, finger millet and in vegetables like brinjal, tomato and chilli.

Conclusion

While appreciating her farmers of Nalanda, Ms. Palka Sahni, the District Magistrate says: “There is a need to create more icons like these farmers and provide marketing linkages for their produce”. Well, all these are possible today because of our committed Jesuit missionary like Fr. Henri de Laulanié, the icon of our times. He had a clear goal for Madagasgar. Today, besides Madagascar, especially the farmers of our India’s Nalanda reap and experience ananda (bliss) because of his sincere attempt. His sweated labour is bearing fruits. All for God’s greater glory – ad mejorem Dei gloriam!

From now on, by promoting the System of Rice Intensification, can we, as responsible eco-friendly friends,

commit ourselves here in Gujarat to make our poor and the marginalized farmers to experience such internal and external ananda? Is it possible? When? Only when we rise above from our own little ‘clean’ comfort zones and encounter them in their ‘dirty’ agricultural fields by standing at their side!

- Girish Santiago, SJ

Photos: tefysaina.org