A basketful of veggies
October 2010
In a wonderful initiative to connect the farmer with the consumer and in response to the demand for fresh organic produce in Mumbai, Mumbai Organic Farmers and Consumers Association (MOFCA) has organised the ‘Hari Bhari Tokri’ scheme – a weekly supply of vegetables sourced straight from organic farms around Mumbai.
The founders realise that to make this sustainable, the burden of the crop and produce needs to be shared with the consumer as well. Traditionally, farmers have borne the brunt of nature's vagaries, while consumers have become increasingly disconnected from the process of food production, and from the human and ecological communities that support this process. Partnering is a first step towards restoring the balance and harmony in our local food web.
Unlike the regular non-organic vegetables which are uniform in size, shape and colour, organic veggies aren’t so, making them unappealing. But outweighing the non-organic veggies in nutrients and content, the organic veggies are a strong step on the way back to a pure lifestyle. Ubai Hussein, who is organising this, is sure that with so many people showing interest, the scheme is bound to succeed. He states, “Truly, nature’s wisdom has resulted in a wonderful diversity, sensitive to both time and place. By eating organic, seasonal and local we move from simply witnessing the rhythms of the planet to participating in it.”
As the farmer needs to know how much to plant, one has to register and then buy a small or medium-sized tokri according to one’s needs. Pick-up points can be found at Fort, Peddar Road, Bandra, Andheri, Ville Parle and Chembur. The consumer, therefore, will be expected to partner with MOFCA for one growing season (3-4 months). The seasons are November to January, February to May and June to September. There are also preferences of which vegetables one would or would not want to purchase.
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