Ooty hosts international biodynamic agriculture training seminar

A six-day ‘International Training of Trainers on Biodynamic Agriculture’ seminar has commenced in Puthu Mandhu, near Udhagamandalam in India’s Nilgiris district. Described as Asia’s first biodynamic training program of its kind, the workshop aims to develop master trainers capable of spreading knowledge about biodynamic practices across their home nations.

Participants and delegates have arrived from several countries, including India, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal, and the Philippines. The program, organized by the Indian Bio-Dynamic Association, utilizes a six-phase approach covering both theoretical and practical aspects, such as the preparation of specific biodynamic composts.

Chandrasekharan, President of the Indian Bio-Dynamic Association, noted that biodynamic agriculture represents a level beyond standard organic farming by strictly prohibiting all chemical or synthetic inputs. The initiative is supported by the Germany-based Biodynamic Federation and seeks to educate farmers, students, and universities on these sustainable cultivation methods.