Critical Resource Gap in Uttarakhand Agriculture- Youth | Ms. Binita Shah | TEDxSRHU

Uttarakhand's mountain farmlands are being abandoned as young people move to urban gig work, leaving behind villages and traditional agricultural biodiversity. In this TEDxSRHU talk, Ms. Binita Shah argues that returning to the soil can help restore the mountains and their communities. She draws on her work in biodynamic agriculture and her role in shaping Uttarakhand's organic agriculture policy in 2002, and appeals to younger people to build sustainable lives at home.

• Abandoned mountain farmland and rising 'ghost villages' in Uttarakhand
• Loss of topsoil to torrential rain and neglected farm biodiversity
• Ms. Shah's work in biodynamic agriculture and the 2002 organic policy
• An appeal to young people to reclaim farming as a livelihood

Discover how returning to the soil can heal our mountains and communities in this inspiring talk by Ms. Binita Shah. Addressing the alarming rise of "ghost villages" and the massive youth exodus toward urban gig economies, Ms. Shah highlights a critical paradox: while mountain farmlands are being abandoned and losing valuable topsoil to torrential rains, traditional agricultural biodiversity is being left behind. Drawing on decades of pioneering work in biodynamic agriculture and helping establish Uttarakhand’s historic organic policy, she issues a passionate appeal for the younger generation to reclaim their agricultural legacy and build fulfilling, sustainable lives at home. Ms. Binita Shah is an organic and biodynamic farmer, social entrepreneur, and agricultural development professional dedicated to sustainable farming. She founded SARG India and SUPA Biotech Pvt. Ltd. to promote organic agriculture and empower farming communities. She played a pivotal role in shaping Uttarakhand’s Organic Agriculture Policy in 2002 and led the state’s Organic Commodity Board from 2003 to 2015. Her work has helped farmers across multiple states adopt sustainable agricultural practices. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx