Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
“the endless hunger ... are we happy yet” (Loy 1997). These endless needs of humanity
are the roots of the ecological crisis (White 1976). Becker (1992) stated it directly but
pertinently, “we may recycle newspapers and glass, and we may take proper satisfaction
in doing so, but we remain caught in a web of spiritual assumptions about success and
consumption process and waste, that effectively undermine and trivialize our efforts
to escape.” Yet, properly interpreted and appropriately used in conjunction with mod-
ern science, most religions advocate protection, appropriate use, and stewardship of the
finite natural resources (Table 8.3). The Indo-Aryan Vedic philosophy states that God
is nature, “Oh King, the river are the veins of the Cosmic Person and the trees are the
hairs of his body. The air is his breath, the ocean is his waist, the hills and mountains are
the stacks of his bones and the passing ages are his movements” (Srimad Bhagavatam
2.1.32-33). The modern Gaia hypothesis (Lovelock 1979) proposed a similar concept.
Similar to the Gaia (Mother Earth), the Vedic scriptures also personify Mother Earth
as the goddess Bhumi or Prithvi and pray, “O Mother, with your oceans, rivers and
other bodies of water, you give us land to grow grains, on which our survival depends”
(Atharva Veda 12.1). Thus, stewardship of Mother Earth is ingrained in similar philoso-
phies among all religious beliefs and cultures. It is also important to realize that “you
should take only what is really necessary for yourself, which is set aside for you, and you
should not take anything else, because you know to whom it belongs” (Isa Upanishad).
While judicious use of scientific knowledge is a given, diverse cultures and reli-
gions offer a distinct perspective related to moral ethics and stewardship. The con-
cept of “dharma” (duty) and karma (so shall you reap) are ingrained in all religions
(Table 8.3), albeit under different settings and varying linguistic descriptions. The
command by Prophet Mohammad, “Do not overuse water even if you are on a run-
ning river,” says it all and is the most relevant to solving the global water crisis.
8.12 CONCLUSION
Water scarcity in South Asia/India, likely to be exacerbated by environmental and cli-
mate change, may either increase regional conflicts or promote adaptation depending
on the adoption of strategies toward sustainable management of the finite resource.
The flood and drought syndrome of the great rivers of South Asia can be transformed
into prosperity and improved environment through judicious water governance that
promotes adoption of conservation-effective technologies and enhances synergism
between science, religion, and culture; minimizes conflicts among nations/states;
encourages community participation; and replaces subsidies with national pricing
policies. The strong link between food security, water security, soil security, and
climate security must be enhanced through constructive policies and adaptive strate-
gies for alleviating poverty, eliminating social and gender inequities, and improving
the environment. Harnessing knowledge of science through the exploration of syn-
ergism with religion(s) and culture(s) is needed to promote community participation
and encourage peace and harmony. This is the time to build on the experiences of
thousands of years of hydric civilizations to use the diversity (climatic, geologic,
physiographic, and ecologic) and polycultural heritage (religions, ethnic, and his-
toric) for developing green economy, restoring the environment, and adapting to and
mitigating the climate change.
