Mool, through its participatory and practice-oriented programs, facilitates a dialogical environment at the community level for qualitative conversations on the challenges and questions our society is faced with. It focuses and works on the alternatives through integrating our own cultural practices with the learning from the rest of the world.

Challenges of ‘Development’

Mool strives to address causes of people’s disillusionment with the present socio-economic situation, unemployment, inadequate education, and ecological degradation. Kashmir suffers from a poor learning system, inefficient economy, and diminution of indigenous resources. Over 600,000 young adults are unemployed among a population of approximately 12.5 million. Overdependence on government jobs has caused its wage bill to exceed the total revenue by about $1.9 million. Kashmir’s economy has traditionally been farm-based, hence livestock rearing being a major contributor to the GDP. As of 2011, about 96% of materials in all sectors consumed or used in Kashmir are imported, for example livestock imports alone are worth about $2.65 million.

The floods of September 2014 and March 2015 have again demonstrated how the ‘development’ being pursued is not just insufficient and inefficient but wasteful and unsustainable. During the September floods, for example, the communication, transport and administrative-security infrastructure – that symbolize this ‘modern progress’ were rendered absolutely dysfunctional, and people re-discovered some indigenous cultural ways of coordinating the relief work themselves at the community level. This again highlights the need for grassroots-level engagement to identify, plan and execute the socio-economic transformation that is needed including for prevention of natural disasters and preparedness to deal with them.

Challenges to Farming

Today farming in Kashmir faces many challenges and barriers in spite of being rich in natural resources. It is perceived as ungentlemanly and unprofitable, lacking a credible and comprehensive support system. These problems, along with an inadequate and inefficient education system, have resulted in disillusionment amongst the population.

Mool promotes sustainable lifestyles by integrating indigenous resources with appropriate technology through agro-initiatives in Kashmir. Through participatory knowledge sharing, skills education, research, and material support (including scholarships, fellowships, paid internships, and start-up and placement assistance). Mool encourages Kashmir’s youth to expand the idea of creating sustainable lifestyles.

Mool’s approach embodies the economic, social and environmental sustainability needed to address the issues our society is faced with. Through examples of natural farming, Mool demonstrates farming as an independent, respectable, and sustainable livelihood. Through the widespread integration of indigenous resources and practices with technology, Mool demonstrates that old and new can coexist. Mool’s education and fellowship program give the participating Kashmiri youth skills, knowledge, and support to expand their idea of what is possible in order to start similar farming or other sustainable ventures. Within Mool’s community wellbeing program, Mool supports the wholesome education and wellbeing of the local community.

Mool creates a pool of indigenous people (especially youth) that understand the challenges (socio-economic in particular) faced by the society. This pool envisions the long term impact of their initiatives and invests in a bottom-up approach to create a synergy between education, livelihoods, local resources, and needs. Fellows are encouraged to collaborate and build partnerships with other community programs to increase their personal and organizational capacity.

We invite you to get in touch with us and contribute ideas and resources!