Association of Medical Doctors of ASIA, founded in 1984, Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC since 1995

Guava

The farm

Due to the arrival of a rainy season in June, it makes it quite challenging for anyone to access paddy fields or farmyards in Bodhgaya, India.

Because of the rain, the entire area tends to become muddy and puddly during this season. To prevent their feet from getting stuck in the mud and tripping over, staff members at AMDA Peace Clinic (APC) make it a point to put on rain boots and carefully navigate unpaved paths.
 
Since 2022, APC has been running a farming project to supply agricultural produce for its meal distribution efforts and a health program for mothers and infants.
 
Working with a local agricultural advisor, those taking part in the yardwork kept themselves busy between April and July.
 
In April, they harvested garlic, coriander, and saag (a locally popular reddish leafy vegetable), and planted *moong dal.
 
In May, after onions were harvested, they cultivated farmlands in preparation for making rice seedlings.
 

Harvesting onions

Curing onions after harvesting

  
In June, the actual process of making rice seedlings started. This included seedbed preparation and sowing. (The rice seedlings are grown in separate fields from the paddies.)
 
In July, summer vegetables such as bitter melons and beans were harvested. At the same time, paddy fields were cultivated for rice seedlings to be transplanted from the aforementioned fields. The cultivation was carried out using a tractor and cows. 
 

Cows plowing (1)

Cows plowing (2)

Now that the necessary preparations have been completed, the actual rice planting is expected to begin in August.
 
Some of the farm produce from July were donated to two pregnant women that participated in AMDA Peace Clinic’s maternal and infant healthcare program. “We really appreciate the donation of fresh vegetables. It is too expensive to purchase them at a local market, because prices have surged during this rainy season,” one of them said.
 
AMDA will continue to serve the community by working closely with local people and experts.
 
*Moong dal is a bean species originating in India and is widely consumed by vegetarians as a substitute for animal products.
 

Harvesting moong dal

Donating vegetables