Vishalakshi Padmanabhan on respecting food and the farmer

People Like Us: Vishalakshi Padmanabhan on respecting food and the farmer

The only thing we need to do is talk to kids and get them to think sustainable, says Vishalakshi Padmanabhan, sustainable urban farmer.


Clad in a simple cotton outfit I see Vishala aka Vishalakshi Padmanabhan carrying farm fresh produce to and fro into her little organic store in Malleswaram, Buffalo Back. She is all eager to talk at length about her passion in life: conscious living and celebrating everything that is fresh, clean and wholesome.

Leaving the corporate world behind, Vishala took to sustainable farming practises 10 years ago, an effort that has blossomed into a full-fledged organic store and more. So what made this third generation Bangalorean choose the path of sustainability? And what is inspiring her to continue on this journey undaunted? Here is her take on sustainable living, a matter that is close to her heart.


Sustainability to me: “A respect for farming and food”

“I was not aware of taking up the cause of sustainability. I just started looking for answers with respect to farming and food, and sustainability just happened.”

A once lush green productive land turning dry and unable to sustain itself made Vishala and her husband Kishore pause and search for answers. Vishala says, “when I started farming on my aunt’s land I realized that there was something wrong in the farming practises that depleted the water resources and made the land barren. That’s when I started researching more; I met farmers, read books on organic farming, researched online and tried to understand sustainable farming techniques. Books by Subhash Palekar and his movement related to natural farming also inspired me.”
Connecting to a better and healthier lifestyle

Another thing that caught her attention was the rise of health issues among co-workers and friends in the corporate world. Even with basic fitness and dietician recommended nutrition programs in place, women at the workplace faced a lot of problems. “Following the diet charts, going to health gyms was not the answer then; I needed to look at the core of food production practices at its grass root levels and understand the agricultural supply chain process right from growing, processing, transporting and marketing of produce,” she explains.


Making the switch

Sustainable living is a consciously adopted lifestyle, says Padmanabhan, and not just for the sake of livelihood or marketing her agricultural collective. The process has been a radical change yet a gradual one with her and her family slowly bringing in the changes.

Her house in Jayanagar that took nearly three years to complete is a recycled, energy efficient sustainable home. She and her husband has given a lot of thought and have used very less cement and water in the construction of their home, retaining and reusing materials from their old house. “I have used old demolished stuff from flea markets and junk shops, opted to go without paint and have used clay bricks for my home and and tried to leave less of a carbon print,” she says.

Water is completely recycled; rain water harvesting system is in place, the grey water from washing utensils and clothes is filtered and stored for reuse of toilets and gardens. “With plenty of skylight in my home, I don’t need any artificial light in the morning and at night our lighting is solar,” says this green champion. She has a kitchen and a terrace garden and composts her waste bringing down her contributions towards landfills and garbage dumps.
And sticking to it!

“I use earthen ware for cooking and try to lead a chemical-free lifestyle by opting to use natural and safer alternatives for cooking and cleaning. Lemon rind, pulp of tamarind, filtered coffee and tea powder, soap nut; these have become my cleaning agents at my home.”

“I plan each day meticulously. I try to use the public transport whenever I can, use the bike when I need to carry minimum 5-30 kg weight supplies and the car only when it crosses over 30 kgs,” she adds further.

Apart from creating sustainable solutions for the farming community who are involved in Vishala and Kishore’s organization , Vishala has also been engaged in workshops, health meets, awareness training programs in schools, colleges and other gatherings, on organic foods, sustainable farming techniques etc. for the locality.


Talk to kids!

“Making kids adopt healthier eating practices is a bit of a challenge,” says Padmanabhan and adds, “Kids get influenced by peers and this affects their buying choices.” Rather than being didactic, she tries to make them see the outcomes by posing questions to them like, “what will happen to it when you don’t want it any more? Or where is it going to go next?”

Another myth attached with organic is that it is a fad, pursued only by the elite and it is quite expensive. Here Vishala says that it is a challenge to convince people to consider the whole picture and to look at the finer aspects of food. “When you eat wholesome, chemical free, nutrient dense food you feel full. A bowl of fibre rich millet will make you feel content and will stop you from feeling hungry for at least 4-5 hours. So your consumption goes down and so does your spending spree on consumables,” she explains.

One obstacle that she is yet to surmount is the packaging of organic food supplies at her shop. She still uses plastic crates for transporting supplies and uses plastic for food packaging as well. She is looking in to more feasible alternatives here.


Staying motivated: “The idea that I am investing in the next generation keeps me going”

When she sees kids suffering from problems like lactose intolerance, gluten sensitivity, etc. she feels that we have brought kids in to a toxic world of our own making. “Luckily many of these food sensitivities, allergies, etc. can be avoided by adhering to a lifestyle that encourages real nourished foods,” adds the ever optimistic Vishala.
Vishala Padmanabhan’s easy peasy guide to earth-friendly living

“Grow your own vegetables. This is a small yet significant step in to sustaining your personal well-being,” says the realistic Vishala. “Look at going organic seriously. Think of your kids and lay the grounds of a promising future for them by investing in their health and adopting sustainable practises,” adds Vishala.

Water conservation is an issue that is close to her heart as she has faced the crisis of ground water shortage at her farm and seen its effects. So she entreats people to consider water recycling at their home.

“Look at organic alternatives in clothes too,” says Vishala. You can support organic farmers directly this way without paying for costs such as pesticides, chemical fertilizers or the waste dispose incurred that happens when you choose hybridized varieties.



On a final note she adds, “our culture predominantly used the least processed food. But globalization and the availability of processed food that looks and tastes good has replaced our healthy food behaviours of the past.” She urges people to look at things in broader context, question things and avoid short term trade-offs that are unwise.

Pictures courtesy – Buffalo Back on Facebook

This June, The Alternative brings to you sprigs of hope - People Like Us - a series on everyday folks who do a darned awesome job of living sustainably in their everyday lives and inspire us to take practical steps towards a better future, one day at a time.

Usha Hariprasad is an Editorial Intern with The Alternative. The Alternative editorial internship is a chance for students and working professionals across the globe to work with the magazine’s editors in creating real-time content, photo and video stories and more while exploring the fascinating world of sustainability and social impact as it unfurls around us. Write to editor@thealternative.in if you are interested in exploring an internship.