PROFESSIONAL PROFILE:

• Director, ToFarm Network (2005-present)
• Member, Expert Committee for Drafting State Organic Agriculture Policy for Tamil Nadu (2008-present)
• Member, Executive Council of International Institute of Sustainable Agriculture, Pune (2008-present)
• Certified Farm Appraiser for Organic Certification, India (2006-present)
• National Steering Committee member of Organic Farming Association of India (2006-2010)
• Managing Committee member, Organic Farming Association of India (2006-2010)
• Science Teacher, PSGG Kanya Gurukulam, Coimbatiore (1993-2004)

Revathi's association with AID began in 2004 as a saathi. Until then, she had been a school teacher in a girls school in Coimbatore. In 2002, as part of a TNSF competition, she organized a study by 8th standard students to study the effects of pesticides on the environment. During the course of the study, she witnessed firsthand, the ruinous effects of pesticides and industrial methods to the farming community – particularly the marginal farmers – and environment. After further research and visits to several farms, she was sold on the efficacy of organic farming.

She quit her school teacher job in 2004 and with together with her husband RT Swamy, she started to work fulltime to study and promote organic farming through the Tamil Nadu Organic Farmers (TOFARM). Her moment of truth came during the devastating tsunami of 2004-05 when saline water invaded and ruined coastal farmlands. Through the use of indigenous seed varieties and organic farming techniques, Revathi reclaimed 3000 acres of ruined farmland in Nagapattinam within three months, attracting the attention of the district collector.

Further successes in the post-tsunami landscape brought more attention – from ex-Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam and Bill Clinton of USA. Encouraged by these successes, she was invited by the Indonesian government to visit Indonesia in 2006 and duplicate her successes in Nagapattinam. She visited Indonesia several times establishing more than 30 model farms and introduced organic methods to farmers there. A similar request from the Sri Lankan government in 2007 resulted in a longer and deeper project that lasted till 2009 resulting in several farming policy decisions. These experiences expanded her knowledge on the global nature of farming crisis and the role of government and other entities.

During this time, Revathi also started an organic farming school in Nagapattinam and with support from OXFAM, she started to train local farmers in organic farming methods. She also started a magazine to spread organic farming methods across the region and state.

Her involvement with AID increased in early 2009 when AID-Kolkota invited her to visit and help with reclaiming farm lands devastated by Cyclone Aila. Revathi's prompt response and work, resulting in the transformation of the land and local farmer's attitudes in those regions, are known to most AIDers now. A similar request from AID-Hyderabad following the floods in 2009 resulted in similar successes.

A very curious person by nature, Revathi is intensely interested in understanding the effects of farming techniques and chemicals on the environment, users and consumers around the world. She is involved in several regional, national and international sustainable farming movements. AID is proud to be involved in her work and host her as a keynote speaker at this annual AID conference.