One of the exhibitors is Naomi Baan Hofman. From July to December 2010 she was in Dehradun, India, for her graduation research of the Master Innovation Sciences.

"I have studied biological basmati farmers, who were making the transition to 'contract farming'. Farmers who normally sell their rice at local markets now conclude contracts with a major enterprise. I have charted the consequences for them. The focus was on plant protection (such as protection against pest insects, ed.). One of the effects was that traditional knowledge was lost. Such an enterprise provides ready-made agents for plant protection, whereas farmers would use special plants in the past. Fertilization was done by means of animal manure, but now comes out of a pot. So you do not know precisely what you are doing anymore as a farmer. However that may be, the farmers themselves found it rather convenient."

"This is a photo that I made in the beginning, when I had just arrived. I went into the mountains with my interpreter Deepti. Small farmers who own small patches of land often still use an ox-drawn plough to prepare their land for the basmati rice plants. In the photo you cannot see this, but a bit farther on there are women planting these plants. For one kilo of paddy (threshed unmilled rice, ed.) this farmer last year received 32 rupees, which equals 53 eurocent." (SK)

The opening of the exhibition will take place on Monday January 31 at 16.00 hours, with a speech by chairman of the Executive Board Peter Erkelens. He will be saying goodbye to TU/e that day on account of his retirement. (See also Peter Erkelens | "Belangrijk om te weten dat je met minder ook kunt leven".)