This document discusses communicating biodiversity to the wider public through storytelling. It provides examples of potential story structures like a shopping bag that has witnessed changes in consumer patterns over time or a sack of grain that goes through various transformations before reaching consumers. It also suggests characters like a monkey that represents habitat loss. The document aims to develop empathy in readers and encourage charting their own journey around biodiversity conservation efforts. It seeks to illustrate the conflict between living in harmony with other species through heightened storytelling techniques.

1. Communicating Biodiversity
Storybook Design
Seminar 2, 8th
Aug, 2013

2. Topics to Explore
Diversity is transformed into monocultures.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY is born out of the planet’s
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY.
Urban migrants are not economic refugees but
ecological refugees, displaced by building of dams,
mines, deforestation.
The biggest ally in demand for an ecologically / socially
sound environment is womankind.
We do not yet know how to construct an INDICATOR
(social / ecological / economic) to reflect the change.
Relevance
Is a growing concern, will lead to no
alternatives. Affects lifestyles, economy,
ecology. Affects many classes.
Speaks about loss and conservation. Closely
linked and easy to relate to. Interesting
because culture is multi-faceted.
Involves a smaller segment of society.
Focuses on rights of access. Might get
technical.
Focuses on one gender, may fail in
communicating responsibility.
Useful as a starting point, important for
city-dwellers, indicators can be identified
through participatory methods.
{ Purpose: To communicate Biodiversity to the wider public. }

3. Topics to Explore
Diversity is transformed into monocultures.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY is born out of the planet’s
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY.
Urban migrants are not economic refugees but
ecological refugees, displaced by building of dams,
mines, deforestation.
The biggest ally in demand for an ecologically / socially
sound environment is womankind.
We do not yet know how to construct an INDICATOR
(social / ecological / economic) to reflect the change.
Relevance
Is a growing concern, will lead to no
alternatives. Affects lifestyles, economy,
ecology. Affects many classes.
Speaks about loss and conservation. Closely
linked and easy to relate to. Interesting
because culture is multi-faceted.
Involves a smaller segment of society.
Focuses on rights of access. Might get
technical.
Focuses on one gender, may fail in
communicating responsibility.
Useful as a starting point, important for
city-dwellers, indicators can be identified
through participatory methods.
{ Purpose: To communicate Biodiversity to the wider public. }

4. Understanding Monocultures
In Cities In Agriculture
Characteristics
Malls
Supermarkets
I.T. Centres
Education Centres
Generated by Capitalism,
Dependent on Capitalism
Affect code of conduct,
behaviour
Affect local /
indigenous varities
Affect consumption patterns
Eliminates alternatives
Rice
Wheat
Eucalyptus
Acacia
Run by western standards,
owned by American / European
nations. Serve as human
resource centers.
Controlled, surveillance, No
bargains, Shipping and importing.
Local markets, products,
grocers, local economy affected.
No communication with the
producer.
Rise in consumerism,
dependence on international
standards and products.
Local brands, cheaper
alternatives are disappearing.
Imported, G.M. seeds. Dependent
on chemical pesticides,
fertilizers.
Turn towards monoculture, prone
to epidemics, debts, suicudes.
Millets, ragi, bajra, jowar dropped
in demand and cultivation. Land
use shift from horticulture,
biodiverse to monocultures.
Dietary diversity affected,
nutrition from fruits, vegetables,
millets is unfulfilled.
Practice of horticulture near
urban areas decreasing. PDS also
distributes Rice and Wheat.
Do not occur in nature.
To increase efficiency and productivity.
To meet the demands of the masses.

5. Understanding Monocultures
In Cities In Agriculture
Characteristics
Malls
Supermarkets
I.T. Centres
Education Centres
Generated by Capitalism,
Dependent on Capitalism
Affect code of conduct,
behaviour
Affect local /
indigenous varities
Affect consumption patterns
Eliminates alternatives
Rice
Wheat
Eucalyptus
Acacia
Run by western standards,
owned by American / European
nations. Serve as human
resource centers.
Controlled, surveillance, No
bargains, Shipping and importing.
Local markets, products,
grocers, local economy affected.
No communication with the
producer.
Rise in consumerism,
dependence on international
standards and products.
Local brands, cheaper
alternatives are disappearing.
Imported, G.M. seeds. Dependent
on chemical pesticides,
fertilizers.
Turn towards monoculture, prone
to epidemics, debts, suicudes.
Millets, ragi, bajra, jowar dropped
in demand and cultivation. Land
use shift from horticulture,
biodiverse to monocultures.
Dietary diversity affected,
nutrition from fruits, vegetables,
millets is unfulfilled.
Practice of horticulture near
urban areas decreasing. PDS also
distributes Rice and Wheat.

6. Conversations

7. “Most of our customers for regular
organic provisions are from the upper
class or are non-indians. We supply
several cartons of tea to offices.
We are tied with several farmers
across the country.”
- Organics , Fabindia.
“To increase the income of these farmers we
encourage many of them to grow medicinal, aromatic
and dye plants as intercrops, or to sustainably collect
wild herbs that are already growing on their land. “
- Phalada Agro, Supply to Fabindia, 24 Letter Mantra
“Though biodiversity means lower
land usage per crop, we source
the produce from several farmers
as a co-operative and maintain
productivity.”
-Buffalo Back Organics
“For the past year, the
only pest-control I use is
biodiversity. Each pest has
a predator and in such
a way, an eco-system is
maintained.”
- Hamsa Organic Farm
“The problem with our consumption patterns is not the
quantity but the quality of food. Horticulture suffers the
most in biodiversity around urban areas, making fruits
and vegetables less available and accessible.”
- Govind Shivkumar, LGT Venture Philantrophy

8. Offering Map

9. Offering Map
Biodiversity communicated
through dietary diversity
addresses a
relevant, vital need. Biological Diversity
affects Cultural Diversity
Gradual shift towards monocultures.
Eliminating alternatives.
Elders are the custodians of
traditional knowledge,
endemic ingredients. Need for
documentation.
Upper Middle / Middle
class create consumption
hubs and contribute
largely to patterns.
They tend to be aspirational.
Target for communication.
Organic farms hold the
potential to become
biodiverse as opposed to
G.M. / Monoculture /
Intensive farming.
Has the potential to
market biodiversity.
Conflict between bodiversity
and market needs.
Farmers, lower class most
affected by changes in
the demands.
Health, Environemental and
Economic benefits
of biodiversity, healthier,
inexpensive, nutritious.
A smart choice. Can we map
our indicators?
Play, Meaning
Meaning
Story, Symphony,
Story
Design
Empathy Symphony,
Design

10. Storytelling
Character / Persona: Structure

11. Storytelling
StructureCharacter / Persona:
The one who witnesses change
The Shopping Bag:
Reflects the personality of the user.
Has witnessed change in consumer patterns / behaviour.
Is a vessel, ever changing, does not resist.
Removed perspective, observing change and reflecting.
Comment on what might happen in the future.
see
think
wonder
Observations. How it was used earlier, how it
is used now. See the market change, his user
change, the environment change.
Map changes for reader.
Think about how the change is affecting health,
economy, environment. Identify the issues and
who is affected.
Wonder if the change is for the better. How will the
future be if this continues? How can we conserve
what we have before it is lost? What is the role of
the bag?
Can the form be similar to a shopping bag, can it be a shopping
companion for a consumer ?
Can the bag be disassociated from consumerism and become a
catalyst in biodiversity conservation? Eg. To transport saplings, to
become a companion on a nature trek.

12. Storytelling
StructureCharacter / Persona:
The one who embarks upon a journey
The Sack of Grain:
Different connotations to farmer, scientist, consumer.
Undergoes several changes before it reaches the market.
Can take the reader through many experiences.
Can develop resistance, nature vs. nurture.
Initiation
Seperation
Transformation
Return
Mundane world. Lives in a farm with several
species. Harvested, going to the market to be
made into flour.
Instead heads towards lab to be modified. Meets
other species. Observes city-life, consumerism.
Distressed by lack of diversity.
Realises the effect ofthe atrocities. Slowly
becomes resilient to the change. thrives only in
diversity, conveys the importance.
Sent back to the farm, flourishes without
harming diversity, becomes exemplary.
Can the reader empathize with the journey as his own? Can we
provide the reader ways to chart his own journey, trials and triumphs?

13. Storytelling
StructureCharacter / Persona:
The one who becomes marginalized
The Monkey:
Playful, represents habitat loss, encroachment.
Shares a tense relationship with humans, a contrast to harmony.
Observes, mimics, learns.
Diet changes with humans. Dependent on waste / stealth.
The challenge will be to keep interspersing the plot with peaks and
troughs to keep the reader interested. How can we also involve the
reader and their own experiences in the short story? Illustrate the
conflict between living in harmony with other species. Heighten and
exaggerate.
Statis
Trigger
Conflict
surprise
Critical
Choice
Climax
Return

14. Resources
On Monociltures:
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/agriculture_02
Agrobiodiversity and Food:
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/?id=5597
Monoculture of the Mind:
http://permaculturenews.org/2013/04/25/tackling-monoculture-of-the-mind/
FAO on monotony:
http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/food-monotony-boring-and-risky/en/
FAO on biodiversity, Slow Food and Biodiversity:
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/newsroom/docs/2012-03-25-universi-
ty-of-gastronomic-sciences-lectio-aulamagna-DG-speech-en.pdf
On millets:
http://thealternative.in/environment/no-quinoa-for-me-thanks/
Bhaskar Save:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6z6-GD2POY
Nancy Duarte:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nYFpuc2Umk
National Sample Survey, transition in food consumption:
http://wcd.nic.in/research/nti1947/6.%20Consumption%20expenditure.pdf
Eucalyptus Monocultures:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/sep/26/monoculture-forests-
africa-south-america