Between January and March, Maharashtra recorded over 600 cases of farmer suicides. Often called the backbone of our economy, it is indeed a pity that there aren't ways for them to support themselves. Cultivating crops using pesticides and urea have also led to health risks that can range from acute to chronic conditions such as abdominal pain, blindness, and cancer. Subhash Palekar, an agriculturist and recipient of the Padma Shri award realised this and decided to form an organisation to empower farmers to opt for natural methods that use cow dung and cow urine.

However, not all farmers who have opted for this traditional method have cows. And in association with Subhash Palekar Natural Farming (SPNF), sports company Prancing Deers and Run Buddies club will be organising a marathon that begins this Saturday, to raise funds for farmers to buy their own cow. The 15-day run led by Kumar Ajwani, the co-founder of Run Buddies Club, will begin from Goregaon, and will span across Nasik, Pune and Kamshet.