Service Description of the European Varnasrama Minister – principles –

The European RGB established the European Varnasrama Ministry in 2010, for the purpose of helping promote varnasrama development in Europe.

1. To encourage the establishment in Europe of models of Krishna-conscious rural communities (villages):

• to demonstrate in a practical way how the principles of varnas (aptitude based occupations) and asramas (phased lifelong spiritual emancipation) are universal and standard principles meant to be implemented
• To demonstrate the principles of self-sufficiency, sustainability, and localized economy based on proper utilization of land and cow protection.
• To demonstrate the neccessity of systemic thinking including the environment, the society, and the economy.

2. To encourage, wherever possible in Europe, varnasrama-based rural development centres depending on the land, cows, and Krishna.

3. In order to accomplish the above,

• establish training programs,
• publish resource materials,
• organize conferences and seminars,
• establish libraries and resource centers,
• conducting research,
• raise funds for the programs
• establish cooperation with non-ISKCON institutions,

European Ministry of Agriculture and Cow Protection (EMACP) – Service Description

1)  Name:  Shamasundraa Dasa

2) Service Title:  European Minister of Agriculture and Cow Protection

3) Department:  ISKCON Ministry of Agriculture and Cow Protection (IMACP)

4) Immediate Authority: (who do you work under?)

ISKCON Minister of Agriculture and Cow Protection

European GBC

5) Accountability to you: (who works under you?)

–          Regional assistants

–          Secretarial and administrative assistant

Working Environment
6) Location of service: (where do you work – office/room etc)

Predominantly in cyberspace via computer connections

Bhaktivedanta Manor farm office

On site visits to farms

7) Interactions with other persons:

GBC members with Goshallas in European area

Temple presidents and management bodies from goshallas in designated area

Goshalla and farm representatives – Service Summary
8) Purpose of service: (what role do you play in the department/ how does it fit into the overall purpose of the department?)

To inspire and advise the designated goshallas and farms in developing sustainable agricultural and cow protection projects that further self reliance to their respective farms, congregations and related temples by; the production of agricultural produce (emphasizing cultivation by oxen) and by producing sustainable milk and its products in accordance with the Ministry standards of Cow Protection
Service Content
9) Key responsibilities – make a detailed list: (what do you do/ are you responsible for?)

To:

–        Work under the guidance of the Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture

–                           Travel to each farm project in the designated area at least once every three years

–                           Help Farms to increase in agricultural production, based on ox draft, and be working towards supplying all the in season and storable products for their respective temple, affiliated centres and congregation

–                           Help Goshallas have sustainable breeding programmes and working towards supplying all dairy needs of their respective temple, affiliated centres and congregation

–                           Work with the designated GBC’s, Temple Presidents and Farm workers to try to identify sustainable farming processes that support and expand Cow Protection and Agriculture

–                           To Meet the IMACP once a year at a location in Europe, to be decided by the Minister, and synchronised with the Minister’s annual trip to or from India for the GBC meetings

–                           Collect and collate census information on an annual basis of designated ISKCON dependant Goshallas.

o   To distribute the census information to the IMACP, relevant GBC’s and Temple presidents, designated goshallas and others as required.

o   Census to Include all elements of Ministry report form and specifically to include

§  Number of cows, oxen, bulls in the designated ISKCON herd

§  How many working teams of oxen there are

§  Which goshallas are financially solvent and which require help

§  Numbers of persons employed by goshalla

§  Which goshallas are not following minimum standards

o

10) Other duties: (do you have any other duties?)

Global Ministre

11) Equipment and/or resources: (what equipment and resources you use/ require in your service?)

–                           Computer with access to the internet

–                           Telephone

–                           Ministry standards for Cow Protection

–                           Other Ministry training manuals and handbooks

–                           Vedabase
Knowledge
12) To carry out main responsibilities:

·        Knowledge of the things you use to do your service:

(what knowledge is required to do your service effectively?)

–         How to Grow crops and plan rotations

–         How to manage money and time

–         GBC laws on Cow Protection

–         Government laws regarding keeping cows and farming

–         How to manage and motivate people

–         Animal Husbandry

–         How to create vision for a project

–         Budgeting and forward planning

–         How to make a business plan

–         Basic Health and Safety

–         How to work cooperatively

–         Conflict resolution

–         Basic human behaviour

–         Basic DIY

–         Resource acquisition (human, animal and materials)

–         How to train and work oxen

–         How to milk cows and care for them

–         How to fill out government agricultural forms

·        Skills are required to carry out responsibilities

(what skills are required to carry out your responsibilities effectively?)

–         Handling animals and farming

–         Handling people and resources

–         Making money

–         Bring vision into reality

Performance Standards
13) Minimum Performance Standards for Key responsibilities and how they will be measured: (to be filled in by department head)

–         All farms within area of responsibility will submit regular reports according to Ministry requirements

–         Farms visited at least every three years

–         Full report to the IMACP after each visit

–         Full report to the IMACP every 6 months

–         Goshallas will have sustainable breeding programmes and working towards supplying all dairy needs of their respective temple, affiliated centres and congregation

–         Minister of Agriculture and Cow Protection will be kept fully informed
Other Information

This service description is current at the date shown at the top of the document. In consultation with you, it is liable to variation by the temple management to reflect changes in or to the service.

Service Description of Sannyasa Ministry in ISKCON

1. To help ISKCON sannyasis in all respects.

2. To help the GBC and the sannyasis of ISKCON maintain within ISKCON the sanctity of the sannyasa order.

3. To help the GBC make sure the sannyasis in ISKCON keep a high standard in performing their prescribed duties.

4. To help ISKCON better deploy sannyasis for preaching.

5. To help the GBC deal with rumors or complaints about sannyasis.

6. To help sannyasis having spiritual troubles.

7. To help the GBC make decisions about sannyasa and sannyasis from time to time.

8. To assess and make recommendations to the GBC about candidates for sannyasa.

According to GBC resolutions the service of the Ministry of Health and Welfare is:

Rationale: It is the duty of ISKCON to assist as far as possible its members’ spiritual and material welfare. The Ministry will try to assist the zone, temples and members of ISKCON by:

1. Acting as a clearinghouse for information on services and facilities that are available to ISKCON devotees who are attacked by disease, accident, or inability to meet basic material needs, and to try to assist devotees needing to avail themselves of such services and facilities.

2. To encourage and guide ISKCON temples and zones to better tend to the health and social welfare of ISKCON devotees.

3. To help organize regional offices to devotees may approach when faced by problems of health or social welfare.

4. To help locate medical practitioners and other health and welfare workers willing to help care for ISKCON devotees.

5. To alert ISKCON members to bluffing, cheating and overcharging for medical and social services.

6. To encourage the training of some ISKCON devotees in nursing, paramedical service, counseling, and other forms of health and social welfare service for the sake of other ISKCON devotees.

7. To preach against bodily neglect and overindulgence in physical bodily concerns.

8. To provide elementary guidelines for healthy living according to the Vedic way of life.

9. To refer devotees to appropriate medical experts.

10. To identify government agencies, philanthropic agencies, health-insurance agencies, and other sources of aid and insurance for the health and welfare of ISKCON devotees.

11. To preach against abuse of social-welfare programs by ISKCON devotees, temples and zones.

12. To encourage the gathering and administering of funds for the welfare of needy ISKCON devotees.

13. To encourage the better care and protection of widows and former wives of sannyasis.

14. To encourage the welfare of aged devotees, invalids, orphans, and other devotees in need of special care.

16. To make recommendations to the GBC from time to time for appropriate legislation on health and welfare matters.