Rohan Mukerjee
In the last week of July 2021, accompanied by Paschim Banga Kheriya Sabar Kalyan Samiti (PBKSKS) staff members Sudipta Satpati and Fatik Hembrum and UD fellows Binod Sabar and Jiban Hansda, I visited two forest nurseries established by them and participated in sapling distribution drives in a few villages. On the 28th of July we visited Mirgichami Sabar Tola where a nursery has been established in the compound of the Community Learning Centre. The nursery had saplings variety of forest and cultivated species whose seeds had been sown in April and May. The growth of different species varied considerably. The saplings of Kudol (Bauhinia variegate) an uncultivated green leafy vegetable, and Sajna (Moringa oleifera) were ready for planting. However, the saplings of several forest tree species were still very small. These included Mahua (Madhuca longifolia), Kend (Diospyros melanoxylon), Pial (Buchanania lanzan), Behra (Terminalia bellirica) and Gurmon. It had been decided that while larger saplings like Kudol, Sajna and Papaya would be distributed this year the smaller saplings would be nurtured and cared for in the respective nurseries for another year or two before transplantation. A small section within the nursery had been set aside for rearing vegetable species – brinjal, tomato and chili, for planting in Kitchen Gardens. Small vegetable nurseries have been set up in 9 of the 10 project villages and they will supply saplings to Sabar families for cultivation in their Kitchen Gardens. While the chili being grown was a local variety, brinjal and tomato were hybrid varieties. As adequate desi seeds of brinjal and tomato could not be procured this year hybrid seeds were being used. However, efforts were being made to ensure a sufficient supply of desi / local vegetable seeds for sowing in 2022.
After exploring the nursery Jibon and Binod facilitated the distribution of Sajna and Kudol saplings to Sabar families of Mirgichami with an audience of Sabar children enthusiastically watching the proceedings. Jiban demonstrated how to remove the polybag from the sapling so that it can be reused and also provided tips for planting and caring for the saplings. Several villagers planted the saplings immediately in and around their habitation plots.
On 30th July we visited Karru Sabar tola where Mangal Sabar showed us the vegetable nursery that he was overseeing. Sajna and Kudol saplings were distributed to Karru’s Sabar families for planting in around their homestead plots. This was followed by an informal discussion with a few villagers on wild and uncultivated foods and future plans for planting and restoration. The villagers showed us a few wild foods found around their village like Ghee Kalla (wild spine gourd), Chakura saag – a will green leafy vegetable that grows primarily in and around habitation areas, and Kanna saag – whose leaves and shoots are eaten when young and tender. It was decided that the villagers would work with the fellows to compile a list of wild and uncultivated food trees and plants which they would like to plant and then seeds, and planting material would be collected for the forest nurseries. The villagers also planned to have a meeting to decide an area commonly used by all families where the forest has become degraded, which they would like to restore through the planting of a variety of local tree species which could be sourced through the forest nurseries.
We then visited Aamjhorna village where Ranjit and Suresh Sabar helped distribute saplings. The quality of forest resources around Aamjhorna is considerably better than other Sabar villages like Mirgichami and Karru. In fact seeds of several forest tree species like Kend, Pial and Mahua had been collected for forest nurseries, from the forests around Aamjhorna. As a result, some villagers were not happy with the species of saplings being distribute. One of the women shared that she gets Kudol leaves easily when she goes to collect firewood so she would prefer other species like Jamun. The team decided to have further discussions with villagers to draw up lists of species they would like and plan accordingly.
After distributing saplings Ranjit and Sabar took us for a short trail through their forests. While there were still a variety of wild trees and plants the forest was interspersed with patches of Babui Ghas which Sabar families cultivate. Babui Ghas has considerable commercial and villagers prepare rope and a variety of handicrafts for sale using this grass. However, as Binod Sabar lamented much of the forest degradation and forest loss in the region could be attributed to unchecked expansion of cultivation of Babui Ghas. This is an issue which deserves further attention and exploration. In subsequent discussions Prasanta Rakhit (Director, PBKSKS) also felt that Babui Ghas cultivation which the Forest Department has also promoted as an important livelihood source for Adivasi communities, has become a driver of forest loss and is responsible for forest degradation and loss of big trees in forest patches across the region. He has raised this issue at several platforms, but it is yet to get the attention it deserves. Ideally, community consultations should be facilitated to develop strategies to balance the cultivation of Babui Ghas with forest protection and conservation goals. We also came across the wild Chiru ghas growing alongside Babui in a few patches. Chiru ghas is a valuable NTFP and Sabar villagers skilfully weave the grass to produce brooms sold in local markets.
We ended our trail at the source of the stream that gives the village its’ name. A perennial stream, fittingly named Aamjhorna, emerges from the base of an ancient Aam / Mango tree. The water from the stream is much prized by the Sabar villages and the site was also a place of worship for the Sabar. There were a few more large mango trees in the vicinity and there was an abundance of mango saplings in the area. While leaving we came across a small plant in the centre of the village which villagers shared had medicinal properties. It was used to treat dog bites and because of the difficulty in reaching health centres in time they grew a plant in the heart of the villages so all villagers could access it in case of being bitten by a dog. Near our car by the side of a pond we came across a large Jamun tree with hundreds of seedlings growing around it and the fellows collect several for the forest nursery in Salidih.
On the 30th of July it rained continuously making it impossible to make planned village visits. So we spent the day in Salidih village, home to Fatik Hembrum, where the second forest nursery has been established. The day was spent planning project activities and I conducted a session on participatory research methods with a focus on Gender and climate change with the fellows and PBKSKS staff. We also spent some time in the nursery where Jiban shared his experiences sourcing the different seeds and working alongside Sabar villagers to set up the nurseries and care for the saplings. He shared that Sabar children participated enthusiastically in several nursery activities like bed preparation, sowing seeds in beds and transferring them to polybags. Binod Sabar told us about the benefits and importance of wild and uncultivated food for the Sabar people and how the initiative to revive several of these species is a timely intervention which is being well received by the community.
