Budheswar Mahato, Jagabandhu Sanda and Rohan Mukerjee
On the 12th of December 2022 an event was organized in Hatnada village, Saraikela-Kharswan District, Jharkhand. The event celebrated and highlighted the traditional, organic and natural farming practices of the Bhumij, Santal, Munda, Ho, Karmakar, and Kurmi communities residing in Hatnada and adjoining villages of Sardabera, Kalajhor and Janglikhas. The meeting was chaired by Sukhlal Sardar, Gram Pradhan of Sardabera village. Jagabandhu Sanda (Masters in Development Management, Philippines, 2006) training session on Organic farming practices, modern challenges and accessing relevant government schemes and support for the promotion and strengthening of these natural farming practices.
The event involved sharing of stories of traditional and organic agricultural practices of the local communities. Konki Sardar shared about the rich diversity of the traditional Kocha Badi (homestead plot). The Kocha Badi or Badi is an excellent example of multilayer mixed cropping with creepers and greens grown in the understory, maize and sorghum in the middle and upper story and trees and bamboo surrounding the plot. The principal crops cultivated include Yellow Makka (Maize), Kudrum (Roselle), Begun (Brinjal), Tamatar (Tomato), 4 to 5 types of Mirchi (Chilli), Karela (Bitter gourd), Ghee Karla (wild spine gourd), Nanua (sponge gourd), Kundru (Ivy gourd), 2 types of Khera (cucumber), 5 types of Shim (flat green beans), 3 types of Kohonda (Pumpkin), 3 types of Jhinga (ridge gourd), 3 types of Lau (Bottle gourd). A variety of greens like Pui saag (Indian spinach), Lal saag (Red spinach), Harra saag, Dhanta Saag. A variety of root and tuber crops are also cultivated, and they include 2 types of Mula (raddish), Sakarkanda (sweet potato), Susni aloo, Kham aloo (Greater Yam), 3 types of Haldi (Turmeric), Ol (Elephant foot yam), 3 types of Kochu (Taro), Man Kochu (Giant Taro), 2 types of Aalti. A variety of wild greens and uncultivated food plants are also found in and around the Kocha Badi. These include Kaanta Saag, Sirkitia, Kana Saag, Khapra Saag, Chaal Dua Saagm Beng Saag, Dhela Saag, Susni Saag, Kuiliakhada, Bhrami / Chida Saag. Hanjet Begun / Jangli Begun / Biroti a wild vegetable plant has small round fruits and white flowers and is eaten as a vegetable. Cooked along with ghee it is used to prevent cough.
Farmers like Ram Chandra Sardar from Janglikhas village shared about their organic practices of cultivating traditional varieties of paddy without using any chemical inputs and only depending on leaf litter brought down by forest streams and some cow dung.
The challenges facing traditional agriculture and threats posed by ingress of modern agricultural farming practices using hybrid seeds and chemical inputs were discussed and highlighted.
The importance and benefits of wild and uncultivated foods found around their habitation and in their forests was also discussed and the participants highlighted the need to spread awareness about these wild food and associated practices among the younger generation.
Budheswar Mahato of Hatnada village shared that when villagers migrate for wage labour and other work, they come across high yielding and hybrid varieties of crops and are very impressed with the yields and are tempted to bring these varieties back and cultivate them in their lands. The villagers are mostly influenced by the large-scale cultivation of hybrid vegetables, paddy, pulses, and other crops in Tamar Block of Ranchi District. Not having an understanding of the long-term impacts of hybrid crops requiring chemical inputs some villagers have started to cultivate these crops. This poses a serious threat to the survival of diverse local crop varieties, as other farmers are beginning to switch to hybrid crops. At the same time a section of farmers are understanding the ill effect of modern chemical intensive farming practices are look to promote, strengthen and revive traditional and organic agricultural practices. They are spreading awareness about organic fertilisers and pesticides and methods of conserving traditional seeds.
Several government officials also attended the program and they included –
- Block Agriculture Officer – Ashirwad Mahato
- Horticulture Officer – Dinabandhu Sardar
- Kisan Mitra – Sankar Kisku
- Block Technical Manager
- Bank Mitra
These officials got to hear the several success stories involving traditional, organic and natural farming practices from the area as well as the challenges being faced by organic farmer. They helped address concerns regarding how organic farmers of the area can be linked to and receive benefits of different government schemes for promotion of organic farming like organic compost pit, organic pesticide and organic. They were also urged to strengthen work for future collaboration with farmers to address concerns like improved support for bio inputs, equipment and tools for organic agriculture, access to traditional and organic seeds. After the training Block Agriculture officer distributed traditional and organic mustard seeds to 10 farmers.
