Ramakant Jaiswal and Tiharu Birhor
On the 20th of June 2010 we facilitated a training program on mixed cropping practices for the Birhor villagers of Gurumuda, Podi Block, Korba District, Chhattisgarh. The meeting commenced with a discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic and precautions like maintaining physical distancing, avoiding crowded places, wearing of masks, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene, that should be taken to check the spread of the virus. The farmers were then provided insights on how to carry out mixed cropping on their lands and the tremendous benefits of mixed cropping cultivation practices. Technical aspects of mixed cropping pertaining to quantities of seeds of different crops to be sown and processes to be followed were explained in detail. The training was provided by a master trainer from Udhaniti Vibhag and he also explained in detail methods and processes for planting seeds and managing kitchen gardens.
With the agricultural season commencing this training program encouraged farmers to take up mixed cropping practices on their lands and laid the platform for the subsequent distribution of a variety of local and traditional seeds for mixed cropping cultivation and kitchen gardens. The cultivation of a diverse variety of crops on their lands through mixed cropping and kitchen gardens is of ever increasing importance for the Birhor people as it will enable them to meet their food and nutritional needs themselves especially in the face of the scarcity of food items other than rice in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
