Kashmiri youth in Heff, fed up with government delays, construct their own cricket pitch

For these young, cricket-loving boys in Shopian, their early brush with bureaucracy has already led to disillusionment. As alleged land dispute and disappearing funds delay the construction of a playground in their village, they take matters into their own hands. Srinagar: “Agar sarkar nahi, toh khud sahi” (If the government doesn’t, we’ll do it), say Faizan, Sahil, Danish and Zahid, a group of cricket-loving teenagers in Heff, a populous and restive village in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district. They, along with other local youth, adopted this mantra after a two-year-long struggle with the local bureaucracy to get a cricket ground constructed in their village. The cricket-loving teens in Heff pooled in their pocket money to raise Rs 10,000, which they used to lay a 22-yard cement pitch in the plot of land identified for the playground and purchase nets and other equipment. "The government is staking tall claims of making big investments to improve sports infrastructure at every gram panchayat but it has failed us here in Heff,” Sahil, a Class-12 student, told 101Reporters. He hopes to make a career for himself in cricket and having access to a cricket ground in his village is crucial to this dream.Heff, home to around 3,000 people and located near the banks of river Rambi Ara, is like any other cricket-crazy village in the Valley. During the bone-chilling winter months when there is nothing much to do, the villagers, mainly apple farmers, hit the playground to warm themselves up. Inter-village tournaments and local premier leagues are huge crowd-pullers. Even the Army, J&K Police and the civil administration organise local cricket tournaments.In recent years, these inter-village or zonal cricket tournaments have produced cricketers such as Umran Malik, Abdus Samad and Parvez Rasool who have gone on to play in the big leagues, including for the national team. This is has spurred local youth to demand better facilities in their villages. In fact, after a number of youth groups approached the government demanding sports infrastructure in their villages, the Shopian district administration had announced the construction of 100 playgrounds in various gram panchayats. Shopian Deputy Commissioner Sachin Kumar Vaishya had said that the district administration was planning to construct at least one playground in each gram panchayat wherever land is available. “The process to identify land for this purpose is on," he was quoted as saying.In September last year, the Union Government allotted Rs 200 crore for large-scale development of sports infrastructure in the union territory, ostensibly in an effort to divert young minds from militancy and narcotics. Shopian is, of course, a volatile district, with Heff particularly infamous for losing many young men to militancy in the past decade.Despite all these factors at play, the local administration is not moving fast enough for the boys. They worry about the complications that have now arisen. There is an alleged land dispute over the allotted plot and the funds that were sanctioned to implement this project “on priority” has been diverted without explanation.Youths blame it on babusAhmed Shabir, one of the youths in Heff campaigning for the playground, said that they had appealed to the district administration more than a dozen times since 2020 and made several representations to the office of the deputy commissioner. But Heff still doesn't have a playground and he and his fellow cricket-enthusiasts have to travel to other villages and even to far-off places such as Anantnag and Srinagar to play matches.(Left) Documents accessed by 101Reporters show an amount of 4.8 lakhs sanctioned by the district administration to the BDO for the playground in Heff; (Right) The application submitted by the boys in the village to the District Magistrate seeking to expedite the construction of the playground (Pictures courtesy of Sameer Showkin Lone) Documents related to the playground project in Heff, accessed by 101Reporters, revealed that the office of the Shopian district development commissioner directed Chitra Gam Block Development Officer (BDO), Jahid Azad, on August 28, 2020 to start work on the ground "on priority basis”. Following this, the BDO on October 30, 2020, sanctioned Rs 4.8 lakh under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for the project. However, the work never took off."We had shown the officials a plot of land where they could construct the playground. It was a piece of government land (Khacharai). We do not know why the project has not started till date," said a youth in the village.The local Patwari (the officer responsible for maintaining land records of a village) told 101Reporters that he had visited the village in September and October 2021 to demarcate the land for the playground. He claimed that the work could not be started because of resistance from a few local residents. "It is a government land, but there are some issues," he said, refusing to divulge what the issues were.The land identified for the playground which, according to the Patwari, is involved in a dispute. But the villagers deny this (Picture credit - Sameer Showkin Lone)However, youths in Heff disagreed with the Patwari’s claim, and at any rate, said that the government has the authority to clear encroachments from its lands. "If the administration is willing, it can construct the playground. Why can’t they do it here when it is being done in the neighbouring villages? We also do not know what happened to the funds sanctioned for this playground," said Faizan, a local cricket player."Our village has other large patches of land suitable for the purpose, but the file is stuck at the local administration. The plot identified for the playground is government land. What is holding the officials back when all required orders have been issued?” questioned another youth.BDO downplays diversion of funds Azad, the BDO, initially tried to downplay the matter in a series of tweets, saying: "There is no such file in office" and "BDO isn't a sanctioning authority". However, he quickly corrected his words: "The work was of the last year. As per the reports of the then officials, the work could not be executed due to land dispute, although the then Tehsildar intervened as well but people of Pulwama claimed it as their own (sic),” he tweeted. The BDO, in another tweet, also said that in order to avoid 'spillover' (lapse of funds), the rural development department spent the money for constructing a playground in the neighbouring village Chillipora.However, the villagers of Heff rejected the BDO's claim, saying that the playground at Chillipora was constructed around 10 years ago, and only some surface levelling work was done in 2021. "How can a fund sanctioned for one project be spent at another without any information? Besides, if the fund was diverted in the previous year, why did the Patwari visit the village and take measurements of the land identified for the playground in October 2021?” asked Mohd Ashraf, another local youth."We have no facility for recreation or practising our favourite sport after our studies. Some of us are good at cricket, but where will we practice?" he lamented, saying they have no success despite so much struggle. The boys had earlier written an application to the Moulvi who conducts Friday prayers in their village and are now planning to meet Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to seek his intervention into the matter.

Kashmir’s saffron farmers ditch ‘red gold’ for apples, almonds

Dwindling yield due to climatic change, damage of irrigation facilities by the 2014 flood have forced saffron farmers to look for other options.Srinagar: Launched with much hype in 2010-11, the Rs 400-crore National Saffron Mission (NSM) has turned out to be a damp squib in Jammu and Kashmir after a decade. There has been a decrease of around 60 per cent in both the yield and area under cultivation of saffron. Considered the best in the world for its flavour, colour and aroma, Kashmiri saffron had earned a sobriquet of ‘red gold.  In Kashmir, saffron is cultivated mainly in three districts — Pulwama, Budgam and Srinagar. Of these, the Pampore region of Pulwama district in south Kashmir has earned the title of “Kashmir’s saffron bowl” for growing the highest quantity and best quality saffron. The soil quality in this area is highly suitable for its cultivation.According to official data, the area under saffron cultivation in Pampore has declined from 5,707 hectares in 1996 to 3,500 hectares in 2021. Saffron is also cultivated in other parts of the district, but the largest proportion of cultivation takes place in Pampore which has also become a tourist attraction during saffron flower bloom.Saffron flowers are sensitive to the vagaries of weather, and their production depends on weather conditions and irrigation facilities. The decrease in both production and area under cultivation has taken place at a time when the government has pumped in crores of rupees under the NSM.Chief agriculture officer of Pulwama, G M Dhobi told 101Reporters that the NSM had run smoothly till 2014. “But the 2014 floods in Kashmir damaged the infrastructure that was set up for the irrigation of saffron fields and other farming activities. The saffron seed carves used for sowing are highly climate-sensitive. They are damaged by both scanty and heavy rainfall. Hence, it took us years to recover from the losses caused by the 2014 floods. Seed availability and seed multiplication were also affected. Now the department is in the revival mode, and we are expecting better results," he said.Dhobi said that the Department of Agriculture had launched a project to set up 111 bore wells on Pampore’s saffron fields, out of which 74 had been completed. This would boost saffron cultivation, he said.The officer said that cultivation on a one-hectare saffron field could produce a yield of 1 kg of saffron which had a market value of Rs 1.8–2.15 lakh. He said that initially, they were facing the issue of adulteration, but after the Kashmiri saffron got its Geographical Indication (GI) tag, the practice has been under tight scrutiny. Dhobi also appealed to the farmers to not switch to horticulture crops such as apples in the region because the land in Pampore was the best suitable for saffron cultivation. “We need to start a massive awareness drive among the saffron growers. The process is on,” he said.Over the last decade, there has been a decrease of around 60 per cent in both the yield and area under cultivation of saffron in Kashmir (Picture credit - Sameer Showkin Lone) There had been more than 20,000 families engaged in saffron farming in Pampore a decade ago, but of late, the number dwindled to around 16,000, said Abdul Majeed Wani, the president of the Saffron Growers Association. The farmers cite climatic change and poor irrigation facilities as the major reasons for the decline in saffron production.Ghulam Mohammad, a saffron farmer who switched to apple plantation and cultivation of vegetables on his 60-cent plot of land in Pampore, said, “Fifteen years ago, we were able to harvest two to three kilograms of saffron from the plot which later declined to 900 grams. We then planted other crops such as apples on this land. These will fetch us more income than cultivating saffron,” he said, adding that many farmers had also sold their lands following the decline in the yield from saffron fields.Bashir Ahmed, a 55-year-old farmer, said he used to cultivate saffron on his one-acre land. Each year he used to harvest around two kilograms of saffron worth around Rs 1.8–2 lakh. However, five years ago, switched to cultivating apple and almonds on the land after the saffron yield started declining.“I earned Rs 80,000 from the apples I cultivated on 50 cents of land. This year, it went up to Rs 1,30,000. Even though the yield from apple trees is low in the initial years, it keeps increasing each year. Apple trees are giving me better returns than saffron cultivation,” Ahmed said, adding that the decline in saffron yield and the low market rates were what prompted him to look for other options.Land mafia and illegal excavationOfficials in the Directorate of Agriculture, who wished not to be named, told 101Reporters that illegal soil excavation had become a major threat to saffron farming in Kashmir Valley, especially in Pampore. They blamed the district administration for not taking strict measures to stop the illegal act.Picture credit - Sameer Showkin Lone "Even when any action is taken, the excavation stops for a few days, and then it starts again. Until the government imposes a strict ban on excavation, the land mafia will continue to pose a serious threat to the fertile land of the saffron bowl," said an officer. They said that the farmers were also to some extent responsible for allowing the soil excavation. "They being the owners the lands, the soil excavation for other purposes such as construction works cannot take place without their consent,” the officer said.

Kashmir's apple farmers find fresh hope in high-density variety

The J&K administration is encouraging high-density apple plantations among farmers in Kashmir with a hope of boosting the wilting horticulture industry.Srinagar: Famous for its mountain peaks, lakes and valleys, it is the apple that best represents Kashmir in the rest of India and the international market. Kashmir exports around 20 lakh metric tons of apples every year and produces around 75% of the country's apples. The volume of horticulture trade in Kashmir is estimated to be Rs 1,000 crores and over 33 lakh people are directly or indirectly dependent on it. The apple crop's already formidable contribution to Kashmir’s overall economy is being augmented by newer areas starting to come under apple cultivation.In addition to the districts of Shopian, Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam in south Kashmir and Baramulla (Sopore), parts of Kupwara and Bandipora in north Kashmir that are famous for their apple orchards, some parts of central Kashmir's Srinagar, mostly known for tourism activities, and Budgam districts are also slowly shifting to apple farming.With local apple growers severely affected by the economic instability wrought by political events and the COVID-19 pandemic, the administration believes that the promotion of high-density apple plantations will give a fillip to Kashmir's economy."There has been no significant increase in the production of this industry during the last few years in the Kashmir valley as a whole due to various reasons such as lack of cold storage and a large chain of commission agents between the grower and the consumer. The political instability had also contributed to our losses, especially in 2019," said a farmer, Riyaz Ahmed from the Shopian district.In order to boost apple production, the Jammu and Kashmir government has rolled out several schemes and subsidies to promote high-density apple programmes in Kashmir.The high-density apple plantation scheme has been widely embraced by the fruit growers who are fast ditching the traditional  'Delicious' variety of apples to adopt the high-density variety (locally called 'Italy variety'). This new crop grows faster and produces a much better yield, both in terms of quality and quantity. "High-density orchards have many advantages over the traditional apple plants we have been growing for decades. This high-density variety takes a maximum of four years to grow and give yield while the traditional variety takes a minimum of 12 years. It saves time, gives more yield and the quantity of plants planted per hectare is also more. The high-density apple plants can be planted with a gap of 3-4 feet while a traditional apple plant needs a gap of more than two meters," said Javaid Ahmed from Nowpora village in Pulwama, who has converted his orchard into a high-density one. He said the quality of fruit produced by the high-density plants is better as it has a rich red colour and is juicy and big, thus fetching a better price. Picture Credit - Sameer Showkin LoneThe Director-General of the Department of Horticulture, Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, told 101Reporters that 252 hectares or 622.706 acres of land across Kashmir have been converted into high-density apple orchards as of now and the target for the next five years is 5,000 hectares.Sources in the Civil Secretariat of Jammu and Kashmir said that the government has given clear cut instructions to the district level and field officers to ensure that the high-density plantation is implemented in a manner that benefits the maximum number of horticulturists across the length and breadth of Kashmir, with a special focus on apple rich districts."The guidelines have also been amended and relaxed. Earlier the farmer needed to have a minimum of 4 Kanals or 0.5 acres of land to be eligible for the scheme. Now there is neither a lower nor an upper limit. A farmer can go in for a high-density plantation even on land measuring less than 4 kanals," Bhat said.He explained that the funding pattern is on a 50:50 ratio and the government will be providing a subsidy of Rs 1.75 lakhs per hectare to a farmer for a high-density plantation.  If a farmer chooses to set up a high-density orchard, they would first have to clear the existing trees and plant the new variety. In many cases so far, farmers who have enough land have used a part of it for high-density plantation while many others have replaced their traditional orchards entirely. "I don't think there are any huge losses if one converts a traditional orchard into a high-density one. It takes just three years for high-density apple plants to grow and give the full yield, which is better in both quality and quantity and has a good market. So where are the losses," said Mir Iqbal Ahmed, a horticulture entrepreneur from Avend village in Shopian, who has recently planted a new high-density orchard.Farmers say that the drip irrigation system is the only additional investment one has to make for a high-density orchard but that is usually covered in the subsidy provided by the government. "The high-density plants also need to be handled with extra care, with timely irrigation and application of pesticides and fertilisers," said another farmer, Ghulam Mohd Alaie from Pulwama district.

In rural Kashmir, leopard attacks are on the rise and farmers fear venturing into apple orchards

Rampant destruction of forest land and encroachment is intensifying man-animal conflict in Kashmir, with leopards increasingly being spotted near or inside human habitats. Srinagar: On June 3, four-year-old Adha Shakil was reported missing in Budgam district. She was last seen playing on the lawn of her home, less than 10 kilometres from Srinagar International Airport and City Center Lal-Chowk. Early next day, her mutilated body was found in a nearby tree nursery. She had been mauled to death by a leopard.After a public outcry, the District Commissioner of Budgam Shahbaz Mirza suspended the Range Officer (Wildlife) in Ompora. However, a week later, the officer was reinstated with a warning and asked to "remain careful in future in performing his legitimate duties.” The leopard responsible was also caught and taken to Dachigam National Park.The conflict between residents and wild animals, especially leopards, is witnessing a sharp rise in the Kashmir Valley. In the last few months, leopards have been spotted in all the four districts of south Kashmir — Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama — and in Central Kashmir's Budgam district. They have even been spotted in Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir and the most populated district in the region. According to official data from the Department of Wildlife Protection Kashmir region, between 2006 and March 2021, 224 human fatalities and 2,829 injuries were reported in such incidents. The latest victim of a wild animal attack was six-year-old Maria Shabir Bhat, who was dragged away by a leopard near Zazuna fruit mandi in Ganderbal on July 11. The girl was found in a field, around a kilometre away and she later succumbed to her injuries. Most of these attacks have been carried by wild bears and now, leopards, who are increasingly venturing out into the residential areas.Orchards as hunting groundsEnvironmental activists credit these attacks to the fast encroachment of wetlands and forest land, especially in Srinagar and Budgam districts, where the vast wetlands of Mirgund, Hokarsar, Shallabugh and Hygam have been encroached upon to construct residential colonies. With an eye on profits, a lot of paddy fields are also being given over to horticulture. Dense orchards are particularly inviting to these wild animals as they can easily hunt grazing cattle.  Irshad Ahmed, a PhD researcher in Environment Sciences from the University of Kashmir, said the lack of a buffer zone between forests and apple orchards in places like Shopian and Sopore is prompting wild animals to wander into residential areas. "The scarcity of food in forests is another reason. Forests in Kashmir are being felled at a large pace, destroying the habitat of these wild animals. This is a man-made problem and now we are facing the heat," he said.Irshad said that wild animals are intelligent enough to find and keep returning to places where food is available easily. Since apple orchards in areas like Shopian are closer to residential areas, the wild animals take shelter in orchards and some stray into residential colonies. "Disposing of food waste on roads and cattle rearing in orchards attract these wild animals," he said.  With animals like leopards and wild bears being spotted at several places in south Kashmir, people are panicked and too scared to visit their orchards and other farmlands. In the Heff-Sugan-Turkawangam belt in Shopian, an apple rich region, leopards are reportedly roaming freely in the orchards. "The fear of wild animals stops us from going to our farms. It has disturbed our work and is impacting our livelihood. If we are not able to properly work in our orchards to ensure timely application of pesticides and fertilisers, how can we expect a good crop?" asked Nisar Ahmed, an apple farmer from Turkawangam village in Shopian district. Gulzar Ahmed, another farmer from adjoining Sugan village, said that a leopard had attacked his sheep when he had taken his cattle for grazing in his orchard. Caution soundedThe officials of the Wildlife Department continue to sound caution among the local populace about the presence of wild animals through announcements on loudspeakers. Sheeraz Ahmad, an official in the Wildlife Department, said they have launched a massive search operation to catch leopards in Shopian orchards.  However, the locals are not impressed with the way the department has been dealing with the trouble. Locals say that they should use advanced gadgets and technology to catch the leopards before they unleash further terror in the area and develop a prolonged strategy to tackle this problem which has become a constant and serious threat to the human population.Abdul Rashid Naqash, the Regional Wildlife Warden Kashmir, believed that better awareness among people in Kashmir could reduce the toll of the human-animal conflict. He advised that people should dispose of household food waste in dustbins and clear the dustbins regularly. “Keeping food in the bins for longer periods attract wild animals,” he said. Because, according to Naqash, this is not a new thing. "Now the man-animal conflict has been getting media coverage. It makes us believe that it is something new which it is not,” he said.According to Chief Wildlife Warden Kashmir Rashid Naqash, since 2005, the department has disbursed at least Rs 3 crores to the families of those killed by wild animals and about Rs 6 crores to those families of those who had been injured in a wild animal attack. The Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment provides financial assistance of up to Rs 3 lakhs in case of death or permanent disability and between Rs 15,000 to Rs 3 lakhs in case of injury in confrontation with wild animals. 

Smokeless Chulha: Bijapur villagers’ unique initiative to save their forests

In this Chhattisgarh district known for its dense forests, tribal villagers are embracing an innovative and cost-effective technique to burn less firewood while cooking. Bijapur: In Bijapur, a severely Naxal-affected district in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division, a silent revolution is taking place, entirely driven by the villagers. Locals in the area have decided to move from traditional chulhas (stoves) to smokeless ones in a bid to save their green cover.The movement, started by a single villager, gained the sanction of residents in a dozen villages, and today, over 1,980 smokeless chulhas have been successfully set up in households, and 166 smokeless chulhas function in schools and anganwadis (rural child care centres). The initiative not only cuts down the need for firewood but also reduces indoor air pollution, thus improving the health of the women using these stoves.The beginning of a transitionThe Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh is spread over more than 6,500 square kilometres, a majority of which is either dense or open forest. Of the 2.5 lakh people who live in the district, 85% comprise indigenous tribal, forest-dwellers whose survival is solely dependent on the forests. The tribes earn their livelihood by collecting and selling minor forest produce like chironji, tendu patta, mahua, tora, tamarind etc. The locals of Bijapur cut timber from the forests and use it as firewood in chulhas (clay stoves). This is used to cook food, boil water and meet other household needs. But as more and more timber was used for firewood, the depleting trees began to concern villagers and a few officials. “The amount of firewood consumption has increased over the years, which is a worrying trend," says a district official who wished to remain anonymous.The PM Ujjwala Yojana, which was set up to distribute LPG cylinders to Below Poverty Line families, has been slow to pick up in Bijapur. Out of the 48,000 eligible households, only 25% have been covered under this scheme. But the lack of motorable roads makes it logistically challenging to bring the rest of the deserving households under the scheme. Refuelling of the cylinders is a huge problem when people have to travel dozens of kilometres on bad or no roads to reach ration shops and cylinder distributors. Anil Kawre, a local who has been a part of several programmes with the Department of Health, recalls how the idea of smokeless chulhas came about. “When we saw the depleting forests, we thought of starting something so that the load on the forests is reduced. We know the locals heavily rely on forest wood to be used as firewood in chulhas, but we thought we have to find a way to minimise the input of firewood and maximise the output,” he says.Kawre learnt about the smokeless chulha a few years back, through the Phulwari scheme launched by the Chhattisgarh Health Department to battle malnutrition in children and reduce indoor air pollution. The smoke released in traditional stoves was causing many ailments like asthma, pneumonia, cancer, chronic restrictive lung disease and other respiratory health issues. In fact, indoor air pollution has been termed as the silent killer of the rural kitchen. While the Phulwari scheme is inactive now, the memory of the smokeless chulha stayed with Kawre, who had also been part of the project.   Anil Kawre (centre) with his team, constructing a smokeless chulha (Picture sourced by Sameer Showkin Lone)He began talking to the women in his village, telling them about the smokeless chulha and its many benefits. Many women were keen to make the shift from traditional chulhas and readily agreed. Smokeless chulhas were introduced in their homes and as the word spread, more and more women came forward to make the shift. The smokeless chulha and its benefitsThe smokeless chulha is built using bricks, an iron rod and a pipe for the outflow of smoke. According to a report by Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust, the smokeless chulha uses up to 50 per cent less firewood than the traditional chulha. It is designed to continuously supply adequate oxygen, thus enabling efficient combustion. This results in up to 80 per cent less smoke production. In addition, since the smokeless chulha has a double mouth, you can cook two items at once. Kawre explained, “It costs around Rs 300 to set up a smokeless chulha. It reduces cooking time by 50 per cent. It will take you 45 minutes to cook on a smokeless chulha while on a traditional chulha (an open-air structure of mud or stones with a single mouth), the same meal can take one and a half hours to cook."A newly-constructed smokeless chuhla built by women (Picture courtesy: Sameer Showkin Lone)But the most important benefit is the reduction in firewood requirement, feel the villagers. “A person doesn’t need to go to the forest every other day to collect firewood. The amount of wood needed has reduced,” said Surti Netam, a local. Kawre added that the felling of trees has reduced. "The tribals cut down forest trees mainly to use as firewood. They don't use it for commercial purposes. So this has definitely come down,” he said.According to a report by Dr Ramkrishna Muley, Chairman of Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Trust, Bengaluru, “A rural household uses up to 3,000 kgs of firewood per annum. The average cost of firewood is Rs 2 per kg. Since the improved smokeless chulha uses 50 per cent less firewood, a rural household using this chulha will save 1,500 kg for firewood in a year.”Dr Muley in his report further states that a pilot exercise demonstrated that saving 1,500 kg of firewood meant the saving of at least three full-grown trees. "If an entire village of say 200 firewood-burning households adopts the improved chulha, then this village will be saving 600 trees per annum. This is equal to about 1.5 acres of forest area,” he says. Kawre and his team aim to set up these smokeless chulhas in every household in the district.

Farmers in paddy-dependent Chhattisgarh wake up and smell the lemongrass

One graduate farmer in Bijapur, cheered by the results from his last lemongrass crop, is trying to convince his neighbours to take up its cultivation. Bijapur: Bhawani Pal Shah was among the first graduates in his remote village in Chattisgarh. He passed out in 2000 - the year the state was formed - and went looking for greener pastures in Rajasthan. After fifteen years of working in an agri firm there, he decided to return to his village, Gudma in Bijapur district, and take up farming. This was a better alternative, he thought, to sweating it out in the desert state. Besides, at his job, he had learnt about modern farming techniques for better yields that could be practised at his farm.Shah faced little success with paddy, which is predominantly grown in the state, as it requires a lot of water. So it could only be cultivated during the Kharif season at the onset of the monsoon. However, not one to throw in the towel, he started to look out for other crops that would provide better outputs and income.In 2019, Shah visited the Raipur Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya at Raipur and learnt about the cultivation of lemongrass – an aromatic plant whose Indian variety is scientifically known as Cymbopogan flexuosus. Lemongrass is used in soaps and detergents, perfumes, beverages and incense sticks. According to the National Horticulture Board, the oil’s strong lemon-like odour is also used in insect repellents.  Lemongrass oil fetches around Rs 1550 per litre.  "The oil and leaves of lemongrass are also used for medicinal purpose. It reduces inflammation, blood sugar, convulsions, pains and joint aches etc," said Dr Arun Sakni, a senior scientist at Krishi Vighyan Kendra Bijapur, leading the government's effort to encourage lemongrass cultivation in Bijapur. “I took a few hundred saplings and grew it on my half acre land and was delighted with the results. This year I am going to sow lemongrass on three acres of land,” Shah said.The only thing lacking is a solar pump for irrigation purpose. “I am hopeful the district Agriculture Department will sanction it," he said.Shah, who extracted 7 kilograms of lemongrass through a self-made processing unit, said “We can get a processing unit sanctioned by Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) if more than 10 acres of land or more than 10 farmers are into lemongrass cultivation in my area. I am trying to convince farmers," he said. He has been encouraging villagers by apprising them of line sowing, transplantation and other modern techniques to get more yield. CIMAP has appreciated Shah’s leadership efforts. Bhawani Pal (second from left) felicitated at CIMAP Lucknow (Picture sourced by Sameer Showkin Lone)Dr Sakni said that they are planning to form a group of interested farmers to promote lemongrass farming in the district and Shah would act as a master trainer and motivator. “With 80 per cent of the area covered by forests, lemongrass can be a great change-maker in the lives of people who are mostly tribals. It doesn't need much water nor hard labour. Just a spray of water to keep the soil moist. And once planted, its sapling regenerates thrice in a year," he said.Replicating the success of neighboursBijapur was carved out of Dantewada district which was a part of Bastar district - a region plagued by Naxalism. In addition to the hostile weather, farmers here also have to contend with the challenges posed by Naxals where their diktats extend even to the area of cultivation.In a bid to wean away jobless youth from taking to violence in the Naxal-infested region, the CIMAP provided training to youth to cultivate lemongrass and oil extractors. The initiative was taken under the direction of the central government's ‘Aroma Mission’, launched by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.In Kondagoan district, some 200 kilometres from Bijapur, lemongrass farming has seen a steep increase. The CIMAP has set up three processing units in the Malegaon area of Kondagoan. Shah’s friend, Mohan Ram Netam, a farmer in Malegaon village said, "It is much profitable than paddy. One acre of lemongrass cultivation fetches between Rs 40,000-45,000.” He said the rates keep varying between Rs 1300 to Rs 2000. "Last year we sold at Rs 1,500 per kg and this year at Rs 1,375." At present, there are 25-30 farmers in Malegaon who are now dedicated lemongrass farmers, said Netam. A small lemongrass oil processing unit that Bhawani Pal has set up in his home (Picture courtesy: Sameer Showkin Lone)“One sapling reproduces some 100 saplings. The process continues thrice a year. In some cases, the saplings keep reproducing for two to three years depending upon the soil fertility. Though our land is suitable for lemongrass, we also planted Mentha grass which is another variety of aromatic plant," he said.Another 100 kilometres towards the north of Kondagoan lies Dhamtari, a district in Central Chhattisgarh. Lemongrass farming in this district has reached the next level with the support of the district administration. The Zila Panchayat has promoted a Self Help Group (SHG) - Jai Bhawani - to cultivate lemongrass. It extracted 15 quintals of lemongrass from 3 acres of land fetching an income of Rs 50,000.Three acres of wasteland in Gram Panchayat Bhatgaon were turned into a cultivable land with the help of MGNREGA using the convergence model between Departments of Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency, Horticulture and MGNREGA, according to a District Panchayat Program Officer.Once the administration is able to get lemongrass cultivation off the ground, the next issue they would need to tackle is marketing. Already, farmers like Netam are finding this problematic. "With no government support, we have to sell it to private contractors who often short charge us,” he said. 

How Bijapur fought acute malnutrition through millets and decentralisation

Bijapur: The district of Bijapur in Chhattisgarh, around 480 km from state capital Raipur, has been tackling an acute problem of malnutrition for years, especially among children. A region comprising primarily a Scheduled Tribe population, Bijapur saw a malnutrition rate of nearly 40 per cent in 2019. To curb this acute dietary problem, the district administration, under the Centre’s Aspirational Districts’ Programme, came up with the Suposhit Bijapur initiative. Under this programme, nutrient-rich millets became the focus which were introduced in the meals provided at anganwadis.  Locally known as ragi or madiya, millets are consumed primarily in the form of a soup they call pej. They were once a staple food here but were no longer easily available. The advent of paddy cultivation saw the food grain move to the back-burner gradually. "Millets were available in a few areas of the district where farmers cultivated it for household use,” explains Satyajeet Singh Kanwar, Assistant Director of the Department of Agriculture. “This was not sufficient for a sustained programme aimed at eradicating malnutrition.” The district had to, for starters, cultivate enough to feed the 30,000 or so children enrolled in its anganwadis. Anganwadi workers preparing a meal with millets. (Picture credit: Sameer Showkin Lone)Campaign for nourishmentThe Suposhit Bijapur campaign was launched as an initiative among the departments of agriculture and horticulture as well as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). The initiative began with the establishment of “poshan badis”, or kitchen gardens, to ensure the availability of fresh vegetables; it identified and treated anaemic women, set up egg farms for self-reliance and ensured an increase in the production of millets.ICDS District Programme Officer Lupendra Mahinag says they began their work at the village level by reaching out to the local communities through the village heads (sarpanchs). Through them, the population was sensitised about the need to provide better nutrition to children. They identified regions with higher malnutrition rates and also directed their efforts towards bringing about behavioural change to inculcate better food habits.“We started with setting up kitchen gardens in anganwadi centers. Wherever it was not possible, we set up these gardens on the premises of the homes of anganwadi workers,” Mahinag says. “The horticulture and agriculture departments provided seeds and necessary assistance and also helped us diversify the meals we were able to provide to children three times a day.” The Chief Minister’s Suposhan Abhiyan was launched around the same time as Suposhit Bijapur, which Mahinag calls “a blessing in disguise” for the district. “Through the Suposhan Abhiyan, we provided eggs, fortified biscuits and peanuts to children, which allowed us to further diversify the food basket," he adds.Anganwadi worker setting up a kitchen garden with children learning the basics of gardening. (Picture credit: Sameer Showkin Lone)“In June-July 2019, we planned to create master trainers [in millet cultivation],” says Dr Arun Sakni of Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Bijapur. “We procured millets from Andhra Pradesh and distributed the seeds among farmers. We then trained them about how to cultivate the grain by adopting modern methods for higher yield.” According to data from the Department of Agriculture, 200 farmers were initially roped in for the programme. They tilled 200 acres for the food grain, and by the end of the year, ensured ample production of millets in the district.Going deeper to tackle malnourishmentBesides the earlier inadequate supply of millets, there was another problem that the Bijapur administration had to tackle: the reluctance of the local population to have their malnourished children admitted to Nutritional Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs) for treatment. Authorities had expanded the bed strength at Bijapur’s four NRCs—one at the district hospital and three at the block headquarters of Bhopalpatnam, Bhairamgarh and Awapalli—for children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). But families living in the interiors of the region were still reluctant to admit their young ones to the NRCs for the required 15 days. This hesitation among people was prevalent even after the administration provided them with vehicles for transport to the NRCs.During this period, the children are administered the required nutrients, helped with weight gain and given emotional and physical stimulation. At the NRCs, the children are first given a formula that’s low in protein, sodium and fat, along with glucose for carbohydrates. The F-75 formula is a special mix intended to meet the children’s needs without overwhelming their systems at the initial stage of treatment. As their bodies stabilise, the formula is upgraded to one with higher calories to rebuild weak tissues. In response, to ensure that the malnourished children got the treatment they required, authorities decided to take the NRCs to the villages. "Anganwadi centers were turned into temporary NRCs,” Mahinag says. “The local Sub Health Centres and Primary Health Centres were asked to monitor the children. The anganwadi supervisor and workers were trained by the food demonstrator on how to prepare the correct formula-based meals to administer to these children. A proper roster was formed. This method helped us reach more and more children suffering from malnutrition."Anganwadi workers during a training session in 2019. (Picture credit: Sameer Showkin Lone)Success storyData from the Women and Child Development Department shows that Bijapur district had a malnutrition rate of had 38.48 per cent in 2019. Of the 27,870 children registered in 1,096 functional anganwadis, 10,725 were malnourished; 1,863 of these suffered from SAM. After two years of efforts to battle malnourishment and a lack of an adequate source of millets, the figures speak for themselves: in March 2021, the number of children in anganwadis rose to 30,255 in the district; of these, the number of malnourished children has dropped to around 8,000, a significant decline of 12 per cent.  On the need for ragi (millets) in this process, an anganwadi child development project officer says: “Ragi [millets] is provided in different varieties of meals [at the anganwadis]. For instance, on some days, we make soup [pej]. On others, we make halwa, ladoos and biscuits so that children don't get bored with just one kind. We are now planning to make ragi pizza, as well.”Collector and District Magistrate Bijapur, Ritesh Kumar Agrawal who is leading the project says, "It is an issue that requires efforts from multiple stakeholders. To fight malnutrition, a multi-pronged approach and engagement and participation of society are important. Participation of different stakeholders is ensured like UNICEF, Civil Society organisations. The efforts are to accelerate the rate of decrease of malnutrition through intensive awareness. At the same time enabling the society to take ownership of the program".