Every drop matters in making Kolar's agricultural landscape sustainable

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} More concerted efforts needed to rejuvenate open wells and irrigation tanks, stop over extraction from borewells by introducing sprinklers and drip irrigation, adopt intercropping and promote scientific farming Kolar, Karnataka: “A total loss,” cries out Venkateshappa (55) of Byrakur in Mulbagal taluka of Kolar, when asked about last year’s cultivation. With great hopes, he had cultivated groundnut in two acres, but the damage was inexplicable with the year being exceptionally dry. The case of MG Pappama (62), a member of Grameena Mahila Okkutta (a federation of women’s self-help groups) at Minijenahalli, is no different. The ragi (finger millet) and tur (pigeon pea plant) on her two acres gave only negligible output. “Germination was extremely low due to lack of moisture. My farm has no borewell, so I am dependent on rain,” she says. Jayalakshmi Rao, Pushpa and Pappamma of Grameen Mahila Okkutta (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters) ‘Drought-prone’ label is not new to water-stressed Kolar district, which lies in the southeastern dry zone of Karnataka and is vulnerable to changes in climate and land use, and declining natural resources. The absence of a forest canopy, soil with no organic humus, vagaries of monsoon, frequent dry spells, and inadequate and ill-distributed rains have affected crop production and productivity here. Of the total geographical area of 3,74,916 hectares (ha), 1,70,591 ha (45.5%) is cultivated, making agriculture the mainstay. Groundwater is overexploited in all six talukas of the district and can be accessed only at a depth of 1,500 ft. The district has 81,837 borewells and 726 micro-watersheds."Open wells and minor irrigation tanks were the major irrigation sources from 1970 to 1985. When rainfall became unpredictable, farmers started extracting groundwater from deeper aquifers. Since 2000, borewell digging has been extensively incentivised,” says MVN Rao, executive director, Grama Vikas, an NGO working for integrated rural development in Kolar.  “All my ancestors were neergantis [they released water to fields in exchange of grains produced there], but we now witness a shift towards borewells. No one relies on kere [lake] due to irregular rainfall,” says Amar Neerganti (58) from Mulbagal. Praveena Kumara V, Department of Geology, Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, analysed rainfall data of past 100 years (1901-2015) of Kolar district and his reports indicate the chances of drought occurrence in Kolar once in every two years.Data from the Central Ground Water Board found that the annual average of normal rainfall ranged from 650 mm at Gudibanda in the north to around 800 mm at Mulbagal in the east, averaging 740 mm in the district. The average normal rainfall in all Kolar districts was 735 mm for 2020-2023. The actual rainfall varied from 983 mm (2020), 1,316 mm (2021) and 1,250 mm (2022) to the lowest in 2023 at 678 mm. However, these figures do not show the complete picture of the extent of drought as above normal rain was received during July, which statistically helped bridge the deficiency.A study by Kaushal K Garg of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) reveals that between 1972 and 2011, there has been a major shift from grass and rain-fed crop lands to eucalyptus plantation and irrigated cultivation. The irrigation demand of the district increased from 57 mm (1972) to 140 mm (2011), which increased groundwater abstraction by 145%. The expansion of irrigated area contributed majorly towards the widening demand-supply gap (62%) of freshwater availability.“Large scale land conversion to eucalyptus is also believed to have contributed to groundwater depletion and surface run-off reduction. By the time eucalyptus ban came about in February 2017, groundwater was already in trouble,” says B Prabhakar (52) of Mulbagal taluka.In its aftermath, most tanks/lakes suffered from lack of maintenance. “Silt and invasive plants such as Eichhornia filled them, while many tank bunds were damaged. They were also encroached upon,” says Jayalakshmi Rao, administrator, Grameena Mahila Okkutta, Honnasetthalli, Mulbagal.“Between 85 and 90% of all water consumed is used for agriculture. About 30% of the farmers have adopted change in cropping patterns and water efficient practices such as drip irrigation and sprinklers, but it is not enough,” Raghavendra Sudi, a retired ICRISAT senior scientist who works as a consultant (watershed) for Myrada, tells 101Reporters. “Water availability, water use and entitlements are the basic elements of comprehensive drought proofing. Availability has to be assessed and developed, water use has to be monitored and conserved, and entitlements have to be ensured to the vulnerable sections,” he adds.Tanks doing desiltation work in Sheikhmanpura, Malur (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)Extensive monocropping Major crops cultivated in Kolar are ragi, maize, tur, horse gram, groundnut, cowpea and vegetables. However, a shift towards monocropping of water intensive cash crops and horticultural produce such as flowers and tomatoes is on the rise.  “High input practices disrupt local ecosystems, climate, community nutrition and financial security. The native seed varieties used in akkadi saalu [a traditional intercropping system] produce more yield than hybrids. Plus this yield does not decrease with time,” claims Prabhakar's mother Rajamma (70), who has been rotating 18 to 20 types of crops in an acre according to the seasons.  “Unfavourable climate has caused unknown viral disease in tomatoes,” says Geeta (32) of Hiranya Goudanahalli in Mulbagal. She is struggling to meet her expenses of two lakh per acre, thanks to low yield and price fluctuations.  Meanwhile, Ramesh Kumar, a panchayat development officer in Kolar, says farmers continued to grow tomatoes after multiple losses because they thought about making huge money in the short term. “They tend to forget that it is subject to market demand,” he adds.The saving grace is that some farmers are gradually opening up to akkadi saalu and organic farming. “Diversity was there 40 years ago. Subsidised chemicals and fertilisers made people shift to high income crops. I have restarted akkadi saalu movement in parts of Kolar, but it is yet to attract small farm holders. Diversification and value addition are things every farmer should think of in this changing climate,” says Prabhakar, who has been doing akkadi saalu in his two-acre farm.Narayanaswamy Dharmalingam (59) of Byrakur has been an organic farmer for the last two decades. “I have identified many techniques that can recharge and sustain soil moisture. The agricultural department should hold awareness sessions for smallholders,” he says. Prabhakar hopes akkadi saalu will come back if the government provides subsidies for farmers to make the transition from monocropping to multicropping.  Shiva Shankar, programme officer, Kolar project, Myrada, an NGO working in backward areas, believes only 40% efficiency of water use is achieved. "This can be attributed to percolation of water in the fields into the ground, spillage, seepage and evaporation.”  Myrada has been running a project on sustainable management of water resources and drought proofing in Kolar since 2019. “We work with around 500 farmers,” says Ganamolla Sushmitha, agronomist, Myrada.Chikkaramyya Muddegowda (33) from Bellavi in Malur taluka earlier used three to five kg ragi seeds per ha to get 30 quintal yield and 60 quintal fodder per ha. “Gulli method [System of Ragi Intensification] reduced the seed rate to 1.25 kg per ha and increased the grain and fodder yields to 70 and 80 quintals, respectively,” says Sushmitha.Siddappa Rajendra (40) of Chakanahalli in Malur switched to vermicompost to save Rs 10,000 on input cost last year. "I got an extra 10 quintal yield than the previous year.”Chikkyerappa Gopalappa (55) of Bellavi in Malur has been making use of soil moisture indicators, open well recharge pits and flow metre. “Besides my two acres where I cultivate ragi, I have got another six acres on lease for vegetables. My yield has increased as my open wells are full,” he beams.  “Micro irrigation, bio-mulching, sustainable practices for dry land cultivation, bringing in eucalyptus plots under regular agricultural practices, water conservation and climate resilient practices should be the focus. If 70% farmers adopt efficient irrigation and sustainable agriculture practices, water can be saved,” says Sudi.Farmer Gopalappa checking soil moisture with soil moisture indicator (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)Watershed managementThe ongoing Watershed Development Component-Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY 2.0) is an effective drought mitigation measure. The agriculture department adopts integrated watershed management in 3,442.71 ha in Mulbagal and 4,327.57 ha in Srinivasapura from ridge to valley by involving stakeholders of land parcels of the watershed area. The project launched in 2021-22 is expected to finish in 2025-26.  “Supply side interventions such as check dams, trench-cum-bunds, farm ponds and open well recharge pits, and demand side management such as tank desilting, use of drought mitigation tools, including soil moisture indicators and water flow metres, show improved water efficiency,” claims Veeresha NS, project engineer, Myrada’s Kolar project. Sheikhmanpura tank in Malur was not deep enough to hold runoff until its renovation work began last July. A tank utilisation group (TUG) was formed for its maintenance. “With local help, 11,094 cubic metre silt was removed. Farmers paid for transporting silt to their farmlands for use as manure. Corporate social responsibility fund worth Rs 4.96 lakh from Imperial Tobacco Company was also utilised,” Veeresh details.(Above) Thornahalli check dam, Malur (below) Sheikhmanpura tank (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)Before Alagondanahalli tank in Bengaluru Rural was desilted in 2019, the area’s water table was at 59 m (from the ground level). “There was a 5 m increase in 2020, which jumped to 11 m the next year,” says Channarayappa (55), a farmer from Alagondanahalli.“We expect Sheikhmanpura tank to provide similar results in recharging borewells,” says Veeresh.According to Jayalakshmi, each tank requires a TUG to ensure community participation in kind and cash for desilting, cleaning catchment areas and planting native trees.BN Krishnakanth and BC Nagaraja from the Department of Environmental Sciences, Bangalore University, have observed in their research paper that there were still significant gaps in effective implementation and percolation of benefits to the end users. More importance should be given to precise farming, sustainable agriculture and irrigation practices, soil nutrient management, watershed development, dairying and animal husbandry, the study says.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Geeta and her husband from Mulbagal Taluk at a loss after mono-cropping tomato (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)

Women in Gundegaon bank on entrepreneurship as climate change affects farm income

They launch small-scale businesses related to livestock, farming and processing in this tiny village in Maharashtra to reap benefits financially and socially Ahmednagar, Maharashtra: Kalpana Sandip Dhawade (37) of Gundegaon in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district never wanted to raise hens as a side business. Nevertheless, after climate change triggered crop loss, she decided to enter the fray in 2017. “My family was into cultivating our 2.5-acre plot, but we never got any income from it. Erratic rainfall destroyed our crops. That was when I realised the demand for eggs in the market and decided to start a poultry unit by taking a bank loan,” she says.Initially, Dhawade reared about 10,000 birds and sold nearly 8,000 eggs every day at the rate of Rs 5 per egg. The profit instilled confidence in her and she decided to get additional birds. “My unit now has 12,000 more birds, which will lay about 30,000 eggs every three to four days. In a month, we get around Rs 3 to 4 lakh in turnover, of which roughly Rs 1 to 1.5 lakh is profit,” she beams.Like in many other places, both shortage of water and abundance of it have been affecting Gundegaon too. Right now, rainfall is sporadic. So, Dhawade has arranged for a tanker to meet the needs of the unit. “Four men work in the unit at a monthly pay of Rs 30,000. We have been using a chicken cage system since 2017. It was purchased using the Rs 40 lakh loan that I had taken, but we did repay the full amount. Our next plan is to establish a fully automatic layer poultry system worth Rs 3 crore,” she adds.To ensure the health of the birds, a doctor visits the unit once every 15 days. Dhawade also sells composted chicken manure for about Rs 15 per kg. "I am happy because even my husband assists me in running the business nowadays," says Dhawade, who enjoys being an entrepreneur, thanks to the shared learnings of the village women and business ideas from Santosh Bhapkar, a progressive farmer who heads the village collective Sampoorn Shetkari Ghat.Kalpana runs a poultry unit that gives nearly 40,000 eggs in 3-4 days (Photo - Dr. Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)Santosh, also the deputy sarpanch of the village, began his efforts to form the collective in 2005, but it started working effectively only from 2017-18. Both Santosh and his wife Jyothi Santosh Bapkar (35) worked tirelessly to make farmers aware of the adverse impacts their cultivation using pesticides and chemicals had on the soil and the food they grew and ate.   The collective managed to bring 300 farmers, including 100 women, under it, thus transforming 1,800 hectares into fully organic plots. It brought together farmers under a single brand for effective marketing and started wholesale purchase of produce from farmers by offering a 28% extra rate on the total produce. Jyothi studied the trends in the relatively distant markets of Mumbai and Pune to make the most of them. The collective also helped in arranging loans for entrepreneurs. The family of Savita Bapu Choudhary (37) owned very little land, so she came up with the idea of a pulses processing centre. She got help from the collective to arrange loans for purchasing the processor. Since 2017, the centre has been processing pulses, including tur (pigeon pea), moong (green gram) and urad (black gram), thus ensuring constant supply of quality produce sold under the Sampoorn Shetkari Ghat.Savita at her Agri Processing Centre (Photo - Dr. Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters) "Mung and urad are harvested in September and October, and Bengal gram [chickpea] and tur in February and June, respectively. I purchased the machine by getting a loan of Rs 2.20 lakh. It splits and polishes the dal, but nowadays everyone likes it unpolished," Choudhary says.   The washed dal is dried on the floor before processing. Cleaning and drying take time as it must be done meticulously. “In one season, we get roughly 10 quintals of pulses for processing. We are paid Rs 10 per kg as processing cost. We are about to purchase another machine for Rs 2.5 lakh, which can roast chickpeas, make murmure [puffed rice] and shell and salt peanuts. A grader will also be purchased for Rs 25,000… My family made extra income by growing our own pulses," Choudhary explains.Ribeka Shamvel Jawale (30) used to work as a nurse in Pune before returning home to be with her family in Gundegaon. Taking a cue from Jyothi’s work, she transformed the family’s 4.5-acre land into an organic farm plot that has vegetables, grains and cotton [GMO seeds] in it.  Her vegetables and other produce are sold under the Sampoorn Shetkari Ghat.Ribeka runs an organic farm (Photo - Dr. Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)"In the past, I knew nothing about farming," Jawale admits. “We were in too much debt and had suffered losses as a result of my in-laws' chemical practices. In the previous year, I took over farming and began to convert tiny areas. Our first attempt, an organic crop of onions, yielded good results. From half an acre of onion, we made a profit of Rs 20,000. We now farm cereals as well.” “This money provides us independence, and we feel that we have a better place in our households now. Our husbands confer with us before taking family decisions. The collective has also made us stronger as women,” says Jawale.Even without the collective’s help, women in Gundegaon has shown an interest in entrepreneurship, thanks to their determination to break the cycle of poverty by thinking out-of-the box and learning on the job. So now, it is hardly surprising to see the women, once relegated to the kitchens and backyards, gather in small groups in the village square to share their small victories and the challenges they face. Organic farming, collective farming, poultry, small and large agro business centres and value added services have turned out to be their forte.In her hands adorned with green glass bangles, Bhamabai Bhapkar (65) holds the three eggs her free-range hens have just laid. Examining them with care, she says, “The money that my hens give is mine; I can do anything I want with it.”Bhamabai with free range eggs (Photo - Dr. Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters) The pride and joy of financial independence that her desi hens bring her are ineffable. “I have been into poultry farming at my home for the last 40 years. For my birds, I have a cage made from reclaimed wood. I currently have 45 birds and obtain at least 35 eggs per week, which I sell for Rs 10 each. There was a period when I even had 100 birds with me. This revenue has kept me going all these years.”Ever since her marriage, Bhamabai has been a resident of Gundegaon. She works at her family farm where horse gram, kidney bean, moong, urad, red gram, groundnut, safflower, sesame, pomegranate, mango and vegetables are grown. At present, her two sons run the farm. "The early days were quite challenging. We worked from morning to night, but did not make enough to feed ourselves. I felt obligated to carry out other tasks to supplement our income. That is how the poultry business came about,” she says.Sindhubai Dhangar (60) owns 60 sheep and goats in all. She belongs to the Dhangar community, a listed Nomadic Tribe in Maharashtra. Climate change has been a major worry for her. On one hand was the heavy and untimely rains, and on the other the shortage of fodder in summers.“We travel 50 to 100 km daily and stay on the road for six months, returning only when the monsoons arrive. Farmers are our sole source of support when we relocate to Dahanu, Bhiwandi and Pune in summers. We use tarpaulin sheets and stay in villages for several days. We also carry loads of ration supplies with us," Sindhubai explains. Her husband Balasaheb Dhangar accompanies and helps her to take care of the animals. “Each year, the female sheeps and goats give birth to two babies. We make Rs 8,000 to 10,000 each when we sell them. In all, we sell around 120 sheep and make nearly Rs 10 lakh annually.”This June, Sampoorn Shetkari Ghat has added another feather in its cap. Shendriya Shetkari, a shop for farmers to purchase organic nutrients and amendments (products to improve soil quality such as livestock manure, plant residue and compost) began its operations from a rented space in Gundegaon's village square. "So far we have made Rs 10 lakh… I am still learning and trying to understand more about business tactics and the economics of running a shop," says Jyothi, who manages the shop.(Above) Jyothi at her shop Shendriya Shetkari (below) Jyothi with the grown vegetables (Photo - Dr. Lakshmi Unnithan)She also works as a field monitor to support women farmers and conducts workshops for them. She acts as a liaison between groups and partners, assisting women to better organise their groups, ensuring their products meet standards, increasing their market presence and helping them gain access to loans. "The idea is to help women to contribute to an improvement in the family dynamics," says Jyothi.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Sindhubai with her herd (Photo - Dr. Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)

Roping in affordable tech, loan support can bring natural fibres to life in Karnataka

Provision for bank loans can help workers buy costly solar rope-making machines, thereby saving the huge diesel expenses and reducing their heavy workload Chamarajanagar, Karnataka: Standing under the canopy of trees, Venkatesh Nagsetti (38) and his brother Prasad Nagsetti (35) are spinning ropes from the dried leaves of agave plants (agave sisalana). They belong to the only family that makes sisal, a natural fibre obtained from agave, in Kuderu village of Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district. Their father Nagsetti (60), mother Sannamathamma (60), Venkatesh’s wife Rekha (28) and Prasad’s wife Ramya (25) help with the tasks. The family has been into this job for four generations. They belong to the Uppara caste, traditionally associated with digging earth, building tanks and making salt. “We are in this business because we do not like migrating to cities. We are not educated, so we would not get high paying jobs in cities either,” Venkatesh tells 101Reporters. Earlier, around 100 families of Kuderu, Tenkalmole and Badagalamole were involved in making sisal ropes. They stopped using the natural fibre 20 years ago, as the work was strenuous. They now make reusable plastic ropes from cement bags. Agave plants grow on bunds across the fields and wastelands in the arid and semi-arid regions of Chamarajanagar, Hanumanthapura, Heggodu, Ummathur and Mysuru. It is drought-tolerant, but grows well when water is available. Once the fleshy leaves are harvested, it will take around six months for the next harvest.Sisal rope being made by hands; (below) rigorous physical activity is involved in the fibre extraction process (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)The processHunting down agave leaves suitable for making ropes is an integral part of the work. “We are used to the constant travels to nearby regions of Mysuru, Mandya and Bengaluru in search of material. Despite the changing climate, we have not had great difficulties so far in procuring leaves. When the underground adventitious shoots developing from the roots receive favourable conditions, they often come up above the soil surface at some distance from the parent plant and develop into small suckers. These new plants ensure our raw material,” says Venkatesh.Venkatesh Nagsetti and Prasad Nagsetti weaving ropes (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)For the last 50 years, the family has been using a sugarcane crusher machine with a diesel engine to extract sisal fibre. Venkatesh has to remain standing in a bent position throughout the process. It is done by hand and there are chances of injuring one’s hand when the machine is running. More people are needed for the process, which includes feeding leaves into the crusher, putting cold water when the machine heats up and hanging the fibre to dry.  “Modern machines that run on electricity/solar energy could save the huge amounts that we spend on diesel. Newer technologies will raise productivity and income, but they cost a lot,” says Venkatesh.Explaining the economics of making ropes, he says, "For procuring agave leaves, we have to give Rs 300 to 500 to land owners. We spend a total of Rs 5,000 to employ four labourers [Rs 500 each] to cut the leaves and load and unload them into a hired tractor and for transportation. The raw fibre is  sold for Rs 80 per kg.”To run the crusher, diesel worth Rs 500 and oil worth Rs 300 are needed daily. The family works 16 days a month (four days a week). They do all the work themselves as they cannot afford labour charges. They should ideally wear a full body suit as the juice is allergic, but they manage with hand gloves and full sleeve shirts. They are sure they can produce an additional 30 kg of the fibre against the present weekly output of 100 kg, provided they have the right machine.Contrastingly, reusable plastic ropes are sold at Rs 30 per kg, as they have no processing cost. Each bag costs Rs 2 to 3, and the plastic rope-makers purchase 100 sacks of 25-kg cement bags to manufacture 90 ropes. When compared to natural fibre rope, the work is less strenuous and they earn between Rs 4,000 and 5,000 a week.In the case of natural fibre rope, three to five persons are required to make one batch of rope manually. "The spinning wheel has to be often turned full 360 degrees to produce a batch of rope,” Rekha says. Ramya adds that women are predominantly involved in rotating the wheel from a seated position, which causes shoulder pain and leads to health issues in the long run.Venkatesh Nagsetti (R) in Kuderu village of Chamarajnagar; (below) Prasad Nagsetti (second from R) with family members (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)Solar machines not affordable Five years ago, Selco Foundation demonstrated a solar rope-making machine worth Rs 30,000 to the fibre and plastic rope-makers of Kuderu. However, it was found to be unsuitable for their work, so they had to look at a high-power machine worth Rs 60,000. As banks would not approve a loan, the family was not able to buy it. “We were very happy with the solar machine because it increased output while reducing physical effort. Two people could run it easily. It had a remote control facility to turn the wheel and control speed,” Prasad tells 101Reporters. Right now, the family neither has a closed shed nor a place to construct it. They get more material in the rainy season, but productivity is low due to lack of a shed to keep the machine and for spinning and drying activities. “The fibre will rot easily if we work in the open in the rainy season. At present, we work out of a friend’s land. We need at least a shed of 100 m length,” Venkatesh says.Prasad says the government should form clusters and recognise the occupation as a small-scale industry to help them access loans for buying modern machinery. Venkatesh believes that proper incentives and some design classes on making different products can bring back those who have left the occupation.  Agave has the potential to create employment opportunities to farmers affected by erratic weather patterns and the unemployed youth. Commissioning a small-scale industry to produce sisal fibre and other associated products may result in economic empowerment of the region. Conceptualising and creating different products with the help of designers have good scope. The women in the region are familiar with the work, but natural fibre rope-making can get a new lease of life only if these women receive regular orders.“Marketing has not been a problem for our ropes. The demand is still strong and people come in search of us. We also sell at nearby village markets,” says Venkatesh.Raghuveer Panaghanti with dried loofah and loofah fibre; (below) loofah weaved by farmers at Belavala Foundation (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)Entry into design space Entrepreneur Raghuveer Panaghanti and architect Shruthi Ramakrishna are looking at ways to adopt natural fibres into their designs, in a bid to support the fading occupation and its practitioners. "At Indisutras, loofah [luffa cylindrica] and sisal are used as alternatives to synthetic materials. Body and utensil scrubbers, indoor slippers and decor pieces are made from loofahs. Straw cleaners, body scrubbers and soap saver pouches are made from sisal. As loofah has no demand as a vegetable, we felt compelled to explore the material's hidden potential. We have been working with farmers to cultivate loofah,” says Panaghanti.  "To begin with, we encouraged Akkikalu Shivanna of Mudigere in Tumakuru to grow loofahs. We also started procuring the vegetable from Mysuru-based Belavala Foundation. Likewise, we have been trying to engage farmers by offering a buy-back guarantee with advance payments,” explains Panaghanti.Shivanna has been growing loofah in six of his total eight acres for the last eight years. "There was not much profit earlier, but it is attracting entrepreneurs now. I have eight labourers to cut, clean, thread and pack loofahs. The work happens year-round. Entrepreneurs from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Bengaluru buy loofah from me and export it to the US, Dubai and Germany. I sell them for Rs 9 to 10 per piece. The threaded loofahs [for hanging] get me Rs 14. When the business is good, I make a profit of Rs 30,000 to 35,000," Shivanna tells 101Reporters.Indisutras outsources a portion of its work to self-help groups in and around Kanakapura in Karnataka. "The machines are custom-made and hence priced higher. Our focus is entirely on B2B [business-to-business], but creating a network has been a gradual process. We were funded by the Karnataka Government through their startup initiative, Elevate 2021, which turned out to be crucial in expanding our research and development efforts to create high-quality products," says Panaghanti.Loofah making process; (below) Made in Earth team looking at the exhibit (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters) Shruthi Ramakrishna, architect, Made In Earth, has been looking for sustainable materials to promote architecture that is more mindful of people, the environment and local resources. She uses naturalistic building components and methods. "We are yet to come across any other Indian artist working with loofah, especially in architecture or product design space. Sisal, however, is used for carpet weaving,” Ramakrishna explains. Loofahs were deseeded, peeled, unfolded and hand sewn into a big quilt by its women loofah cultivators. At night, the stacked loofahs transform into an illuminated installation, inspiring thought on the idea of sowing as a proactive act of creating meaningful relationships with one's land and people. "The exhibit titled ‘The Future Will Be Sown’ will be showcased at the Dubai Design Week, from November 7 to 12. This is a call for profound shifts in our relationship with the environment, urging us to honour nature and communities while weaving together a regenerative future through renewable resources,” says Agnimitra Bachi, an architect at Made In Earth.  No doubt, there is a need for more such spaces for regenerative growth and climate action.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Fibres and seeds separated out of the dried loofahs (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)

Meet the Kerala farmers who turned to agroforestry to save soil, crops

Growing multiple cash crops, fruit trees, shrubs and tubers on the same plot helps them manage climate-related risks better, and earn from multiple sourcesKasargod/Wayanad, Kerala: At 75, one would expect Joy Joseph to lead a carefree retired life. But he never gets tired of his daily routine, which begins at 5.30 am. He makes his black coffee and gets to work in no time, milking his only cow, feeding hens, ducks and quail and collecting their eggs, before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast.Ever since his wife’s death four years ago, Joy has been cooking by himself mostly. Not just for himself, but also for the two farm hands at the eight-acre farm surrounding his house. At times, a woman in the neighbourhood assists him with the kitchen chores.Stepping into his forest farm in Palavayal in Kasargod district of Kerala, one need not take a second look to commend his stupendous work. Over 30 varieties of fruit trees, tubers, shrubs and cash crops, including rambutan, banana, mango, sapota, jackfruit, moringa, cocoa, coffee, coconut, nutmeg and arecanut, grow in multiple layers in the farm.  “Monoculture plantations of arecanut or coconut are a thing of the past. All the farmers here have understood the advantages of multi-strata canopy structure and diversified income. Climate is unpredictable and soil less fertile, so production of coconut and arecanut has been fluctuating since 2000,” says Joy, while helping himself with a bowl of rice gruel and non-vegetarian side dishes.After the 8 am breakfast, the enterprising farmer and workers move quickly to fulfil farm gate orders. The farm activities depend on the schedule of harvesting of each crop. Mulching, composting and pruning will go on until 5 pm, except for the one-and-a-half-hour lunch break. Nothing comes easy for Joy. His son lives in Canada, while his schoolteacher daughter is married and settled nearby. He seldom depends on anyone and is driven by the love of farming despite the teething troubles due to soil degradation, high cost of seeds and fertilisers, Kerala's typical high wages and poor market pricing for products.Soil as the provenance of life Major and micro nutrient levels are generally low in Indian soils, while the average soil organic carbon concentration is 0.54%. Landslides and floods have wreaked havoc in Kerala in recent years, and 71.28% of the state’s geographical area has eroded.An agroforestry farm is believed to sequester carbon better because of its greater capacity to capture and utilise water, sunlight and nutrients than a single-species crop. Simultaneously, higher organic carbon content in the soil is associated with higher species richness and tree density.“In hilly regions, each portion of the farm is at a different layer. We do contour farming that reduces runoffs and prevents erosion. Both soil fertility and crop yield increase when we practice agroforestry,” says Joy.Joy Joseph with his rambutan trees in full bloom (Photo - Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)The fallen branches and leaves mulch at the base of the plants, reduce evaporation and enhance soil properties to control runoffs, erosion, weeds and salinity. Regulation of soil temperature, better nutrient infiltration and improved soil structure are the other positives of agroforestry. “The soil, biodiversity and climate are changing, but not all farmers have understood them,” Sunil Kumar (52), a farmer and entrepreneur from Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad district, tells 101Reporters. He adopted a fruit-based agroforestry model when plantation crops declined in yield. At present, avocado, litchi, passion fruit and other varieties thrive in his two-acre plot.(Above) Natural mulching in the fruit forest and (below) trenches dug in between rows of trees (Photos - Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)Eldho Baby (58) of Pozhuthana in the same district cites the case of coffee plantations. “Coffee needs ample shade, like in a rainforest. However, the native tree species have mostly disappeared from the plantations due to unscrupulous human activities, monoculture and the lure of exotic fast-growing trees.” Poovam (Schleichera oleosa), venga (Pterocarpus marsupium), njaval (jamun), pottama (Trema orientalis), vatta (Macaranga peltata), ayanichakka (Artocarpus hirsutus), itti (Indian Rosewood), Karuppa/Patta (Cinnamomum malabatrum), Kolamavu (Persea macrantha) and Kodampuli (Garcinia cambogia) are among the native trees vanishing from these farms.However, those who have understood the need to diversify have also realised the power of endless possibilities. They know one just needs to think and start creatively. Manuel Pallikamealil (75) from Wayanad's Mananthavady points to the sacred grove that ensures carbon neutrality in his over four-acre plot as he says, “There is going to be a time in future when pure air, clean water and good food are prioritised over money. Internationally, coffee, pepper and cocoa grown in rainforest conditions, groves and deep forests have a great demand already. It makes sense to protect the environment and keep growing for economic benefits.”Economic prospectsAgroforestry equips the farmer to sell a variety of products at the farm gate rather than depending on a single produce. However, according to Joy, finding the right consumers is the toughest of all jobs. He sells processed and value-added items from fruits in nearby markets, and cash crops to Fair Trade Alliance Kerala (FTAK). “Cocoa, nutmeg, arecanut and coffee are major income generators. The FTAK picks them up from my home, so I do not have to spend on transportation. Per kg, I get approximately Rs 30 for coconut, Rs 80 for green cocoa, Rs 220 for dry cocoa, Rs 380 for arecanut, Rs 117 for coffee, Rs 2,500 for nutmeg mace and Rs 300 for nutmeg nuts. Rambutan and mangosteen are priced at Rs 250 per kg,” says Joy. Manuel believes a small and efficiently maintained agroforestry garden with an array of fruit trees, tubers and coconut will yield anywhere between Rs 40,000 and 60,000 per acre annually. It can cross Rs 1 lakh if coffee and pepper are also grown.Manuel’s main income is from the sale of tuber seeds, and he does not think twice about attending exhibitions to sell them. “Cassava, elephant foot yam, greater yam, sweet potato, taro and arrowroot can be successfully grown in orchards of arecanut, robusta coffee, mango, banana, avocado and rambutan,” he says.Manuel Pallikamealil with his tubers at an exhibition (Photo - Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)An organic farmer from Ambayathode in Kannur district, Johnny Athirkuzhi (50) says starchy roots and tubers partially meet the nutritional needs of his four-member family and farm animals. “However, it is the perennial crops that bring in the money. Cereals, vegetables, legumes, oilseeds and tubers aid in revenue generation."Over a decade ago, K Saseendran (63) of Thekkumthara in Wayanad converted his paddy fields into an agroforestry garden by planting trees on raised beds. “The most profitable intercrops are nutmeg and coconut. The mature nutmeg mace fetch a minimum of Rs 2,500 per kg and its nuts Rs 350 per kg. I have planted rambutan, cocoa, jambakka, grapefruit, litchi, coconut, avocado, arecanut, santol and fig in the lower areas of my farm,” he explains.An agriculture sciences graduate, Sooraj Purushothaman (26) from Sulthan Bathery bets big on fruit trees. “I am in the process of replacing our 100-year-old coffee plantation with a fruit forest. Avocado and litchi have high market value and are sold at a premium. I have high hopes of getting a good income.”Testing timesThe prohibitively high labour cost and pesticide use are among the main challenges that farmers face. Johnny claims he manages all the work in his 3.5-acre farm by himself, as otherwise it is not profitable. “The daily minimum wage here is Rs 1,000. High literacy rates and education have encouraged Keralites to look for better jobs elsewhere. Lesser the unskilled workforce, higher the wages. And we are totally dependent on the migrant workforce now.”Joy has an average annual turnover of Rs 10 lakh. But half of it goes into meeting expenses related to labour and plucking charges, organic fertilisers and plantation maintenance.TC Joseph from Wayanad’s Kattikkulam lists out the issues, when asked about his coffee plantation. “High labour, input and maintenance costs, unpredictable climate, fluctuating prices in the international markets are all problems that we face. I have made up my mind to sell estate portions close to the forest as conflicts with wild animals are on the rise.”Eldho Baby's coffee estate is home to several native tree species that have mostly disappeared from the plantations due to unscrupulous human activities, monoculture and the lure of exotic fast-growing trees; (below) Mohammed Ali says productivity is tied to restoring soil fertility (Photos - Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)The small landholders in Wayanad grow coffee as a monocrop or with pepper. With pepper yield also declining, farmers have been applying chemicals and fertilisers on it, which indirectly affects coffee. “Widespread use of chemicals in the pretext of increasing production has destroyed soil fertility,” notes Joseph. Mohammed Ali, Plant Genome Saviour Community Award winner and pepper coffee conservationist from Kalpetta, says only a switch to organic farming can bring about productive changes. “The idea should be to improve soil fertility at a low cost.”Saving for a rainy dayKumar believes product diversification and value addition should be done at the farm gate itself by making use of the government schemes to buy machinery. But Joy thinks it is difficult to depend only on farm income. “I run a home stay under the Responsible Tourism Mission and get visitors regularly. They buy my juices, jams, pickles and dried bananas,” he says.Baby also has a homestay up and running. “The coffee yields fluctuate based on weather. So, I also maintain 15 cows at my farm to earn a daily income.”Eldho Baby at his coffee estate where he has 15 cows to supplement the fluctuating income from the estate; (below) K Saseendran has integrated agrotourism into his farm, offering stays, tours, experiences, guidance on creating fruit farms and also a nursery (Photos - Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)A dash of creativity has made Saseendran’s agrotourism business a fun experience. He has consistently tried to restore a forest type ecosystem, with over a thousand species of timber and fruit trees. One can fish in the artificial pond he has created. Boating in the artificial lake, farm tours, fruit picking, hands-on cooking and trekking can be enjoyed in his seven acre plot. Farm stays are available for a reasonable price.“I give them personalised guidance in creating fruit farms, and maintain a nursery solely for this purpose. It provides me with additional income,” says Saseendran. No doubt, however small or big the land area, there are umpteen possibilities of growing diversity and achieving food security through agroforestry.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover photo - Sooraj Purushothaman is in the process of converting his coffee plantation into a fruit forest that yields diverse produce (Photos - Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters) 

In Nilgiris, forest rights unlikely to bring back wild foods into tribal diet

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Last November, 13 villages in Pillur region of the Nilgiris were granted community forest rights under The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. But will it bring back the disappearing traditional food into the Adivasi platter?Only a slim chance exists as forests have made way for monoculture over the decades, with the communities dwelling there pushed out. Their lifestyles have changed, and so have their food habits.     Todas, Kotas, Kurumbas, Irulas, Paniyas and Kattunayakars are the main primitive tribal groups found in the region. According to Census data, the district has a total tribal population of 32,813.  “We received 1,740 claims for individual rights, of which 1,623 have been approved and issued. All the 80 community rights claims have also been granted,” Nilgiris District Forest Officer Goutham Subramanian told 101Reporters. While individual rights deal with agricultural rights over forestland, community rights relate to the collection of non-timber forest produce, and customary rights such as habitation, worship and cremation.(Left) Mallika, an Irula leader, wants to see policy interventions that address the increase of malnutrition and other non-communicable diseases among the Nilgiri's tribal population; (right) Janakiamma, another Irula leader, with her daughter. With tribes moving away from forests, wild foods have all but disappeared from their diet (Photos - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)One crop, many changesThe Nilgiris has witnessed a slow yet steady change over a period of 200 years, with exotic monoculture plantations of tea, silver oaks and eucalyptus taking over the landscape. "Only 10% of the original Shola grasslands is left. By 1988, 11,000 hectares came under cultivation. Large-scale plantations caused more invasive species to expand into previously unexplored regions, and now these species make up 70% of what were formerly native grasslands in the plateau,” says Godwin Vasant Bosco, an Ooty-based native plant conservationist.Janaki, a community health nurse for over 30 years, still remembers how several families were thrown out of their forest homes when she was just five. “One fine day, the Tamil repatriates from Sri Lanka took over our lands, cleared the forests and started tea and pepper plantations.”“Even our present settlement was once a thick forest. It gradually became a town. In fact, no dense forest exists anywhere in the neighbourhood now,” says the Betta Kurumba tribal.Mullu Kurumba tribal KT Subramaniam says migration happened a generation before he was born. “Tribal communities had no idea of land ownership and title claims, and many among us failed to prove ownership.”“Kattunayakars and Kurumbas did not get land titles as they mainly hunt and forage for forest produce, and were not farmers traditionally. The same was true with Paniyas. With no land access, all of them had to shift out of forests," explains Subramaniam, also the secretary of the Adivasi Munnetra Sangam.A meal of millets, tubers and country chicken (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)Food for thoughtBe it for medicine, health or ceremonies, tribal people had relied only on a wide variety of wild foods, native fungi, plants, millets and wild honey for countless generations. “With forests gone, wild foods have also disappeared. This change directly points to the loss of biodiversity,” says Janakiamma, an Irula tribal leader. Mallika, another Irula leader, claims the increased prevalence of diabetes and high blood pressure among the rural and tribal communities by the age of 40 shows how much their eating habits have changed. "Consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and meat helped support the overall health of our older generations. Discussions and some policy plans are needed on the inclusion of nutritious foods in the dietary schedule since malnutrition is also seen among tribals,” she says.According to P Chandran of Kurumba community, less dependence on the forest has led to less intake of nutritious food. “Millets are not part of our diet. At times, we collect forest produce, but that too is negligible in quantity nowadays.”A health animator from the Paniya community, Bindu agrees that the production of jackfruit, mango, tamarind, mushrooms and tubers in the wild has declined considerably in the Nilgiris. “We see changes in the flowering and growth patterns of trees around us.”Bindu says they do not even enter the forest these days as the tiger population is on the rise. “I have heard from my father about samai and ragi cultivation in the forest. We never stayed continuously in one place as we were slaves of the Chettys of Wayanad.”Janaki reminisces how her grandparents used to cultivate ragi, samai, cholam, rice, wheat, sesame and mustard in the forest farmlands. Instead of selling, the produce was shared in the community. She also agrees that farming inside forests is too risky due to animal interactions.PDS widens the gap“For the past 35 years, I do not remember eating anything other than rice. Millets were never part of my food system,” admits Kumar, a Kurumba who left his tribal settlement on the forest fringes to work on a farm in Kookalthorai.“We get nearly 26 kg of rice, two kg of wheat, and one kg each of sugar, dal and pulses for a two-member family under the Public Distribution System (PDS). In addition, the tribal communities grow cash crops such as pepper, banana, arecanut, tea and coffee these days,” Bindu explains.Janaki also mentions how there has been no going back to millets and farmlands after the introduction of PDS. “Rice has become our wholesome diet. Tribals work in plantations and as daily wage labourers in estates. The food they eat depends on the wages they get.”Be it for medicine, health or ceremonies, tribal people have relied only on a wide variety of wild foods, native fungi, plants, millets and wild honey for countless generations. But that is changing (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters) The recipe for malnourishment is quite evident in her words. “We usually consume rice thrice a day with tomato chutney and kantari chillies. Vegetables and greens are mostly missing from our diet. With the intensity of monsoon rains increasing in the last few years, sourcing crab and fish has become difficult. Thala pazham, athi pazham, koppa pazham, wild bananas, mushrooms and tubers are not common in the forest these days due to climate change.”At the same time, cultivation on forest fringes has increased human-animal conflict. Elephants devour their favourite millets, whereas a reduced herbivorous population in the wild makes predators turn to livestock.Subramaniam lists what has been lost over the years. “Choori, nellikka, kalli, njaval pazham, kotta pazham, bamboo shoots have all disappeared. Even sourcing bamboo rice is difficult. Ragi, samai, vegetables, tubers like air potatoes, varieties of yam, colocasia, muthira, sesame, mustard and bananas used to be cultivated in the forest, but not anymore.”A ban on hunting of deer, porcupines and boar under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, also cut meat out of the system. “We used to have 25 cattle at home, so milk, buttermilk and curd were readily available. Forget cattle, now even good things found around us are not appreciated by the young and old alike. Ragi and samai find no takers due to their nutty taste. Many turn their eyes away from jackfruit too.”Medicinal greens for treating fever, menstrual issues, skin diseases and wounds have also vanished. “It is less of forests and more of people. When people were fewer, produce was available in large quantities. At present, only challenges are innumerable,” says Janaki.Wild tubers like these have declined considerably in the Nilgiris due to erratic flowering and growth patterns caused by climate change (Photo - Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101Reporters)Back to rootsThe challenges in getting life on track are quite evident in the way Kattunayakar population in the district has come down. Subramaniam says in his over 30 years of social service, he has come across several cases of vanishing Kattunayakar forest settlements. Income was affected when forests near Mudumalai National Park became protected and the small plantations and estates within the sanctuary where tribals found work were either sold off or relocated.  Keystone Foundation, which has been reviving traditional crops in the last three decades and helping tribal labourers return to their roots to revive their fallow lands, promotes the cultivation of ragi, thinai and samai, besides multi-cropping.“We promoted group farming of nutritious greens and medicinal plants. We gave them seeds, bought back their produce and even helped them set up a farmer-producer collective. We also ensured the setting up of seed banks for native produce. Continuous downpour and rampaging elephants pose challenges, but tribals have revived farming and are also collecting non-timber produce like honey,” Keystone Foundation’s founder-director and The Nilgiris Foundation (TNF) co-founder Pratim Roy told 101Reporters.Organised recently by the TNF, the first edition of the Nilgiris Wild Food Festival is part of a larger plan to engage the community in promoting sustainable diets. But despite gaining forest rights, many tribals see forest farming only as a supplementary job in view of climate change. Asked if it is possible to return to their old habitats and traditional dietary practices, Subramaniam remarks, “It is impossible. The rich and abundant forests are gone. We need to educate our children. That is the only way forward.”Cover Photo by Dr Lakshmi Unnithan, 101ReportersEdited by Rekha Pulinnoli