Connecting places and people

 

Girish Bharadwaj’s reliable, cost-effective Suspension Footbridges have assured a better life for remote villages in Karnataka and Kerala.

  

       Visit Dodderi, a tiny hamlet on the western slopes of Karnataka. People here have got a new pace in their activities. The newly constructed Suspension Footbridge (SFB) across river Payaswini has changed their prospects. The 115 meter-long SFB has rescued approximately 1500 people from the dangers of commuting in coracles everyday. Many more villages in parts of Karnataka and Kerala got opened up for opportunities in the last seventeen years.

 

Several villages in this region are cut-off from the mainland by rivers or streams. Constructing concrete stable bridges cost high and go out of their reach. Girish Bharadwaj’s reasonable and long-lasting SFBs became their obvious choice.   

 

 The beginning …

 Being an engineering graduate, Girish was interested in high-profile jobs. His father B.K. Bhat, a known engineer of his time, persuaded Girish to employ his expertise in the village and set up a mechanical shop in Sullia.

 

 The turn came when a range forest officer from Kushalnagar approached him in 1989. He requested Girish to construct SFB at Cauvery Sanctuary. It was a surprise for Girish. Being a mechanical engineer he never learnt construction of bridges. Girish had seen a rope bridge at his friend Urimajalu Sridhara Bhat’s farm. He built its stable version called Suspension Footbridge at the sanctuary, which remains a major tourist attraction even now.

 

Girish was not satisfied. ‘I came back and started researching’, he says, ‘I collected related books and studied such bridges elsewhere in the world. Took guidance from senior professors. My friend D.M. Sumitra, who had seen similar bridges in other countries, also gave inputs. Finally I could come out with a design.”

 

Suspended Bridge

 

From trial to perfection

  

 

 His next assignment was to link his native village, Arambur to the city.  Everyone was confident on him and made him start the construction work. Public participation was overwhelming. For a change, they didn’t wait for government aid, pooled money themselves and did voluntary work. Pylons used for the bridge were shatterproof concrete and the suspension cable was multi-strand steel rope. Suspenders were also made of steel. Wooden planks were used as decks. In three months first ‘Designed Suspension Footbridge’ was constructed in Arambur.

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 Arambur SFB attracted media and public attention. It was a wonder bridge. Since then, there was no looking back for Girish Bharadwaj and his team at Ayasshilpa (meaning Sculptures in Steel in Sanskrit). Ayasshilpa also deals with general fabrication and has provided job opportunities for around 35 people in Sullia.

 

 Goodbye to years of struggle

 Chandravathi R. Naik’s words explain the importance of SFB in an island like Balavantadka in Kasaragod, Kerala. She says, “SFB has come as a gift to us.  During monsoon it was risky to cross the river in a coracle. We got isolated from the outer world. We had to walk seven kilometers to get a proper boat. We used to park vehicles on the other side of the river. We had no other way but to admit our children to residential schools. Imagine those who can’t afford spending that much money!”

 

 

She continues, “Even in other seasons crossing the river slowed down daily commuters who go to a job, to school or those who are ill. Construction of SFB six years ago has solved most of our problems. We are thankful to Girish sir for his vision and involvement in the work. Unlike any other engineer, he used to stay and work with the employees at the construction site. We still remember and visit him during Dasara on Ayudha Pooja day.”

 

Connecting places and people

 Girish stresses on people’s participation while constructing a SFB. This is evident as most of the SFBs are proposed by local bodies like Gram Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat. Four are completely participatory. His dedication has taken him to a new height of excelling in an academically alien task. He knows the value of the bridges he builds in connecting two sides of the social order. Motto of Ayasshilpa, ‘We bridge the gaps between places, people and hearts’, very well explains this.

  

Girish decides the design and mode of work after inspecting the sight and then estimates the cost. All the bridges he has constructed serve people in good condition. Of course annual maintenance like painting the steel ropes is needed to extend its durability.  

 

connecting people

Practical thinking has given him an edge over others.  This was proved when he attended a workshop organised by INSTRUCT, an institute for training of construction trade and management in Bangalore. When Bharadwaj presented his paper delegates from Bhutan who were listening got stunned. In Bhutan, engineers used to get the components in Kolkata get fabrication done there only. Then they would complete the construction work near the spot and then erect it. The method was laborious and required more time. When they learnt Girish’s realistic and comparatively easier method they studied few bridges and went back satisfied.

 

 

Care for nature

 

Wherever possible, SFBs are slung between sturdy trees which are cost effective and save the tree. He has also replaced wooden planks used for flooring with eco-friendly ferro-cement decks. Most of the bridges he constructed are non-vehicular, but few like the one in Balavantadka allow two wheelers to pass by. Girish has constructed 59 SFBs so far, 35 in Karnataka, 23 in Kerala and one in Andhra Pradesh. Beautifully designed SFBs allure tourists in many places. à

 

The 220 meter-long SFB constructed across River Ghataprabha in Hukkeri near Belgaum is the longest bridge Girish has constructed till now. He remembers people, including elderly women walking endlessly over the bridge to comprehend their dream when the bridge was over. In all these cases his social commitment subdued financial benefits. If he finds the situation is worth, he spends money to go there and estimate the required cost. While constructing the bridge in Arambur, he contributed construction equipment and labour.

 

Dr. Prabhakara Shishila, president of Rotary Club in Sullia taluk who spearheaded the construction activities of Dodderi SFB says, “It was the question of livelihood for 2,500 people who lived in Dodderi and neighbouring hamlets of Ajjavara village. As the city is just 2.5 kilometers away from the village, most of them worked there. Around 500 children cross the river everyday to reach school. Jam-packed coracles were a common sight. The situation was worst during heavy rains. Otherwise they had to take longer route and commute eight kilometers to reach the city. This 115 meter long bridge cost 50 lakhs. I forget the struggle to pool money, when I see children enjoying crossing the river over the bridge. It has opened up new opportunities to people there.”

 

The other side 

 

Excelling in an unknown subject and applying the knowledge for the rural good was not a cakewalk for Girish and his team. They risk their lives every time when they link places and connect hearts. In some occasions, people show interest initially. When estimation gets ready, they just disappear. He feels that lack of determination damages the much needed action. Once he had to stop the work in the middle and pack up for nearly six months, till the amount was released.

 

Sometimes files get struck in the departments. Having worked with government set up many times, he feels that the procedures should be made easier to support such decentralised acts. As he says, even monetarily, it is give and take business. But nothing could beat his urge to work for common good.

 

Contact: Girish Bharadwaj, Ayasshilpa, Gandhinagar, Sullia – 574 239. Phone: 08257-230475, 230545; Cell: 9448123475

 

 

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  Anitha Pailoor

Email: anithapailoor@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

The joy of learning!

 

 

Anita Pailoor

 

 

Balabalaga, a non-formal school in Dharwad has made learning enjoyable for children. It is changing the popular notion that children walk to school and run back home.

  

 

Gopal Joshi is a professor in an engineering college in Hubli. He can very well afford owning a four wheeler. But it was his fourteen-year old daughter who stopped him from buying one. Yashasvini was very clear. When it is not a primary need for us, why should we add to the increasing pollution? The proud father continues commuting in his scooter!

 

This distinct thinking, unlikely to her age is the result of the education she gets in Balabalaga, a non-formal school in Dharwad. Balabalaga meaning childrens’ group in Kannada, wants to change the popular notion that children walk to school and run back home.

 

A walk inside the compound makes one feel the school’s vibrancy. Some of them would be writing day’s news on the notice board, few others choosing the thought for the day or cleaning the school yard. Those who don’t have any assigned work would either be climbing the tree or searching for the nest of a bird they saw the previous day. There are these little sports men and women who jump, run and play foot ball making noise all over. A kindergarten kid silently paints his imagination on the wall. But no one is disturbed by the other. They are occupied and focused in what they are doing.

 

When the clock shows 9.30 a.m. there is a silence all over. Children climb one by one to the platform and sit in a circle to start their day at school. Teachers find place here and there among the children and then begin melodious singing. Children sing several songs, which they understand and enjoy. So the array includes kindergarten songs and also Dr. Da. Ra. Bendre’s meaningful poems.

 

The beginning

 

The school started twelve years back with just four children. The idea was to make children enjoy learning. Education here helps students to understand their strengths, preferences and values of life. Every child is treated individually as per her/his needs and demands. They are also taught to work in groups. Every child is different, so there is no dress code to bind them.

 

Students from nursery class to tenth standard learn as they play. May it be music, dance, classical instrument, theatre, painting, sports, story telling, pot making, reading or science every interest of the children is observed to groom them accordingly. They are guided to excel in their interest, at the same time they top in their curriculum. Meet Bharath. He studies in ninth standard. He had a passion for birds and environment. He participated in the one week nature camp held during summer holidays since last four years. Children of all age-group from four years to fifteen years learn rope climbing, rappelling during this camp. Nature appreciation, bird watching and trekking are some other features of this camp. Now after four years, Bharath is acquiring the skill to recognize more than twenty five birds based on their appearance, tweet and nest. He is thankful to environmentalist Gangadhar Kallur for guiding him and his friends to explore nature.

 

A common place for parents

 

Like Gangadhar Kallur, persons with different expertise support the school by imparting their knowledge. “It is a collective effort. We are fortunate to have the support of convinced parents, teachers and well-wishers through our way to achieve the goal of creating a favourable environment for children to learn on their own. We make it a point to give the best of everything to our children,” says Dr. Sanjeev Kulakarni, Chairman of ‘Srujanasheela Shikshana Trust’ which floated the school. Obviously it is his magnetism and scrupulous effort that has brought the school all the way to this point of carving a niche in the city of educational institutions.

 

Unlike other schools, Balabalaga encourages parents to get involved in school activities throughout the year. “A walk to Balabalaga in the evening turns our mood perfect,” says  Sunanda Bhat, a parent. Every other day there will be one or the other programme in the school’s amphi-theatre under the huge trees. Programmes range from classical music to Yakshagana and awareness on black-magic. Children’s participation is voluntary.

 

Parents have formed an association to work closely with the school, may it be organizing a programme or supporting a cause. School organises ‘Parents Day’ when children watch their parents performing on stage.  Some of the major programmes in the school include holi festival using natural colours, science exhibition and colour festival where children enhance the beauty of school walls with their drawings. Children independently make science models which parents and teachers support and exhibit on the day of exhibition. Rare experiments exhibited – like the working of a rocket, plant in a closed bottle – show the kind of creativity nurtured in them.

 

The kind of education the children here get prepares them to live in tune with nature and be a responsible citizen. Brightness of their eyes reflects their confidence and enthusiasm. Parents are very much convinced about the quality learning they get in this school. The school fixes the teaching fees but not donation. Parents can voluntarily donate according to their ability to the school’s bank account.  

 

No Teachers, only mamas and moushis

 

“We have had only five drawing classes in the last three months. We wanted more,” Naidile who studies in Tavare (Upper KG) complained to her teacher. Every child had something or the other to say when they were allowed to share their experiences. Parents who had gathered there to get children’s progress report were astonished to see their nerve. The school environment has created the finest loop between students and teachers.

 

They are called mama (uncle) and moushi (aunty) not sir or madam. This has made the magic. Students never feel that teachers are someone to be scared of. The entire school is like a family where everyone learn by experience and observation. The annual day is called Makkala Habba. Every child is made to participate in this festival as per their interest and skill.

 

“We make sure that children understand the basics of any subject before they proceed in the topic. Most of the concepts are taught practically. Teachers are well trained and have successfully inculcated the hunger for complete learning than just by-hearting. Their inquisitive nature is exhibited even outside the school,” says the proud Head Mistress Prathibha Kulakarni.

 

Every class is named after a flower or a river- Mallige, Sampige, Tavare, Narmada… the list continues. Teachers say that this helps them to relate their lifestyle with nature and its diversity. Children’s diet is also taken care of along with their intellect. They are restricted from bringing junk food and bakery products in their lunchbox. Birthdays are celebrated by distributing fruits or home made sweets. Gauri Ritti, a teacher explains, “We see that diversity is maintained in the lunch box. They are also encouraged to bring sprouted pulses and fruits along with cooked food.” Children sport khadi dresses every Saturday, which naturally teaches the values of simplicity and cleanliness.

 

Soon children of Balabalaga will have more space to have fun and explore. The school will be shifted to a new premise adjacent to Karnataka University. The three and a half acre location is developed in synchronisation with nature. Children say ‘In the school, everyday is exciting for us. We enjoy learning!’

 

For more details:

Balabalaga, Deshpande Compound, Mahishi Road, Malamaddi, Dharwad -7

Phone: 9448143100

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Anitha Pailoor, 119, 1^st main, 4^th cross, Narayanapur, Dharwad – 580 008

Email: anithapailoor@gmail.com ~   Cell: 9900517749

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native varieties take back the show

- Anitha Pailoor

 

 

High-yielding varieties and chemical farming have lost their universal acceptability in Kolar. Community seed banks have given new options for them. Advantages of achieving food security and livelihood opportunities through natural resource management have facilitated farmers to go for low-input, non-chemical farming. Women leaders like Mangamma who are equipped with knowledge are the heart of entire seed-movement in the district.

 

 

“These are my air tickets to Thailand and Malaysia. Look at these photographs taken at the conference. That was a thrilling experience for me away from the routine chore of preparing ragi mudde (finger millet ball) to share my experiences on use of indigenous seeds in agriculture, organic farming, livelihoods of women in my area, their empowerment and what not. I was excited,” As Mangamma carefully keeps her valuable records back in her old iron trunk her eyes twinkle. This trunk seems to be her close companion. It takes few minutes to Mangamma, a farmer in D. Madenahalli in Kolar district to passionately rewind those memorable events to make her presence felt at the present Janapada Jatre (Folklore Fair) in Kolar city.

 

Soon Krishnappa, a teacher walked into display of indigenous seeds with a bit of surprise and happiness, “This stall seems interesting. It reminds me the forgotten roots of biodiversity.” The stall looked unique with native seeds, traditional farm implements and household items that depicted the culture of the region.  It was part of an exhibition arranged at the Janapada Jatre organised by the district administration.

 

As many didn’t bother to enter this stall placed just opposite the stage, few who peeped in with curiosity spent enough time either to recall their childhood memories of diverse crops or to enjoy the brilliant show of colourful seeds in beautifully designed mud pots.

 

There were also people who wanted to take home native seeds. A couple from Mysore requested for bairnellu a local paddy variety. Mangamma, who was in charge of the stall, was happy. “I can give you up to half a kg. You have to register your name and address in the book. Next year after harvest we expect you to give us double the quantity that is one Kg. This would add one more person to our team of seed conservers” She explained the way her community seed bank works and the ideology behind it. But this is not final, if the person has real interest and is from a distant place, they sell it wishing that the farmer would spread it there.

 

Mangamma, a farmer and native seed conserver is attending fifth Janapada Jatre in Kolar district in the last five months. Her team doesn’t give up a chance to participate in any such fairs or programmes. Their objective is clear – to pass on the lessons of self-sufficiency through conserving seeds and proper management of available natural resources. This also gives them an opportunity to market their produces and value-added products.

 

 

Changing tones

 

A board member of Grameena Mahila Okkuta (Rural Women’s Federation) in Mulbagal Taluk, Mangamma represents its band of vibrant women leaders. Mahila Okkuta is the sister organisation of Grama Vikas, a non-governmental organisation which has been doing integrated rural development activities in Kolar district since last 25 years. Its thrust towards women’s empowerment has transformed the lives of thousands of women in 145 villages in the district. These newly formed women leaders have their own federation with 8,000 members.

 

Back to Janapada Jatre. As an elected representative pleaded farmers to switch to organic farming in his speech, Mangamma comments with a sigh, “We have been practicing organic farming since past eight years. Give exclusive market to our produces.” When she says, she symbolises organic farmers in six villages of Mulbagal Taluk where community seed banks exist and villages that are affiliated to them.

 

Transformation from chemical to organic farming was not easy. Eight years back, Mangamma’s twenty-acre land could not provide a sustainable livelihood for her family. “Loss in agriculture was either attributed to varying rainfall or poor quality fertilisers. Depletion in water level has limited our agricultural activities. A drought would take many out of the village to earn a living in the city. Agriculture depended on one’s capacity to manage loans. As the external input increased, production cost exceeded the yield most of the times,” she said. 

 

Seeds of change

 

High-yielding varieties introduced in the district in the early seventies had predominantly replaced traditional varieties. The race for greater production left behind all nature-friendly practices connected with farming. Chemical fertlisers became a must in new method of farming. Pest vulnerability of the new seeds brought pesticides and insecticides. In the late seventies farmers here opted for horticulture and sericulture. Being the agriculture hinterland of Bangalore, Kolar also started supplying vegetables to the ever growing capital city of Karnataka.

 

Everything was fine till water sources started drying up. Kolar doesn’t have any perennial rivers and the average rainfall is 760 mm. Tanks and ponds form major water sources. New varieties required more water and could not cope with unpredictable monsoon. Farmers resorted to bore wells as new means of irrigation.  In a period of 25 years, more than 50, 000 bore wells extracted ground water in the district. The water level that was 30 ft has shot down remarkably in the last three decades. Bore wells dug 800 ft depth have also failed to give water.

 

More than half of the tanks lost their water holding capacity due to silting. Easily available chemical fertilisers had reduced farmers’ interest in fertile tank silt. Desilting was not a priority. A water deficient district could no more afford commercial hybrids. But people were not ready to blame these magic seeds. If there is drought they would migrate to the city and earn their living. The land would be left fallow. Debts grew taller than life-size.

 

 

Understanding the situation, Grameena Mahila Okkuta sent a team of its members for a natural resource management workshop. Mangamma was one of them. She along with her group traveled widely to understand the various practices to utilise natural resources available in the vicinity. This included rainwater harvesting, soil and water conservation, vermicomposting and green manure. These women were inspired by the self-sufficiency achieved by nature-friendly agriculture in different parts of the state.

 

“Commercial hybrid seeds had curbed our right to select and store seeds. Men had to choose a seed variety from the market followed by other inputs. We did weeding and harvesting. But after we set up seed banks, we have been regaining the seeds we had lost in the name of high productivity which was not sustainable,” says Mangamma.

 

Community seed banks were introduced in four villages in Mulbagal Taluk under Community Seed Bank Network project by Gram Vikas in collaboration with Green Foundation, a non profit organisation, which has pioneered save seed movement in Karnataka. Community seed banks run by women’s collectives in the area, along with preserving indigenous seeds introduce agriculture related income generating activities like vermicomposting to the farmers.

 

Gram Vikas and Green staff started their search for indigenous seeds in 25 villages in 2002. After several meetings they collected considerable seed varieties. Astonishingly they also came across women farmers who were still using native seeds and thus conserving them on field. One such woman was Papamma in D. Kurubarahalli who had 15 varieties of grains, pulses and vegetables in her store. Such farmers boosted the entire movement in the area.

 

People’s participation

 

The movement became popular when Mangamma and 20 other women went house to house on a jatha (procession) and requested households to lend the local varieties they had. “Even if they didn’t have, they developed an interest about native seeds. This helped us to take the concept to each house.”   

 

Initially seed banks were set up in Yerajenahalli, D.Kurubarahalli, Yedahalli, and Shettikal. After two years D. Madenahalli and Nagamangala joined them. As part of the project these seed conservers started participating in seed fairs, seed exchange programmes and visited seed banks in other parts of the state. Consequently their seed store expanded and new nature friendly farming practices were introduced.

 

Mangamma says, “After collecting seeds from different sources we had to conserve them. This pushed us to have kitchen gardens.” Around 350 farmers are accessing the seed banks every year. Gram Vikas records show that the number of native ragi varieties in Shettikal has increased from two in 2000 to nine in 2004.

 

Panchayat seed bank

 

Changalarayappa, former President of Devarayasamudra Gram Panchayat went a step ahead to set up a seed bank in the panchayat office with the help of Gram Vikas. He says, “It gave a different look to the Panchayat. As many visit panchayat office everyday for one reason or the other, the concept stretched its canvas.” It went on well till he was in power. When his term was over, the seed bank vanished. M.V.N. Rao, Executive Director of Grama Vikas feels that, women members should have been given training to manage the seed bank to take it forward. He feels that since women’s lives are interwoven with seeds, they can handle the responsibility properly. Gram Vikas is also planning to set up community seed banks in schools to sensitise children about indigenous seeds and farming methods.

 

When it comes to hybrid varieties, Changalarayappa has a clear observation, “Though native bairnellu paddy is the best variety from all aspects,  high-yielding varieties like IR 64, Jaya and Rasi have dominated daily food by their appearance. Now people grow bairnellu to sell in the market. It fetches them Rs.100 to Rs.150 more than improved varieties per quintal. Even if bairnellu yields slightly less, the cost of production is also less.” When it comes to milling also, only 20% gets wasted as husk, but with high-yielding varieties it is 35% loss. Bairnellu is a guarantee crop as it survives fluctuating rainfall. Even if rains fail, it yields at least 50% of the expected. But high-yielding varieties cannot grow in such condition.

 

As Changalarayappa’s has observed, even if the native varieties are reintroduced, the concept behind it has not touched everyone. A literate farmer Ramamurty in D. Kurubarahalli confirms this saying, “We can refrain from putting fertilisers and spraying pesticides only if we are not bothered about the yield. Water is a problem but we have to struggle for that.” Being a person who buys paddy in the village to sell in the market, he says that bairnellu accounts to only 10 percent of the total production. Considering the difficulties involved in any transformation, 10 percent is a good number.

 

Women lead the way

 

In places where women run the family, organic farming has entered the fields along with native seeds easily. They have seen it as a livelihood opportunity.  This has changed their lifestyle. With the declining input cost and predictable yield, loans have become tolerable. Surplus vegetables and seeds from the kitchen garden provide a supplementary income to the family. Activities like vermicomposting have made women like Parvathamma financially stronger.

 

All these developments have enhanced the position of women in the family and society. Mangamma says, “Now ask anyone in the village, they would know me. But it is not so with my husband. From my father-in-law, the entire responsibility has been transferred to my shoulders. Women’s movement made us. Along with managing the farm we also manage our lives, solve problems in the village and know how to access allotted allowances.”

  

 

Mangamma has two bore wells in her 20-acre farm. Now in ten acres she grows paddy, ragi, maize, same, cowpea, avare, green gram, horse gram, togari and the like. She intercrops ragi with avare, togari and other pulses in three acres. All are sown together. While ragi ripes in three to four months, the pulses take seven months time. In case ragi fails due to lack of rains, pulses resist drought and deliver some return. This is an age-old practice that has come back. In the rest she grows around 20 varieties of vegetables like tomato, brinjal, chilli, onion, leafs, gourd and lady finger. Mangamma has half a gunta for kitchen garden near the house.

 

Her friend Papamma says, “Kitchen garden enhances the dietary variety and also provides nutritional food throughout the year. Many dishes that had disappeared with native varieties are returning. This has enhanced our health. Bairnellu or red rice is considered most nutritious and that is evident when we seed our healthy elders. We also grow medicinal and flowering plants in the garden. This has also become an income generating activity for many of us. We sell flowers, vermicompost and earn our savings.” She uses neem cake, green manure, vermicompost and other organic manures for her crops. In case of pests or any disease, bio controllers and bio pesticides are used. 

  

CSBN project ended in 2005. Now even after two years, the seed banks function with the same enthusiasm. Ever-growing collection of seeds and the concern of women like Mangamma and Papamma to conserve and popularise it have sustained the concept in these villages. The organisational back up behind them is an added advantage. But the challenge of finding a proper market for organic produces remains.  

 

(This feature is written as part of NFI Media Fellowship.) 

 

Anitha Pailoor, Krishnalaya, 1^st main, 4^th cross, Narayanapura, Dharwad – 580 008, Karnataka    

Email: anithapailoor  @gmail.com Phone: 0836-2748277

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seeds for survival

- Anitha Pailoor

Another sowing season is approaching. Farmers are worried about the required seed, its quality, productivity and tolerance to varying weather condition. Agriculture departments are getting ready for another chaos with limited varieties of improved and hybrid seeds and inadequate stock. But there are farmers who are least bothered. They are planning for multiple crops in their farms. Achieving seed sovereignty has helped them to be self-reliant and sustain through various problems.
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“Seventy five percent of the seeds I buy at the Agriculture Department yield well. Still I have not been able to be debt-free,” Mahadev, a farmer in Madanabhavi in Dharwad Taluk pauses for a while. He knows where the calculation has gone wrong. As the yield of these improved varieties increased, the production cost has blown out of proportion. Use of fertilisers and pesticides are increasing every year which eats up major part of the yield. They have to live in debt. Still he cannot think of stepping back by using local varieties.

Mahadev grows paddy, peanut, pulses, maize and Soyabean in his 12-acre farm. He purchases all variety seeds from the department except peanut. But month of May is a nightmare for him. As he waits anxiously for monsoon, his would be thinking of agriculture department crowded with farmers rushing to get the seeds of their choice. The chances are always fifty fifty.

As the month of May approaches, even agriculture departments get ready for another chaos with limited varieties of improved and hybrid seeds and limited stock. Seed distribution has become tedious owing to many reasons. According to agriculture officer Raghavendra Bammigatti, “Farmers buy seeds only after the initial rains. Depending on the rainfall they decide the crop. We also have staff shortage. When hundreds of farmers approach together, four to five officers at the outlet don’t even get time to crosscheck their eligibility to avail subsidised seeds. We are supposed to give preference to farmers with less than five acres land.” Many times the department’s estimation goes wrong in procuring seeds varieties. Farmers don’t get the variety they ask for. Eventually they can’t grow the crop of their desire and the one that suits their environment.

Subsidised farming

Mahadev says, “Even if agriculture is subsidised we are not reaping any profit. We get seeds and fertilisers at financially supported by the government. In some cases, bus charge and one day’s wage, when added, crosses the price of the seed,” Farmers depend on agriculture department and seed outlets of Karnataka State Seed Corporation for seeds.

Conserving seeds is no more a prime activity in agriculture. Mahesh Hiremath, another farmer in the same village says, “After government channels and private companies started distributing/selling seeds the tradition of storing seeds has vanished in our village. The key role of women in agriculture has disappeared. Even fertilisers and pesticides are bought from outside. Use of more chemicals degraded the soil. New varieties were water intensive. This has resulted in continuous drilling of bore wells, which eventually dries up the ground water. These developments have lowered our attachment with agriculture.”

R.B. Hiremath, agriculture officer in the office of the Joint Director of Agriculture, Dharwad gives an instance, “To avoid havoc, in 2005 the government gave directive to the department to take requisition from the farmers by paying a token fee of Rs. 10. We thought this would help to mobilise seeds in advance. But our plans went upside down. After rainfall, they changed their mind, and demanded for some other variety. They didn’t mind loosing Rs. 10 when compared to the crop. All this increased tension during distribution.”

From hybrid to native

But farmers like Mookappa Pujar, Gangamma, Shrenikaraju, Mangamma and Papamma do not wait anxiously for the government’s seed supply. They have shifted from hybrid to native seeds. Seeds which they can conserve and use. Seeds that have a reversible equation with the local climate. They have their own seed collectives in their villages.

Sixty-year old Mookappa Pujar explains the beginning of their transformation, “Karimunduga changed the pace of agriculture in our village. This drought resistant paddy prompted us take many other local seeds out of dusted sacks.” In 2002, Mookappa Poojar broadcast one kilo Karimunduga in 5-gunte (1/8th of an acre) of his 2-acre land and grew improved variety IR 64 in 15 guntes. Monsoon failed that year. IR-64 didn’t even sprout. Karimunduga did its best yielding 20 Kgs. After twenty five years of dependency on improved variety seeds, Pujar turned towards indigenous seeds. Farmers who had his bent of mind joined him, while few others observed curiously.

When the entire district of Haveri was busy in hybrid seed production through artificial pollination, this village in Byadagi Taluk started searching for Byadagi chilli, a unique variety of the region. Gangamma, a seed conserver in the village says, “Though certain varieties are marketed in the name of Byadagi, taste and colour differ. We have also lost many original varieties with the entry of hybrid seeds and improved varieties. Now we realise that they are not as sturdy and healthy as local varieties. For us hybrid varieties mean loss of money, health, biodiversity and freedom at the cost of high yield.” She recalls that mixed cropping at the farm met the food requirement of a family before they opted for mono cropping with high yielding varieties.

Hybrid varieties – For whose benefit?

Short period, high yielding varieties stimulated farmers to dream of elevated income. Their dream has not come true says Dr. Prakash, Assistant Director of Agriculture. “There is no improvement in the lifestyle of farmers. In fact the suicide rate has increased. If a technology or research aims at assisting a farmer why should he resort to death? We have not heard of farmer deaths due to crop failure or debt in the sixties.” He points that with the introduction of new varieties farmers have lost control over their seeds. Even if they are the ones who produce commercial seeds for the companies, they don’t own the seeds. Agriculture is no more dependent on farmer’s wisdom and understanding of the local natural resources. It is driven by set formula and proportions of NPK.

Shrenikaraju a farmer in Chinnikatte has the same experience. “Whether we need or not we are encouraged to use fertilisers and pesticides. Since last one decade I am growing IR 64, an improved variety without chemical fertilisers and pesticides. We use organic manure. The yield has not come down. By participating in seed conservation movement, we have learnt to manage native seeds and maintain varietal purity.” Women farmers are on par with scientific community when it comes to select and conserve seeds and maintain varietal purity.

Towards seed sovereignty

Farmers in Chinnikatte were early enough to realise the lack of sustainability in chemical farming with hybrid seeds. Green Foundation an NGO based in Bangalore helped them through out the process. Community Seed Bank Network (CSBN) Project which was also implemented in Chinnikatte for three years helped sustain the indigenous seed conservation activities. Minchu Community Seed Bank was formed under the project. Along with local varieties there are also farmer-friendly varieties from other places which suit to the agro-climatic conditions of the region. Under the CSBN project as many as 34 community seed banks are formed in 14 districts in Karnataka with the help of voluntary organisations and farmers’ collectives. Even after the project (2002 – 2005) was over, farmer groups in the villages are taking these seed banks forward.

A woman seed conserver takes responsibility of distribution and procurement in a seed bank. A bank caters to four or five neighbouring villages. Still there is no boundary for exchanging seeds. Anyone who requires has to register her name. Next year after harvest, she has to restore double the quantity of seeds. If the farmer is from a distant place, she can buy it. Seed fairs and seed exchange programmes organised as an extension of the seed banks, helps farmers to get richer by procuring few more native seeds. Here they can obtain the seeds of their choice!

Women select the seeds depending on its keeping quality, resistance to drought, pest and diseases, taste, nutrition value, yield and fodder. Mangamma, a farmer in D. Madenahalli, Kolar has a different theory, “When we consider yield we should look at the production cost. We can never dream of mixed cropping with hybrid varieties. We use locally adapted varieties to manage the risk of crop failure. Intercropping provides the balance in food consumption while agro forestry takes care of the needs of fodder and fuel.”
Mookappa Pujar still remembers Dodda Bhatta, a sorghum variety which was popular three decades ago in Chinnikatte. The entire village is now searching for this variety which is considered to be very nutritious. Cropping pattern has changed in his 2-acre farm with the new trend. When he used to grow IR 64 and cotton with maize he had to bring all the kitchen needs from the market. Fluctuation in the market price was common. When there was a bumper crop, suddenly the rate would come down and the situation would be disastrous.

Subsistence farming

Now grains, millets, pulses and vegetables grown in his field meet the needs of kitchen and fodder, fuel. Ragi (finger millet) has replaced rice as staple diet, while gouri jola (jowar variety) is grown for fodder. Cowdung manure and vermicompost have replaced chemical fertilizers, bio controllers are used to repel pests and insects. Mookappa Pujar has observed that diseases have reduced after he left chemical farming. More than anything else, these varieties are not water intensive.

Farmers in these villages no more sit in the dry farm facing the sky. They are equipped with various crops each with a unique quality. Yield of paddy varieties like salem sanna, thooya malli, jeerige sanna match with that of high yield varieties. Piccha kaddi ragi, and bairnellu paddy are drought resistant. Nereguli is deepwater paddy. Toke paddy seen mostly in coastal is salt tolerant. Finger millet grown in Nettiragi method yields 18 to 20 quinatls which is much more than the yield of improved variety. Dodda ragi and Honnekathu paddy are pest resistant. Halluballu paddy is rat resistant, mullu sajje, a pearl millet variety protects the field from birds. All these varieties sustain even in extreme conditions. Contradictory to this, KRH2 a high yielding variety will yield twice the normal yield under good rainfall. Otherwise, it will be a total failure.

Papamma, a dynamic farmer in Kolar has thoughtfully chosen her crops. Her cultivation process is a perfect example for subsistence farming. She grows pulses with ragi under rainfed farming. Ragi comes to harvest in three months while pulses will not be ready till the seventh month. If there is a scarcity of rainfall, then she is sure that pulses which can survive with the help of autumn dews will bring some returns. She has a beautiful kitchen garden which supplies vegetables to her kitchen throughout the year. Jasmine plants in the farm take care of her savings. She always makes sure that she grows everything she needs in her farm and then concentrates on the market. According to her proper management of natural resources is an extension of growing native varieties.

Daring drought

There are little-millets like navane, saave, sajje, aarka each with high nutrition value and can survive without rain for months. Their quick growing nature with available rainfall is an advantage. Husking these millets is very laborious and there are no separate mills allotted for has dominated the meal plates. At this outset, Shrenikaraju’s observation brings some hope, “The price of ragi has shot up from Rs. 300 per quintal to Rs. 650 per quintal. Saave is supposed to be the best diet for diabetic persons. This millet which was priced Rs. 400 per quintal two years back, now sells at Rs. 1500.” He feels that farmers should come out of fictitious hybrid seed network, to look at the growing opportunities in eco-friendly farming.

Individuals like B.K. Devarao who has more than 50 varieties of native paddy with him and Papamma whose farm is model for subsistence farming are strengthening the seed conservation movement in Karnataka. Voluntary organizations and women’s collectives have

joined hands to achieve seed sovereignty. Complementary to these efforts Karnataka Government has introduced Seed Village concept in its Organic Farming Policy. Under this the government wishes to support one village in one hobali (cluster of five to six villages) to accomplish self-reliance in seed production. Thoughtful planning and practical implementation would reduce the external dependency of farmers.

(This feature is written as part of NFI Media Fellowship.)

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Contacts:

- Shrenikaraju
Minchu Akshyaya Krishikara Balaga
Post: Chinnikatte – 581106
Byadagi Taluk
Haveri District
Phone: 08375 290994

- Papamma Papulappa
Grama Vikas
Honnsetthahalli
Post: Yalagondahalli 563 127
Mulbagal Taluk
Kolar District

Photos by : Anitha Pailoor

Anitha Pailoor, Krishnalaya, 1st main, 4th cross, Narayanapura, Dharwad – 580 008
Phone: 0836 – 2748277 Email: anithapailoor@gmail.com