Thursday, April 21, 2011


Meeting at Bakhtgarh
In the first week of March, a group meeting including men and women happened at Bakhtgarh. The meeting started off with the differences in chemical and traditional farming systems, Traditional farming included the rich and healthy lifestyle of the villagers, the abundance of life forms in the fields, the participation of all members of the family in the agriculture, the means of pest control by farmers and the participation of women included in making the fodder available to the livestock, cutting and plucking the grains and vegetables during the harvest season and seed storage and the methods of seed storage in the homes.

The past and current situation of agriculture and agriculture practices is same in both villages. Older men and women told that before green revolution no fertilizers or pesticides used in fields. Agriculture totally depended upon rainy water. That part of land on which wheat was used to grow left follow for one year. Farmers’ manure was used only for wheat land. So people normally grew those crops which not demanded so much water. Farmers practiced multiple cropping. They spent more and more time in their fields. But now situation is totally different. Farmers get irrigation facilities. In their words water is now in their control. They use fertilizers and pesticides more than suggested by PAU, Ludhiana. They hardly spend one to two hour in the field and it also leads to mono cropping. Multiple cropping needs more attention but mono cropping does not. That is why farmers prefer mono cropping pattern.

Asking about loss of diversity in fields, women revealed that men are not interested to spend more time in fields. If they grow multiple crops in fields they have to spend more time in the fields. But men replied that it is difficult because of labour and technical problems. If they grow
Black gram or mustard with wheat, they will not be able to use harvester.

It is worth mentioning here that the green revolution played havoc with the youth in the villages. The dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides rendered them idle who were earlier busy in manual and other creative ways of pest management and other activities associated with agriculture.


While talking about women role in agriculture, they told that women used to go to fields for cotton picking, wheat harvesting. They also did the job of seed saver. But now women lost their job in fields. Few of them never visit their field. They don’t know much about farming and related practices.

While discussing the about the traditional seeds the women were very clear that the crops cultivated using traditional seeds tasted good and that because of the traditional foods people did not fell sick and they did not have to go to the doctors at all.

The older women were grieved and upset at the deterioration of health and at the rate of which the young generation is falling sick. The older women were also very disturbed at the lack of physical labour among the younger generation and the lifestyle changes that have occurred in the last ten to fifteen years.  They told that they used to do a lot work at home as well as in the field but new generation can’t do that work. Telling the reason of this they told they don’t take good and healthy food. They eat kurkure, chips and drink coke and Pepsi. If they eat such things how they become healthy and do work like them. In their time, people eat food whiuch was healthy but now people care only about taste.

Many elders pointed out the absence of an attractive, multi cropped diversity filled, full of life fields. The magnetic attraction that attracted people to fields is missing. Not many children visit their family fields and they are cut off from the thought of pursuing agriculture and also their cultural heritage associated with farming, not just for the sale of the crop yields but a wealth of wisdom that has been carried of from since many generations is a far cry.

While talking changes in the lifestyle, they spelled out that before green revolution people were hard working. Every work was done by them. No machines used. Women used to sit in Trinjans where they did weaving, spinning, embroidery. But now even in a family women sit together. No love and harmony is there now. They wish that time come again.

The meeting was ended with the decision to meet again after the next week.


PRA at Bakhtgarh                                                      
On March 31, 2011 meeting were held at both villages for PRA. This PRA was done to know about their food sources, food diversity and their dependence on market for food.

Men and women of different age groups and different socio-economic backgrounds participated in the PRA exercise.


                                                   Food Calendar

An indicative calendar for month-wise availability of foods. Mention the different foods that are consumed from various sources.
                                                              
                                                                       Food from Field



Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Grains
Wheat, Rice
Wheat,  Rice
Wheat,  Rice
Wheat,  Rice
Wheat,  Rice
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Vegetables
Tinda
Beans, Bitterguard, Pumpkin, Bottle guard, Tinda
Beans, Bitterguard, Pumpkin, Bottle guard, Tinda
Beans, Bitterguard, Pumpkin, Bottle guard, Tinda
Beans, Bitterguard, Pumpkin, Bottle guard, Tinda
Beans, Bitterguard, Pumpkin, Bottle guard, Tinda
Beans, Bitterguard, Pumpkin, Bottle guard, Tinda
Spinach Sarso ka saag, Methe,
Corian-der,  
 Raddish
Spinach Sarso ka saag, Methe,
Corian-der,  
 Raddish
Spinach Sarso ka saag, Methe,
Corian-der,  
 Raddish
Spinach Sarso ka saag, Methe,
Corian-der,  
 Raddish
Spinach ,
Methe,
Corian-der,  
 Raddish
Uncultivated Food
Bathua
Bathua, 
Bathua ,
Chibbar
Bathua,  Chaulai, Chibbar
Bathua, Chaulai
Chibbar
Bathua, Chaulai
Chibbar
Bathua
Chibbar
Bathua
Chibbar
Bathua
Bathua
Bathua
Bathua
Pulses












Oil Seeds
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Mustard
Spices












Jaggey












Fruits
Guava
Ber

Guava,

Guava

Guava

Guava

Guava

Guava

Guava

Guava

Guava
Ber
Guava
Ber


                                                         

       




Food from Market


Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Grains
Gram flour

Gram flour

Gram flour

Gram flour

Gram flour

Gram flour

Gram flour

Gram flour

Flour(Corn, Bajra)
Gram flour

Flour (Corn, Bajra)

Gram flour

Flour   ( Corn, Bajra)

Gram flour

Flour   ( Corn, Bajra)

Gram flour

Flour (Corn, Bajra)

Vegetables
Tinda, Ginger, Potato, Brinjal, Lady Fingers, Cluster beans, White kidney beans, Black eyed beans, Bottle gourd, onion, Bitter Gourd, , Red pumpkin, , Kidney Beans Capsicum, Tomato, tori, cucumber
Cluster beans
Tinda,
Ginger, Potato, Brinjal, Lady Fingers, Cluster beans, White kidney beans, Black eyed beans, Bottle gourd, onion, Bitter Gourd, , Red pumpkin, , Kidney Beans Capsicum, Tomato, tori, cucumber
Cluster beans
Tinda,
Ginger, Potato, Brinjal, Lady Fingers, Cluster beans, White kidney beans, Black eyed beans, Bottle gourd, onion, Bitter Gourd, , Red pumpkin, , Kidney Beans Capsicum, Tomato, tori, cucumber
Cluster beans
Tinda,
Ginger, Potato, Brinjal, Lady Fingers, Cluster beans, White kidney beans, Black eyed beans, Bottle gourd, onion, Bitter Gourd, , Red pumpkin, , Kidney Beans Capsicum, Tomato, tori, cucumber
Cluster beans
Tinda,
Ginger, Potato, Brinjal, Lady Fingers, Cluster beans, White kidney beans, Black eyed beans, Bottle gourd, onion, Bitter Gourd, , Red pumpkin, , Kidney Beans Capsicum, Tomato, tori, cucumber
Cluster beans
Tinda,
Ginger, Potato, Brinjal, Lady Fingers, Cluster beans, White kidney beans, Black eyed beans, Bottle gourd, onion, Bitter Gourd, , Red pumpkin, , Kidney Beans Capsicum, Tomato, tori, cucumber
Cluster beans
Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower, Tomato, Ginger, onion, garlic, Cabbage, peas,radish, black  gram fresh
Spinach,
Sarso ka saag, Methe,

Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower, Tomato, Ginger, onion, garlic, Cabbage, peas,radish, black  gram fresh
Spinach,
Sarso ka saag, Methe,

Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower, Tomato, Ginger, onion, garlic, Cabbage, peas,radish, black  gram fresh
Spinach,
Sarso ka saag, Methe,

Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower, Tomato, Ginger, onion, garlic, Cabbage, peas,radish, black  gram fresh
Spinach,
Sarso ka saag, Methe,

Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower, Tomato, Ginger, onion, garlic, Cabbage, peas,radish, black  gram fresh
Spinach,
Sarso ka saag, Methe,

Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower, Tomato, Ginger, onion, garlic, Cabbage, peas,radish, black  gram fresh
Spinach,
Sarso ka saag, Methe,

Pulses
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Chick peas, Bengal gram,
Black gram (whole) Green gram (whole)
White split gram beans
Black Gram(whole) Green Gram(split), Red lentils split,
Oil/ Ghee
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Mustard oil. Refined oil
Spices
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder, jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder,
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Turmeric, Chilly, Msala Powder
jeera
Jaggery/ Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar
Sugar

Analysis of Food Calendar


Grains:-

Food calendar shows that people get very few things from the field. In the grains they get only wheat for the whole year. It also means that they don’t grow other grain for the home. They grow rice for the market and 10-20 kg they keep at home for the year because it is cooked occasionally not in the routine. There Agriculture is able to feed families for the whole year. They buy Corn flour and flour of pearl millet from the market during winter season. Many farmer families also buy rice from the market.


Vegetables: -
They get a little quantity of vegetables from the field like during summer season they get pumpkin, bottle guard, bitter guard, cluster beans, white kidney beans and bitter guard and in the winter season radish, Sarso ka saag, Spinach, Methe, Bathua and carrot. During the whole year they use to buy vegetables from the street wanders.

Pulses:-  
In Bakhtgarh, farmers don’t grow pulses. They buy pulses from the market or village shops.
.

Oil:-

Farmers grow mustard for oil but participants told that people of village don’t use this oil for cooking. Most of the people in Bakhtgarh start to use refined oil or Dalda Ghee which they again get from the market.

Fruits:-
People don’t eat fruits in the routine. They get it from the wanders or market. But Ber and Guava trees are there.

Spices and other:-

Farmer families get spices from the market.  It is easy to get processed spices from the market. They don’t use Jaggery. They use sugar which is available in the local market and at village shop.

Uncultivated food:-

Uncultivated food is treated as weeds in the field so herbicides are used on them. But like Bathua, Chaulai and Chibbar is used for food.

   The participants revealed that their minimum monthly expenditure on these things is near about 3500 rs. They are aware that all that things which they get from the market can be grown in their fields. Only tea and salt can’t be grown. But nobody is ready to do this kind of hard work. If they grow all these things, harvesters can’t be used and it increases labour work. It also needed more attention and care but farmers are not used to spend more time in the fields.  Participants also felt that there is less diversity in their food also. They cook pulses 4-5 times in a month. Most of the time of year, they use to cook vegetables.  They also felt that with the loss of diversity in food, they lost their health also.




PRA was finished with the decision that if they don’t grow these things in the field, they will start to grow in their homes.


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