(Part II: Women’s Role) Why traditional farming practices are Diminishing in Hilly regions of Uttarakhand — By Pooja Kala
To say that women and nature are intimately,
associated is not to say anything revolutionary.
After, all it was precisely just such an assumption
that allowed the domination of both women and
nature. The new insight provided by rural women in
the Third World is that women and nature are
associated not in passivity but in creativity and in
the maintenance of life.
-Vandana Shiva — (1989)
Women who once acted as a catalyst to the growth of the family and nation have now become an active participant in the overall economic and political development of the nation. They now contribute to every field from agriculture, engineering, medical science etc. Today an active role is being played by the women of not only the urban areas but also the rural areas. As stated that the role of women residing in the rural areas is all the more important with respect to the natural resources (Dankelman and Davidson 1988; Shiva 1988). Biodiversity in agriculture reigns where women act as the decision makers. The role of women in the system of land use, utilization of forest resource, animal husbandry operations and in the agriculture use is an essential one.
The position of women in relation to the gender aspects is also a level of women’s autonomy. Schrijvers (1986) defined this autonomy as the “Scope that women have under varying circumstances in which to live their lives.” Somehow the economy of the Himalayas has always been dependent on the women. Women in the hills have always had longer work durations which involve fodder collection, animal husbandry operations and other normal duties within their home. The role of the hill women in the field of agriculture that serves as the main source of livelihood in the hills is unavoidable too. The contribution of the women in all the hill activities has been very active from land preparation, weeding, manuring, hoeing, harvesting and threshing. In such case role of women in the field of conservation of traditional seeds becomes all the more important. The major presence of hybrid seeds in the local markets in the hills has only increased the problem.
In one of studies undertaken by Usha (1984) primary role of women was found in the field of agriculture where they were assisted by men in some case. The overall working hours was about 16 hours for women in which no rest was actually taken. Somehow the destruction of the forests also causes a direct impact for the women in the hilly areas as they have to walk longer distances for fodder and collection of other forest resources. Previous studies such as in Staying Alive of Shiva (1988) and Women and Environment in the Third World of Dankelman and Davidson (1988). It has been described as to how modernization in the field of cropping system, forestry, animal husbandry, and water management have had a destructive effect on women and environment. Somehow the replacement of traditional varieties with the high yielding varieties has also led to women suicides in the areas where critical limits have been reached. (ICIMOD, 1989).
The women in the Himalayan region especially Uttarakhand are highly conscious of their changing environment and have a constant reaction to it. Chipko movement initiated by the women in Uttarakhand was one such example which was appreciated worldwide.
Some impact that modernization had on hill-women:
1. The modernization and a move to replacement of cash crops with traditional crops have all the more led to shrinkage in the agro-biodiversity on field. While all this is happening at the cost of diversity of crops that once used to grow on various ecological niche in the agricultural areas.
2. The dwarf crop varieties have led to covering of longer distances for the availability of fodder
3. Introduction of chemical fertilizers to which women are continually exposed on their fields.
Some of the steps that could be followed in this direction are as below:
a. Awareness generation for the Rural Women for conservation
The use of hybrid seeds is definitely not advisable in comparison to the use of local land-races. Firstly these hybrids cannot be used again and have to be bought every planting season. Genetic uniformity in these varieties is always a problem with other issues of inbreeding and genetic uniformity.
a. Conservation program in this direction
b. Techniques involved in conservation
c. How these conservation practices will help in climate change adaptations
Organizations involved currently for promotion of such indigenous practices
NAVDANYA: Navdanya means “nine seeds” (symbolizing protection of biological and cultural diversity) and also the “new gift” (for seed as commons, based on the right to save and share seeds In today’s context of biological and ecological destruction, seed savers are the true givers of seed. This gift or “dana” of Navadhanyas (nine seeds) is the ultimate gift — it is a gift of life, of heritage and continuity. Conserving seed is conserving biodiversity, conserving knowledge of the seed and its utilization, conserving culture, conserving sustainability. Navdanya is a network of seed keepers and organic producers spread across 22 states in India. Navdanya has helped set up 122 community seed banks across the country, trained over 9,00,000 farmers in seed sovereignty, food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture over the past two decades, and helped setup the largest direct marketing, fair trade organic network in the country. Navdanya has also set up a learning center, Bija Vidyapeeth (School of the Seed / Earth University) on its biodiversity conservation and organic farm in Doon Valley, Uttarakhand, and North India. Navdanya is actively involved in the rejuvenation of indigenous knowledge and culture. It has created awareness on the hazards of genetic engineering, defended people’s knowledge from biopiracy and food rights in the face of globalization and climate change. Navdanya is women centered movement for the protection of biological and cultural diversity.
INHERE: It also continued its work of collecting, conserving and promoting exchange of local seed varieties. It took this work a step further to formalizing seed production and is planning to create livelihoods out of seed conservation, production and sale. It supported Aajivika Utthan Samiti, its sister organization in obtaining seed production license from agriculture department, Uttarakhand. The INHERE projects on promoting youth for agriculture, building resilience to climate change and maximizing mountain agriculture through seed production continued with activities to meet their objectives. The initiatives of consolidating and out scaling our earlier work on organic and ecological agriculture as well as local seed collection and conservation continued.
Uttarakhand Organic Commodity Board: Uttarakhand State Organic Certification Agency (USOCA) is an independent wing of Uttarakhand State Seed and Organic Production Certification Agency and provides an impartial, third party certification of organic production and handling methods in accordance with Public Notice №19(RE-2001)1997 –2002 dated June 11, 2001 as amended vide Public Notice No 72(RE-2003)/2002–2007 dated July 21, 2004 issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade Govt. of India, New Delhi in accordance with the accreditation criteria laid down under the NPOP (National Program for Organic Production) 2001.Organization is committed to certify environmentally sound production of food and the preservation of natural resources, improvement of the soil quality and health through organic and sustainable farming practices.
The Support
Govt. Role
The role that government can play in the region:
a. Maintenance of a database
b. Provision of latest technology in Agriculture
c. Providing knowledge and latest extension services to the farmers
Private / non-profit companies role
a. The mechanization of farming could be done by the companies.
b. Seed quality enhancement can be taken up by the improvement in the drying and packaging.
c. Commercialization of seed sector is an efficient requirement in the present time. A robust seed system ensures an efficient seed supply.
d. Seed provision system needs to be made for the benefit of the farmers.
How these seeds are marketed?
Presently there is no state level machinery for the marketing of the traditional seeds marketing as such. Seeds are sold or distributed through either the NGO’s working or active in the particular region or the farmer on an individual level.
The awareness for the promotion of traditional seeds can be spread through
a. The concept of ‘seed villages’, which advocates self sufficiency in production and distribution of good quality seed, is fast gaining ground. Seed villages, or village seed banks, operate under supervision and utmost transparency, inculcating mutual trust and social responsibility among farmers, thereby reducing their dependence on external inputs. Several initiatives have been launched to revive this traditional concept, such as those initiated by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the National Research Centre for Sorghum (NRCS) and state agricultural universities (SAUs). Similarly, the seed bank concept is part of ICRISAT’s projects in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Tata ICRISAT project in Vidisha and Guna districts of Madhya Pradesh and the Andhra Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Project (APRLP) in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh and other ongoing efforts in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
b. The barriers to development of community-based seed production systems include the generally poor roads and related infrastructure in India’s rural hinterlands, which constrain the distribution of seed along with other farm inputs and produce. Farmers need a broad range of modern varieties to choose from, detailed information on those varieties, and training to help them produce seed efficiently themselves with modern technologies.
c. Developing contractual agreements with farmers to grow seed and establishment of seed cooperatives.
d. Improving supplies of seed for forages, medicinal plants, flowers and underused crops that could benefit resource-poor farmers.
e. Promoting community-based evaluation, characterization and multiplication of “at-risk” varieties.Collection and characterization of indigenous grain varieties and establishment of in situ seed conservation centers to reduce the risk of local varieties disappearing.
f. Building capacity of self-help groups to facilitate community seed banks and provide incentives for farmers to grow indigenous varieties and seed conservation efforts.
g. Facilitating community-devised and generated marketing and credit support systems.
h. Introduction of controlled conditions to effectively produce nuclei seed; facilities for seed storage, processing, and packaging and establishment of public-private sector partnerships for seed distribution.
i. Practicing of Farmer participatory varietal selection, seed production and monitoring. On- farm demonstration trials, on-station seed selection, and distribution of seed to private suppliers.
j. Continual identification of opportunities for mutual learning by farmers and scientists to help improve the effectiveness of seed supply to local communities.
k. Designing, developing and testing site specific alternative seed system models for improving and sustaining local seed supply based on geographic and ethnic as well as administrative boundaries.
l. Taking into consideration and utilizing aspects of the lesser known traditional seed management systems.
About Author: Ms. Pooja Kala is a research expert for kheti-badi.com, and covers the various aspects of Organic / Natural farming practices from Himalaya (North India). In this series, she has emphasized on traditional farming practices from Himalaya and how age old method of preserving traditional seed varieties plays an important role in the Eco-system of the hilly region. This story is in three (3) parts, click here to read Part-I and Part-III.
About kheti-badi.com : kheti-badi.com is a platform to buy-sell organic products directly from farmers, the registration and listing products is free.
