Monday, 09 January 2012 22:16
DEVELOPMENT DEFICIT
BY SUDARSHAN CHHOTORAY
Science and scientists need to intervene, innovate and involve with people at grassroots and especially with farming communities to address the issue of food security. It was one of the several opinions build during the 99th Indian Science Congress held here in Bhubaneswar last week.
“I congratulate the tribal community of Koraput for the global recognition they have received for their contribution to conserving bio-diversity and developing climate resilient farming systems.” This was the text of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s inaugural speech at the 99th Indian Science Congress held at KIIT campus in Bhubaneswar on January 3 after felicitating renowned scientists including two tribal farmers from Koraput.
The Prime Minister also had stressed the need to preserve the wisdom of tribals, saying, “It is important that we explore and rejuvenate traditional knowledge systems found all over the country in areas such as agriculture, architecture, handicrafts and textiles. One needs to go no further than the tribal communities of the Kharias, Santhals, Gonds and Kolhas who live in the deep forest areas of Mayurbhanj and have a reservoir of knowledge on medicinal usage of locally available plants.”
The contribution of the Odisha Adivasi communities in terms of restoration and conservation of their traditional knowledge system got mentioned in PM’s address and felicitation of the tribals in the Science Congress has brought again the relevance of the age-old agricultural practices, especially in our tribal regions.
Of late, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nation’s (UN) has recognised traditional agriculture system of Koraput as among the 200 World Agricultural Heritage Systems which were identified following rigorous selection criteria. Among these sites, the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) initiative has selected pilot systems located in several counties both developing and developed. In order to safeguard and support the world’s agricultural heritage systems, the FAO launched in 2002 a global partnership initiative for the conservation and adaptive management of globally important agricultural system (GIAHS).
The overall goal of the partnership is to identify and safeguard globally important agricultural heritage systems and their associate landscapes, agricultural biodiversity and knowledge systems through catalyzing and establishing a long term programme to support such systems and enhance global, national and local benefits derived through their dynamic conservation, sustainable management and enhanced viability.
For millennia, communities of farmers, herders, fishers and forest people have developed complex, diverse and locally adapted agricultural systems. These systems have been managed with time-tested, ingenious combinations of techniques and practices that have usually led to community food security, and the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity.
Agricultural heritage system can still be found throughout the world covering about 5 million hectares, which provide a vital combination of social, cultural, ecological and economical services to humankind. These GIAHS have resulted in outstanding landscapes of aesthetic beauty, maintenance of globally significant agricultural bio-diversity, resilient ecosystems and valuable cultural heritage. Above all, these systems sustainably provide multiple goods and services, food and livelihood security for millions of poor and small farmers.
Whether recognised or not by the scientific community, these ancestral agricultural systems constitute the foundation for contemporary and future agricultural innovations and technologies. Their cultural, ecological and agricultural diversity is still evident in many parts of the world, maintained as unique system of agriculture.
A study conducted by renowned agriculture-scientist MS Swaminathan and his team revealed that the Jeypore tract of Odisha is famous for the genetic diversity of Asian cultivated rice and has been considered as the centre of origin of aus ecotype of rice (Oryza sativa). The landraces of traditional varieties growing here are thought to be harbouring dominant genes for biotic and abiotic stresses, aroma, palatability, and hold promise for their utilisation in future plant breeding and biotechnology programmes. The tribal farm families inhabiting this area have been responsible for the domestication and conservation of rice genetic resources for several generations.
Traditional cultivation practices suitable for diverse agro-ecological zones are still carried out by the tribal communities, providing their indigenous technical knowledge in rice farming and antiquity of rice in the region. These practices, which are of great value for sustainable agriculture and food and nutrition security, have not been largely recognised for sharing of benefits or rewards accruing to the community for conserving these landraces.
Besides rice, a number of food crops are grown under traditional agricultural practices such as minor millet (finger millet, little millet, Italian millet), pulses (black gram, green gram, pigeon pea, cow pea), oil seeds (niger, sesame, castor, mustard), spices (ginger and turmeric), various indigenous vegetables and fruits.
The Jeypore tract, a high land plateau with a number of hills and hillocks of incredible scenic beauty, forms a part of the Eastern Ghats. The district is divided into four natural areas; the central plateau of over 900 metres on which the Koraput district is situated, the 600 metre plateau, the Malkangiri plateau, and the valleys and hill ranges in the Rayagada and Gunpur subdivisions.
At present researchers have found 340 landraces of rice, 8 species of minor millets, 9 species of pulses, 5 species of oil seeds, 3 species of fibrous plants, 7 species of vegetables, 4 species of spices and 500 medicinal plants species etc.
Of the prominent rice varieties, 24 are aromatic, 27 flood resistant, 2 deep water, and 10 drought resistant, insect/pest resistant, puffing qualities.
According to Dr KUK Nampoothiri, Director, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, who has been working in the area since last 15 years, “The erosion of genetic base of rice is more worrisome, it has been the cause of concern for many scientists and researchers.” According to him, “ During 1950 Jeypore Botanical Survey and Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha had found 1,750 land races of rice but in 1990 MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) through its exploration found 324 land races of rice and further in 2000, the MSSRF got only 102 land races.”
Among the prominent rice varieties in Koraput region is KALINGA KALJEERA. It is one among the top Basmati rices, which has an unique taste. There is a need to preserve the race of rice. During last year, the MSSRF had brought 159 acres under Kalajeera cultivation by 121 farmers across 44 villages and 4.31 tonnes of the Kalajeera paddy were sold at premium price of `1,500 per quintal to NAFED. This variety has extremely economic value and potential in the region.
Thanks to the efforts of the MSSRF Regional Centre at Jeypore, the tribal communities of Jeypore tract had also earlier won the prestigious UN Equator Award at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg in 2002 for community conservation aimed at poverty reduction. Besides this, The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmer’s Rights Authority of Government of India awarded these tribal communities with the Plant Genome Savior Community Award in 2006 for their contribution in conserving, improving and making available plant genetic resources for the development of new plant varieties.
Traditional agriculture has its own merits. When the traditional crops or cultivation practices are replaced with modern ones without adequate consideration of the local people and existing ecosystem, the expected impacts are not realised. Therefore, to develop sustainable agriculture practices, the people, their social traditions and cultures should be well understood. Small farmers, who constitute 80 per cent of farming community and producing a bulk of world food stuff, need to be protected and all of their traditional knowledge and wisdom need to be recognised.
(The writer is a senior freelance journalist)
PUBLISHED IN THE DAILY THE PIONEER ON 10TH JANUARY 2012
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