A compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices
Imprints of Ecological Footprints ‌. A compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices Aug 2016 Authors: MV Rama Chandrudu Beneta Mahanta Waseem Mohammad Anitha Reddy V MB Vali Saab Editors: K Suresh MV Rama Chandrudu Visuals:Cheriyal Nakashi Artists Family - Shri D Vaikuntam and his family members Mrs. D Vanaja (wife); D Vinay and D Rakesh (sons). Design and Layout : Ankush Copy Left : These case studies could be used for non-commercial use, with proper acknowledgement. Supported by : Indian Foundation for Humanistic Development, Bengaluru Produced by : WASSAN (Watershed Support Services and Activities Network) Produced for Leaders For Nature Program. This program is collectively organized by CII; Hivos; IUCN; Wild Life Trust of India. IFHD is anchoring the Leaders for Nature Program. Published by: IFHD, Bengaluru
Acknowledgements I am very happy to present "Imprints of Ecological Footprints ‌. A compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices". I take this opportunity to thank all organizations and individuals who contributed to the process of documenting these good practices. They were kind to frankly share with us their experiences, thoughts, challenges and achievements. They also shared relevant data to substantiate any critical point from their experiences. Some of them even prepared the first drafts of these case studies. They also revised them, based on our feedback. All the organizations/ individuals happily gave consent for publishing these case studies and using them for learning purposes under "Leaders for Nature" program of IFHD, IUCN, CII, Hivos and Wild Life Trust of India. The entire process of producing this compilation was an enriching and fruitful experience. It is also a humbling experience for us to learn several lessons from these interactions and visits to several villages/ sites. We genuinely believe that this compilation truly enriches the learning processes of "Leaders for Nature" program. The Writeshop was one of the important events of this process. We got guidance and feedback on the '0' drafts from the participants of the writeshop. This was useful in refining the initial drafts. The participants of writeshop also made important suggestions on the presentation and utility of these case studies. From their busy schedules, they spared few days for refining these case studies, which is a very kind gesture. I thank everyone who participated in the writeshop. Their inputs are invaluable. I thank Ms. Aruna Rangachar Pohl, IFHD for having faith in WASSAN and entrusting us the responsibility of compiling these case studies. She is an active team member at all critical stages of the project and guided us on choice of case studies, structure/ framework, presentation, etc. The partnership with IFHD is really cherished by all of us, at WASSAN.
I also thank the family of artists of Cheriyal - Shri D Vaikuntam, Mrs D Vanaja, Mr D Vinay and D Rakesh, who visualized these experiences in their own unique style. My team -MB Vali, Anitha Vustela, Waseem Mohammad, Benita Mahanta, Radhashree who spent considerable time on this agenda. I also thank K Suresh for providing editorial inputs and support at various stages of this process. MV Rama Chandrudu WASSAN Aug 2016
Foreword It is almost three decades back, the threats to "Our Common Future" were formally identified and deliberations started gaining more steam and support from governments too‌ (Our Common Future,Gro Harlem Brundtland, 1987). Climate Change and its implications were also slowly getting recognized during this period. The need for "producing more with less" was also part of this thinking process, as a means to address the challenges of the future. Over a period of time, the world witnessed more economic distress, unemployment, political turmoil and ecological disasters across different countries and regions of world. Those early predictions seemed to be less threatening than the current reality. The global gloom got predictable companions - unscrupulous industrial growth, irresponsible urbanization, careless global politics, dishonest governments, self-centric citizenship, which tried to glorify the current trends as achievements and inevitable solutions. In the middle of such despair and misery, there is a hope. "Imprints of Ecological Footprints - A Compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices" is a compendium of good practices that brings the efforts made by relentless civil society organizations, citizens and community based organizations, to change the direction of this trend. These experiences bring cheer and hope in the lives of thousands of rural, tribal and urban citizens in India, who are part of these experiences. They were able to take a different path that is less travelled and troublesome. There were several challenges, at each step and milestone. But they continued their journey and proved that "producing more with less" is possible. They also ensured that the ecological and environmentally sustainable processes are feasible for improving economic standards and quality of life of poor communities. These case studies give a hope and confidence that we can face the cruel world and transform the same into a comfortable place for all - including endangered species, poor and marginalized communities. While Corporate Social Responsibility is gaining more support
from governments, corporate agencies and development agencies, these experiences provide guidance and help them to think about alternatives. These experiences help the willing and discerning development agencies and investors in social change, to transcend the mundane "photo stories" of majority of current CSR interventions. They provide an array of options, strategies and ideas that proved themselves in different parts of the country. I thank all the organizations and agencies who shared their stories - highs and lows of it, with us frankly and completely. I thank them for providing leadership on the chosen theme - promoting biodiversity; conservation and governance of natural resources; promoting ecologically sensitive production processes; enhancing livelihoods by developing environmentally harmonious economic models and several others. These experiences are invaluable and are certainly useful for provoking thoughts in the minds of participants of "Leaders for Nature" programs, which are jointly organized by IFHD, IUCN, CII, Wild Life Trust of India, HIVOS and other like-minded organizations. I thank WASSAN for producing this compilation of case studies and supporting us in this endeavor.
Aruna Rangachar Pohl IFHD, Bengaluru Aug 2016
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2 Paata Pantala Panduga … Festival of Traditional Crops…
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When I first saw these varieties of white mustard, sankanalu seeds, isuka ravvalu (paddy) in Paata Pantala Panduga (Festival of Traditional Crops), I was too happy…. I heard about them, but never saw them. I took some seeds from this farmer during the festival and subsequently grew white mustard in my own field. By the next season, I have enough seeds of white mustard, from my own field. Now, I am cultivating this white mustard in my field. Several other farmers in my village are also growing this variety now. Of course, I shared this variety of seeds from my field with them… This variety is rare and fetches much better price. Almost 10 Rs/ kg, additional income (in comparison to black mustards)… This is all because of the festival, in which I participate each year…. We pick up several new seeds and thoughts from this festival… It is an important event in our agriculture…”— Kamaraju a young farmer from Devudu valsa village explains the practical benefits of participating in the Paata Pantala Panduga each year. Paata Pantala Panduga …
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Like Kamaraju, there are several others who are consciously and subconsciously promoting and protecting diversity in agriculture in Eastern Ghats of India…. By sharing rare and traditional varieties of seeds with each other, these farmers are actually contributing to the process of conserving genepool of seeds and improving the biodiversity of Araku region (Vizag district, Andhra Pradesh). In this process, they could collectively protect several varieties of seeds from extinction. For many of them, Paata Pantala Panduga is the starting point, a quite beginning by Sanjeevini in 2004. Now, this initiative is creating ripples in the biodiversity sector with a specific focus on seeds and agriculture…. Several national level agencies including Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India are recognising this and presenting laurels and awards.
Join the celebrations of seed diversity in misty Araku Valley……. The roots of this initiative are rather unconventional – informal schools for tribal children. When Sanjeevini Trust was running 14 informal schools for tribal children of Araku region during 2002-03, they wanted to find out what kind of education should be imparted in these schools. What should children learn from the teachers? Should Sanjeevini limit itself to teaching alphabets, numbers? Is there something more to education in the valley? What should be the course curriculum in a school where tribal children are studying? Who should teach what? What do they do, after learning from these schools? How will this education benefit the tribal children? What would be the main difference between a school in a typical village/ urban area and a school in a tribal hamlet in the lap of nature? – These were the questions that encountered Devullu, the founder member of Sanjeevini. 16
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The source of inspiration came from Deccan Development Society (DDS), a reputed voluntary organization that is working with large number of women farmers, who are determined to revive traditional agriculture and seeds in Zaheerabad, Medak District, Telangana. Approaches promoted by Centre for Environmental Education (CEE) helped to develop necessary tools and methods for integrating observation and experiment based education into normal education. Samata and Dhatri Foundation provided necessary philosophical underpinning in the process of imparting education to tribal children and targeting the entire family, particularly parents of these children. Based on these inputs and his own vision of the region, Devullu started experimenting with teaching methodologies and learning processes. “Seed” became an important and integral part of this unique education. He believed that children could learn significantly by collecting variety of seeds that are used by their families. He and his cadre of teachers encouraged the young children to collect the seeds from home and display in the school. Each student is expected to explain about the seed – name; specialities; methods of storage and so on. Children collected seeds from home and inquired about them from parents and grandparents. Elders in the village were amused with these inquiries and started telling the significance of each variety of seed to their children. These children shared these seeds and stories behind them with rest of the students in the school. Eventually, each school became an exhibition centre for variety of seeds of different crops. There were so many stories and it was very exciting for all to learn about these seeds. During annual day of the school, Devullu invited all students and their parents to the school. The main attraction of this event was “seeds” that children Paata Pantala Panduga …
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collected from their families. Even parents were surprised to see such variety of seeds in their village, which were displayed in the school. The interest of parents and related discussions during the annual events triggered a serious effort by Sanjeevini. Sanjeevini decided to convert this event into “Paata Pantala Panduga”, a regular event in the annual calendar of the organization. This festival is celebrated during March/ April each year. One of the villages, where Sanjeevini works, becomes the venue of this festival. Sanjeevini informs about the dates and venue to the villagers well in advance. All farmers are expected to bring variety of seeds to this venue on this day. An informal committee of senior citizens of the village screens the available seeds in the village and shortlists them for the seed festival. Each village is given space to display them, in the stalls that are erected at the venue. To encourage the farmers, Sanjeevini conducts a competition to the villages. Village that brings maximum number of varities gets the first prize. In 2014, Malivalasa village could display 219 varities of seeds. They could display – 33 varities of rice; 6 varities of rajma; 6 varities of redgram; 4 varities of mustard; 17 varities of little millet; 11 varieties of foxtail millet; 19 varities of finger millet; 21 varities of beans; 6 varities of turmeric; 9 varities of colacasia; 26 varities of tubers; 3 varities of Niger seeds; 3 varities of til seeds and 55 varieties of forest products. Before that, another village Devudu valasa got this award, for displaying maximum number of seed varities from their village. The first festival saw 45 varities of seeds and it reached a peak of 256 varities in 2013. The cost of these festivals is shared by the villagers and Sanjeevini. Sanjeevini provides transport facilities for the villagers, who come from far way places. Sanjeevini also makes necessary arrangements for display Paata Pantala Panduga …
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and exhibition, while the villagers share the cost of food, local hospitality and other incidental costs.This created considerable awareness on the rich diversity in the genepool of the seeds of Araku valley. These festivals provide an opportunity to exchange seeds and helped spreading the seeds among farmers, which eventually promoted diversified agriculture in the villages. While rest of the country is reeling under the ill-effects of mono-crops and commercial crops, these villages could not only protect their diversity of agriculture, but also benefit from the same – diversity in food items they produce from their own fields; better price in
Markets for Organic Products… To give a fillip to this initiative, during 2003-04 Sanjivini encouraged tribal farmers to enrol themselves into “Rythu Bazar”, an initiative of Government of Andhra Pradesh. Rythu Bazars provide an opportunity and space in the markets to farmers to sell their products – mainly vegetables. This arrangement is expected to cut the middlemen in the marketing process and improve the profit margins to the farmers directly. This initiative grew from 2 farmers in 2003 to 500+ farmers by 2015. These farmers got 72 stalls in 12 Rythu Bazars in Vizag city. As the number of card holders is higher than the allocated stalls, the association of farmers evolved norms for sharing the marketing space. About three to four farmers form a batch and each batch gets three days a week in the Rythu Bazar. Once their turn is over, another batch gets the opportunity to sell their products. Each village evolved informal processes to “pool and sell” their products. They hire trucks to transport the vegetables to the Rythu Bazars and the cost is shared among the farmers, who are part of this batch. As majority of these products are “organic” vegetables, there is considerable demand for them and Vizag city eagerly looks forward to the vegetables from Araku farmers, each day. They also established a shop for other products (grains, pulses, cereals, millets) in Vizag. However, the production and marketing of these products is yet to be streamlined. Paata Pantala Panduga …
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the market for the farmers products; healthy soils; ecological balance in the villages…. Looking at the potential of the agenda, Sanjeevini started documenting the efforts little more seriously. They documented the details of the seed – local name; scientific name; methods of storing; specialities of the seed; location from which the seed is collected (village and names of farmers who are cultivating/ using the seeds) and other details. This is a rich data base that provided valuable basis for establishing the seed diversity and genepool of Araku region. It is a rare experience where such data base is available with samples of seeds and large number of farmers is engaged in cultivating these crops on their own, without any government/ donor support. This phenomenon attracted several experts working on biodiversity in the country/ world. Many visitors started exploring this phenomenon at Araku and learnt about Sanjeevini’s efforts along with farmers of Araku valley. MS Swaminathan Foundation (Chennai); media groups including The Hindu; government agencies such as Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation, Government of India; Biodiversity Board, Government of Andhra Pradesh are some of the agencies that visited this region. For strengthening this process of exchange, Sanjeevini established a seed bank in Killoguda in 2013. This seed bank maintains the necessary documents – registers/ details of seeds borrowed; returned; details of farmers who are part of this process. Given the response and potential, another seed bank was established in Devudu Valasa recently. With the leadership of Sanjeevini, Dhimsa Sendriya Vittana Parirakshana Samiti Paata Pantala Panduga …
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(an informal committee of local farmers) applied for formal registration of 3 varieties of seeds – white mustard, sankanalu seeds, isuka ravvalu (paddy) to National Bureau of Plant Genetic Research, Hyderabad. The Gene Bank at this centre also formally accepted to keep 33 varities of seeds that are unique to Araku region – paddy; red gram; oil seeds and forest species. State Biodiversity Board, Government of Andhra Pradesh formally felicitated Devullu in 2011, recognizing his contribution towards conserving seed diversity in Eastern Ghats. Based on a systematic assessment of data bases and practices followed by Sanjeevini and local farmers of Araku Valley, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, Government of India awarded Sanjeevini the prestigious “Plant Genome Saviour Community Award” in 2013. This award recognized the efforts made by Sanjeevini and farmers in Araku valley in protecting and conserving local & traditional seeds and promoting diversified agriculture in the valley. This award has a citation that acknowledges the efforts of Sanjeevini and farmers in conserving landraces of various crops – cereals, millets, small millets, oilseeds, pulses and vegetables covering more than 5000 ha of Araku valley (including podu land under shifting cultivation). A cash award of Rs 10 Lakh is also part of this award. Another interesting aspect is that Sanjeevini became an important member in national level networks that are promoting sustainable agriculture, biodiversity Bharat Beej Swaraj Manch and Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture among others. There are several concerns related to seed in India and also biodiversity hot-spots like Araku valley. Commercial agriculture and mono24
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cropping is too powerful to counter. Unless there is back up from farmers and scientific community in protecting these varieties and actually producing them, it is difficult for any agency to take up this agenda alone. A typical consumer has to support this process by buying the products that are not standardized and uniform across the country. Sanjeevini intends to intensify these efforts, with renewed interest and rigour and hopes to repeat these efforts in entire Eastern Ghats of India, by networking with large number of local development agencies and community based organizations. An informal initiative in 2004 contributed to promoting agribiodiversity in Koraput Agro Biodiversity hotspot of India.Do you want to join the celebrations of seed diversity in different hills on Eastern Ghats?
MV Rama Chandrudu, WASSAN Narration by Devullu, Sanjeevini Rural Development Society
Paata Pantala Panduga ‌
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About Cheriyal Paintings Shri D Vaikuntam and his family members Mrs. D Vanaja (wife); D Vinay and D Rakesh (sons) are keeping the tradition of Cheriyal Paintings of Telangana state, for generations. All members of the family are engaged in protecting and conserving this rare art form, that is not likely to survive for long. This is the only family in the country that is still engaged in this traditional art form. The Cheriyal Art has a unique character - red color background; vivid presentation of figures (men, women, animals, flowers, plants and others) with unique strokes and style. This art form belongs to "nakashi" form of paintings in India. But Cheriyal paintings contextualized this nakashi format to local Telangana and improvised it, with their unique styles. Apart from paintings and scrolls, Cheriyal Masks are also very attractive and unique with their bright colors and large eyes. D Vaikuntam received several awards from Central/ State governments, for his unique contribution to Cheriyal Art. D Vaikuntam and his family members agreed to present the key messages of these case studies. They spent time with us to understand the essence of each case study and presented it in their own style. These pictures further enriched the experiences, which are already exemplary in several ways. WASSAN thanks the family of artists of Cheriyal for their support in visualising these case studies. Pictures of some of the paintings/ scrolls and masks could be seen on this blog: http://vaikuntamnakash.blogspot.in/
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"…..In the middle of such despair and misery, there is a hope. "Imprints of Ecological Footprints - A Compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices" is a compendium of good practices that brings the efforts made by relentless civil society organizations, citizens and community based organizations, to change the direction of the trend. These experiences brought cheer and hope in the lives of thousands of rural, tribal and urban citizens in India, who are part of these experiences. They took a different path that is less travelled and troublesome. There were several challenges, at each step and milestone. But they continued their journey and proved that "producing more with less" is possible. They also ensured that the ecological and environmentally sustainable processes are feasible for improving economic standards and quality of life of poor communities…"Aruna Rangachar Pohl, IFHD, Bangaluru. "……these experiences are invaluable and are certainly useful for provoking thoughts in the minds of participants of "Leaders for Nature" programs, which is organized by IFHD, IUCN, CII, Wild Life Trust of India, HIVOS and other likeminded organizations.The entire process of producing this compilation was an enriching and fruitful experience. It is a humbling experience for us to learn lessons from the interactions and visits to their villages/ sites. We genuinely believe that this compilation truly enriches the learning processes of "Leaders for Nature" program" - MV Rama Chandrudu, WASSAN