Saving Vanishing Crops and Dying Wisdom Presentation to the International Workshop on the Use of Agrobiodiversity by Indigenous People and Rural Communities in Adapting to Climate Change 17-21 June 2009 Dr. V. Arivudai Nambi Principal Scientist (Biodiversity) M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation III Cross Road, Taramani Institutional Area Chennai - 113
Rainfall data for Kolli Hills for seventeen years (1991 2007)
Millet diversity in Kolli Hills Mixed Millet Landscape Little Millet Field Little millet (Samai) Panicum sumatrance Italian millet (Thinai) Setaria italica Kodo millet (Varagu) Paspalum scrobiculatum Finger Millet (Kelvaragu) Eleusine coracana Common millet (Panivaragu) Panicum miliaceum Italian Millet Field
Crop production trends in Kolli Hills 10000 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 Millets Associated crops Horticulture crops 2000 1000 0 1970-1971 1996-1997 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004
Decline of little millet cultivation in Kolli Hills 4000 3500 Area in (ha) 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 1932-1933 1974-1975 1990-1991 2000-2001 Year
Cost of Mixed cropping and Tapioca (Mono cropping) in 1 Acre Upland Terrain 16 0 0 0 14 0 0 0 Amount (Rs) 12 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 Land Manur e/ pr epar ationfertilizer Cost of seeds / Sowi ng/ pl anting Thi nni ng/ Gap f iling Weeding Har vesting Total Cost / Acr e seedl i ngs Millets Mixed Cropping Tapioca Mono Croppping 25000 Amount (Rs) 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 Total Cost Gross return Net Return Millets Mixed Cropping Tapioca Mono Croppping
Cost of Mono cropping Millets and Tapioca in 1 Acre of Rocky Undulating terrain 30000 25000 Amount (Rs) 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 Land Manure/ preparat ionfertilizer Seeds / seedlings Sowing/ plant ing Gap f iling Weeding Harvesting Tot al Cost Little Millet/ Foxtail millet Tapioca Mono Croppping Amount (Rs) 35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0-5000 Total Cost Gross amount Net return Little Millet/ Foxtail millet Tapioca Mono Croppping
Trends in conversion to estates in Kolli Hills Area in acres\ No. of estates 1500 1000 500 0 51 38 7 1 1970 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-2007 Year Area (Acres) 2 223 1228.5 522.5 No. of estates 1 7 51 38
Reducing drudgery in millet processing through small mills 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Manual 131.52 4.6 Mechanical Duration in Minutes
Factors responsible for the genetic erosion of different little millet landraces Factors Introduction of tapioca and other cash crops with good market linkages Access to PDS Economic pressure at household level Climate change and rainfall variability Conversion of land to agroforestry Lack of market channels Drudgery in processing Culinary esteem of alternate crops Land fragmentation Peer group pressure and other constraints Limited availability of farmyard manure Intensity ( - less, - strong and -very strong)
4 C Strategy for Millets Conservation Cultivation Village Millet Resource Centres (VMRCs) Commerce Consumption KHABCoFED
Conservation
Distribution of millet seeds through Community Seed Banks Millets (kg) 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 Year Little Millet Italian Millet Finger Millet Kodo millet Barnyard Millet
Cultivation
Participatory Improvement of Little Millet (Panicum sumatrense) Traditional method of cultivation Modified method of Cultivation Line sowing Between Row spacing 20 cm Between Plant spacing 10 cm
Consumption
Foxtail millet Kodo millet Finger millet Proso Millet Barnyard millet
Drudgery in Pounding
Dehusking Mills, Value Addition and Organic Markets
Legal Processes MOU with the Block development Office Partnership deed for Nanbargal SHG Tax Payer s Identification Number certificate (TIN) Sales Tax Certificate (CTC) Small scale industry certificate (SSI) Sales Deed Partnership Deed TIN Cert Sales Tax Cert SSIC Cert
Development of Aripalapatti Millet Processing Mill Sale Deed Dhan Settlement
Commerce
KOLLI HILLS TRADITIONAL RECIPES OF SAMAI (Little Millet) & THINAI (Italian Millet) Samai Rice Thinai Rice Samai Uppuma Thinai Uppuma Samai Poorna Kozhukkatai Samai Kara Kozhukkatai Thinai Poorna Kozhukkatai Thinai Kara Kozhukkatai Samai Sweet Puttu Thinai Sweet Puttu Samai Sweet Pongal Thinai Sweet Pongal Samai Sweet Idiappam Samai Thinai Kara Idiappam Thinai Sweet Idiappam Samai Thinai Sweet Paniyaram Samai Kara Paniyaram Thinai Kara Paniyaram Samai Payasam Thinai Payasam Samai Idli Thinai Idli Samai Dosai Thinai Dosai Samai Wheat Flour Dosai Thinai Wheat Flour Dosai Samai Kara Pongal Thinai Kara Pongal Samai Thinai Keera Roti Samai Bonda Samai Pakoda Thinai Bonda Thinai Pakoda Samai Thinai Ribbon Pakoda Samai Thinai Omapodi Samai Thinai Adai Samai Thinai Vadai Samai Thinai Murukku Thinai Adhirasam Samai Thinai Kachayam
Organic Products from Kolli Hills
Quantity of different form of millets Marketed 1000000 Gross returns (Rs) and Millets (kg) 100000 10000 1000 100 10 62,000 1200 70,068 2662 25,524 1365 71,500 3138 116,098 2255 50,598 1062 73,694 1770 1 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 Year Little and Italian Millet Rava and Flour (Kg) Gross Returns (Rs)
Cost benefit analysis of Value Added Products in Millets Amount (Rs) 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 Ragi Malt Thinai Payasa Mix Thinai Laddu Samai Bajji Mix Samai Uppuma Mix Samai Rava Dosa Mix Ingredient Cost Gross income Expenditure Net Income
Community Institution Building
Village Millet Resource Centres (VMRC) Name of Panchayat Total Families Alathur Nadu 95 Bail Nadu 114 Devanur Nadu 157 Gunadani Nadu 101 Selur Nadu 104 Thirupuli Nadu 278 Valappur Nadu 69 Valavanthi Nadu 56 Total 974
Kolli Hills Agrobiodiversity Conserver s Federation Activities 974 Families Millet Promotion 37 SHG Organic Farming WOMEN 225 MEN 251 Pineapple Cultivation Value Addition
Details of Grassroots Institutions Sl.No Details Women Group Men Group Mixed Group Total Groups 1 2 SHG Farmers club No. of Groups 20 12 1 33 Members 251 163 0 414 No. of Clubs 0 4 0 4 Members 0 62 0 62
Cluster wise GRI Details Sl.No 1 2 3 Cluster Sembagm Cluster Mullai Cluster Roja Cluster SHG Farmers club SHG Farmers club SHG Details Female Group Male Group Mixed Group Total Group Groups 9 6 1 16 Numbers 115 85 0 200 Clubs 0 2 0 2 Members 0 31 0 31 Groups 5 4 0 9 Members 61 54 0 115 Clubs 0 2 0 2 Members 0 31 0 31 Groups 6 2 0 8 Members 75 24 0 99
Way Forward Addressing Vulnerability Seed Banks Mitigation of effects of weather and climate Coping Mechanisms Experimentation for adaptation
Current socio-economic basis of the Malaiyali Society Political Participation (Off-Farm) Employment in State (Off- Farm) NREGA (Non-Farm) Scholarship Free Food Fee Books OAP Access to Entitlement Group House SHGs Financial Linkages Cash Crop Tapioca Estates (On-Farm) Migration On-farm Non-farm Migration PDS Food Cash Kind
Addressing the Gap Areas Need for documentation of individual farmers peception of climate change and their response Situation are diverse globally 1 2 3 4 5 High BD Strong TK Kolli Hills Scenario Low BD Lack of TK Climate Change
List of Mixed crops told by 32 / 54 farmers S.no Name of the Crop Frequency 1 Lablab 30 2 Red Gram 20 3 Finger Millet 15 4 Little Millet 12 5 Castor 12 6 Little Millet 10
Total number of crops answered by 26 farmers for consecutive four years S. no Plot 1 = 8 Plot 2 = 7 Plot 3 = 5 1 Pearl Millet Horse gram Little millet 2 Little millet Pearl Millet Finger Millet 3 Finger Millet Little millet Pachamalai paddy 4 Pachamalai paddy Finger Millet Perunkelvaragu 5 Saataikelvaragu Pachamalai paddy Tomato 6 Tapioca Tomato 7 Tomato Black Gram 8 Varagu