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Ducks wading across a
paddy field in Uttar Paluibari village in Uttar Dinajpur district. Photo
by Moushumi Basu.
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Women
farmers are reviving traditional organic farming practices and using
backyard concoctions to keep away pests from their paddy fields in the
Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal.
One
method integrates ducks with paddy cultivation. Ducks wade through paddy
fields, eating insects and weeds, and their droppings in turn act as
natural manure.
The
rice-duck method yields 6 quintals per bigha (about 0.13 hectare), as
against 8 quintals from chemical farming. But with almost zero inputs, and
additional income from the ducks, the method yields higher profit margins.
The
method also decreases methane emissions from paddy fields, because the
ducks stir up the soil using their beaks and feet, creating an aerated soil
environment that does not generate methane.
At the
crack of dawn, Lipi Basak and her sisters Smriti and Mamti are already out
of their home, with a group of quacking ducks ahead of them. It is raining.
The road is muddy with small puddles. But this does not deter the feisty
young women from reaching their ultimate destination — paddy fields about a
kilometre away from their home.
Once
there, the ducks, altogether eighteen of them, merrily glide onto the paddy
ponds flapping their wings, wading past the tender saplings that are about
1.5 feet-2 feet tall.
“They
have been brought here with a purpose,” said Lipi, a home maker turned
neo-farmer from Keotal village in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal.
“The
ducks eat up the harmful pests and weeds from our fields, their droppings
make the soil fertile. This saves us from using chemical fertilisers,
herbicides and insecticides and their escalating costs,” she informed.
Smriti
and Mamti however caution that the ducks should not be released until at
least 20- 25 days after transplanting the paddy; otherwise they may end up
feeding on or damaging their young rice seedlings. The roots of the
saplings prior to their release, need to be developed and firmly entrenched
to the soil, they said.
For the
Basak sisters in their twenties, work has however not been easy. They
belong to a large joint family of farmers and for them to break traditional
shackles and step out of their home three years ago was challenging. “We
were mocked at by our fellow villagers and family members who thought we
have gone mad,” they recalled.
Such
comments were not made simply because they are women and agriculture is
still predominantly a male domain in India, but primarily because they
chose not to follow the beaten track of high yield chemical intensive
cultivation. The sisters decided to take up organic farming integrated with
native, climate friendly practices.
WOMAN
POWER THROUGH ORGANIC FARMING
The
transition went through various trials and errors for these upcoming women
farmers. During the first year, their output was not satisfactory either,
which made their family members further critical on the future of their
organic farming.
“However,
we held on to our convictions.
Within our limited resources and capacity, we succeeded in raising
about 35-40 quintals of organically grown paddy in 5 bighas of land during
the last season,” they stated. (One quintal is 100 kg and Bigha is a
traditional unit for land measurement in India, which is equivalent to 0.66
hectares). This was further diversified with cultivation of seasonal vegetables
and other crops.
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A group of home makers
turned neo-farmers from Keotal in the field transplanting paddy. Photo by
Moushumi Basu.
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Similar
success stories of change are being scripted by at least 75 women in Keotal
and its neighbouring villages of Dohole, Abhinagar, Uttar Palaibari and
Balaoul under Itahar block of Uttar Dinajpur district in the state. They have
named their group as “Narishakti Jaibochasi Mahila Dal” (NJMD) which means,
“woman power through organic farming”.
Largely
a self-driven organisation, today its members have pooled their land
together, cultivating chemical free paddy and other crops in 45 bighas
(6.02 hectares) of land. “Our productivity figures at about 6 quintals /
bigha (0.13 hectare) as against the high yield crop average of 8 quintals
in the same area. But considering our low cost/zero cost inputs in
comparison to the chemically grown rice, our profits per bigha is higher,”
claims Mousumi Basak, who leads the fiery brigade of women farmers.
A high
school dropout, she is a storehouse of soil friendly and pest preventing
natural recipes. “My lessons are not from books, but based on our
traditions that is replete with such indigenous knowledge,” she says. “But
unfortunately, they have faded into oblivion following the advent of green
revolution since the 1960s leading to monocropping, done with constant use
of chemical pesticides and fertilizers,” she rues.
And what
shaped her thoughts further, introducing her to the whole new world of
“clean” farming was the Forum For Indigenous Agricultural Movement (FIAM),
a grass root organization comprising youths, farmers, environmentalists and
experts in the north and south Dinajpur districts of north Bengal.
As an
active member of FIAM since the past six years, she is a regular
participant in its training workshops, which are honing her skills on the
preparation of natural pest repellants, fertilisers and nitrogen fixers in
soil. After her training, when she returned to her village eager to
propagate the knowledge she had gained, there were practically no takers.
Nearly 95 percent of the farmers believed in and wanted to continue with
chemical paddy cultivation.
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Two women farmers from
Abhinagar village in Uttar Dinajpur take a short break from plantation
work. Photo by Moushumi Basu.
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When the
men did not heed her, Mousumi went ahead to motivate women homemakers
instead. Accompanied by a couple of likeminded persons, she went door to
door and persuaded them to go organic at least in the best interests of
their family’s health. While she began by preparing natural pesticides and
fertilisers at home, over a period of time, she managed to inspire young
homemakers as Lipi, Mamti and others to become members of her group.
Her
efforts are paying off with the revival of various indigenous and organic
techniques of cultivation by her group members. Paddy duck farming for
instance is being practiced by at least 40 out of 75 members of NJMD.
WATCHING
THE DUCKS AND PADDY ‘GROW TOGETHER’
Upholding
the benefits of paddy duck farming, Ardhendu Sekhar Chatterjee, an expert
on sustainable, climate friendly agricultural practices says, “Integrating
ducks with paddy cultivation is especially suitable for small holder
farmers to produce organically grown rice at low cost.” Chatterjee is the
founder of Development Research Communication and Services Centre (DRCSC), a West Bengal based nonprofit,
which has been working across India on sustainable agricultural practices
over the past three decades.
He
however points out that the paddy field should be able to retain at least
six to nine inches of rainwater for at least 100 days and seedlings should
be planted at least 15 centimetres apart for ducks to wade through between
them.
“The
ducks and seedlings should be around the same age and it would be a
pleasure to watch them grow together,” he said.
This integrated
system according to him creates a symbiotic relation between them, using
the same natural resources. These aquatic birds get a nutritious diet by
feeding on various insects and weeds from the paddy fields, which in turn
get enriched by their droppings.
“All
these factors lead to increased rice productivity by at least 10 to 20
percent with plants found to grow taller bearing more number of grains per
panicle [stalk],” he said.
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Trying the impossible: a
woman farmer displays raspberries growing in her field. Photo by Moushumi
Basu.
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PLOUGHING
DUCKS REDUCE METHANE EMISSIONS
But most
importantly, according to Chatterjee, rice-duck technology reduces emission
of methane, the greenhouse gas causing global warming.
Ducks
moving through the fields plough the water laden land with their beaks,
till it becomes soft and muddy. This loosens up the soil, making it more
aerated, thereby increasing dissolved oxygen in the surface soil and water
of paddy fields. This enhances aerobic decomposition of soil organic
matter. Methane gas on the other hand is released, when such activities
take place in anaerobic condition or in absence of oxygen. Hence duck paddy
system is an ideal solution to fight climate change locally and ensure food
security, he said.
Upbeat
with the efforts of the women’s group NJMD in this regard, FIAM has agreed
to provide ten ducks to each of its ten members this season, with the
condition that they have to give back twelve ducks to the organisation, for
further distribution to new members.
Such
support and encouragement have further buoyed the activities of the women
farmers in their villages.
BACKYARD
‘ASTRAS’
It is
late evening and at least a dozen of the women farmers have assembled in
Mousumi’s backyard after completing their household chores. Some have brought neem leaves, grinding
stones, others have arrived with fresh dung and urine of cow etc. Soon four
of them get busy in preparing a paste of about two kilos of fresh neem
leaves; others are mixing up a kilo of fresh cow dung with two litres of
its urine.
Mousumi
explained they are preparing “Neemastra” (meaning weapon of neem) an
effective pest repellant, whose respective proportions have to be
maintained for best results. The ingredients, especially the leaves of the
neem tree (Azadirachta indica) are a powerful natural biological
insecticide, which do not damage the soil or agro-ecosystem.
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Backyard astras being
prepared at Mousumi Basak’s house. Photo by Moushumi Basu.
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Soon,
the contents are emptied into a medium sized earthen container and stirred
vigorously, and allowed to rest for 24 hours. And lo and behold! The
powerful “Neem weapon” is ready to be sprayed in a concentration of 20
milliliters with one litre of water. Once the plants are sprayed with the
solution, the harmful pests “automatically” move away, explain the members.
Interestingly,
these women seem to have a number of other “weapons” under their belt. With
fanciful names as Agniastra, Brahmastra, Amritjal, Sanharak, Panchogabba,
Sanjeeba, these organic concoctions have specific compositions to serve
definite purposes.
“Our
naturally prepared pesticides do not compromise on human health for the
sake of high yield,” said Rumpa Basak and Jhulu Burman, two woman farmers
from the group. Agniastra (fire arm) for instance is one of the most
powerful pesticides used by them. It is prepared with extremely bitter
leaves of wild water spinach, very hot green chilies, garlic, besides other
ingredients, which are boiled in water till the solution is reduced to
half. It is then strained and ready to use. Various other natural items as
raw turmeric, molasses, curd, gram flour, added to poultry litter or mixed
and stirred up in varying proportions are also being used by them.
Impressed
with their efforts, the district agricultural department has also inducted
them in their training programmes and workshops. Sanjay Saha, Assistant
Director of Agriculture, Raiganj Block who supervises their activities said
the members are made to understand that such low cost methods are high on
environmental benefits.
They
revive soil life, increase organic matter, carbon content and its water
retention capacity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve profitability
by maintaining yields and thereby revitalizes the farming community as a
whole. “In short, such regenerative traditional organic farming is integral
to climate solution,” said Saha.
Meanwhile,
it is not just the technical experts who are testifying their work, but
even their own family members and villagers are beginning to take notice.
Said Narugopal Basak, a conventional farmer from Keotal, whose wife happens
to be a member of NJMD, “Though I am still not sure how far organic farming
can sustain us, I am willing to give it a try.” Considering the health
benefits and low cost inputs, he has decided to devote at least one out of
his 20 bighas for chemical free cultivation.
With
this, the victory of NJMD does not seem very far. As more women break free
from chemical intensive agriculture to join the organic farming bandwagon,
it becomes truly symbolic of new age women’s liberation for a worthy cause:
to save the environment from impacts of climate change and add to food
security.
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