Conservation Agriculture – Sustainable Agriculture: A Case from the Tribal Regions of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat
Conservation Agriculture – Sustainable Agriculture: A Case from the Tribal Regions of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat
Authors : Gurpreet Singh & Bhaskar Mitra
It would be a cliché to mention that Indian agriculture is largely characterized by rain dependent farming of subsistence nature. A substantial share of this rain-fed subsistence farming falls in tribal regions spread across central and north-eastern India. The two regions – Dangs of Gujarat and Nimar of Madhya Pradesh (MP) are among the regions inhabited by Warli, Bhil, Barela and Bhilala tribes. The region is synonymous with undulating topography, dependency on forest for non-timber forest produce, high intensity rainfall during the monsoon and dry spells in summers. The two regions are highly vulnerable to the vagaries of climate – torrential rains and extreme temperatures. Harsh summers followed by monsoons with heavy runoff make earning livelihoods difficult for the people. Common crops such as rice, pulses, maize, soybean, groundnut etc. are all cultivated on minimal external inputs like hybrid seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.
The native tribal population of the region finds it difficult to eke a living out of agriculture. A large population migrates to places such as Surat, Ankleshwar, Indore, Ahmedabad and Saurashtra for seasonal wage employment as the returns from agriculture do not fulfill the consumption needs of the family.
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