Local health traditions (also termed traditional medicine or folk medicine) were once common in the tribal region. Every village had atleast one sueen (traditional birth attendant) and more than one vaidu (folk practitioner). There was also a large body of knowledge of simple home remedies. These Local Health Traditions (LHTs) were community-supported, autonomous, oral in nature, self-reliant and based on the use of local resources, mainly plants. For instance, there are reports of over 300 medicinal plant species being used by tribals in Raigad District for their primary health care needs. Promotion of Allopathic medicine and utter neglect of traditional medicine by the Government and mainstream medical institutions has literally wiped out local health traditions prevalent in tribal regions. Academy?s efforts are aimed at revitalising local health traditions without disturbing their autonomy. Regular training programmes are conducted for vaidus, housewives and tribal youth interested in learning about herbal medicine. Village level aushadhikaran (medicine preparation) camps are organised to train women in simple processing techniques for the treatment of common ailments. ADS also organises training programmes on herbal medicine for NGOs, Community Groups, Schools, etc. A dispensary and pharmacy have been set up on ADS campus for treatment of patients from nearby villages. The dispensary is managed by tribal vaidus. The pharmacy is engaged in processing of herbal medicines. A medicinal plants garden and nursery has been established on 20 acres of land in view of the unavailability of medicinal plants to people for health care needs. ADS has hence undertaken work on conservation and sustainable utilisation of medicinal plants. More than 450 medicinal plant species are growing in the garden. An ethno-medicinal herbarium, raw drug and seed museum have been established. Saplings of over 100 different medicinal plant species are raised and distributed every year. A number of visitors, mainly school/college students, medical students, Ayurvedic doctors, botanists, etc. visit the herbal garden throughout the year to learn about medicinal plants. ADS is engaged in building capacities of NGOs from other regions through training programmes on traditional medicine. A number of NGOs are now involved in meaningful work on traditional medicine and primary health care. The concept is gradually spreading to other areas.
ADS is engaged in promoting ecological agricultural practises amongst farmers in the tribal region of Karjat Taluka. Indiscriminate and widespread use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides by tribal farmers is a cause of concern. Efforts are being made to demonstrate the benefits of ecological agriculture. The importance of compost, vermicompost, green manures, etc. is being communicated to farmers. Demonstration and field trials are being organised. Another area of concern to ADS is the erosion in genetic diversity of food plants. Government policies to promote Green Revolution technologies have contributed to erosion in genetic diversity. Many traditional crop varieties cultivated by farmers have disappeared while many others are on their way out. The loss of genetic diversity is perhaps the gravest crisis facing agriculture since man began domesticating plants for food. Efforts are being made by ADS to promote conservation of traditional crop varieties. The ADS seed conservation initiative has been inspired and guided by the late Dr. R. H. Richharia. Over 500 traditional varieties of rice, millets, pulses, oilseeds, tubers/rhizomes and vegetables have been collected from the Konkan region of Maharashtra. These are maintained in a field gene bank and seed bank. Seeds/ planting material are distributed to farmers every year. Training programmes on seed conservation are organised for farmers and NGOs in efforts to encourage replication of the work in other regions. ADS has, as a matter of fact, facilitated a network of NGOs based in different parts of Maharashtra on the issue of seed conservation. Some of the network partners have been able to do meaningful work on conservation issues. For instance, a Parbhani-based NGO has documented the status of traditional crop varieties and agricultural practises in Parbhani District through biodiversity competitions in schools. ADS is a member of SANFEC (South Asia Network for Food, Ecology and Culture) - a Bangladesh-based network of NGOs with members in Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. SANFEC members are advocating and promoting food sovereignty of local communities through land rights, alternative PDS, ecological agriculture and agro-biodiversity conservation. ADS is co-ordinating a research study on Economics of Mixed Cropping Systems in different parts of India.
Poverty and backwardness are major issues confronting tribal communities in Raigad and Thane districts of Maharashtra. Basic needs like adequate food, proper shelter, education, primary health care, etc. are beyond the reach of a large number of people. There are no sources of employment in the region with a result that a majority of tribals are poor and fully dependent on land (agriculture and/or forests) for their survival. Situation of the landless is worse. Agriculture in the region is subsistence based and consists of rice cultivation on low lands and millets on gentle slopes. On an average, agricultural produce supports partial food needs of families for not more than 5-6 months in a year. Forests provide game, fish, crabs, fruits & nuts, wild vegetables, tubers & rhizomes, honey, etc. to the tribals for their food needs but widespread deforestation in recent years has reduced the availability of these uncultivated foods. Deforestation has disturbed the subsistence economy of tribals and they have been forced to look out for alternative sources of livelihood. Gainful employment within the region can prevent migration to cities besides improving the standard of living of local communities. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of employment opportunities in the region with a result that some people periodically migrate to other regions in search of work, some stay back but resort to ?destructive? employment (tree felling, etc.), while a majority remains unemployed and poor. A need is thus felt to generate meaningful and environment-friendly sources of employment for tribal communities in the region.
Tribal regions are endowed with a wide variety of fruits and other Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). Semi-processing and processing of fruits and other NTFPs can provide gainful employment to tribals. With this in mind, ADS has established a food processing unit with a production capacity of 50 tonnes per annum. Fruits (karvanda, mango, amla and jamun) and cereals (Nachni, Ragi or finger millet) are processed into products like pickles, jams, squashes, chutney, murabba, candy, satva, malt, etc. The unit provides fulltime employment to 15 tribal women and youth. It also provides seasonal employment to tribal women through collection of fruits and work in the unit during peak seasons. Nachni satva and Nachni malt can play an important role in addressing malnutrition related issues amongst small children. ADS is creating awareness about the need for increased use of Nachni in the diets of pregnant women and small children. The food processing unit has done innovative work in developing and standardising several food products. The enterprise demonstrates benefits of standing forests and encourages growing of fruit trees on barren, sloping lands.
The Academy has established a rural technology workshop to impart training to tribal youth and women in various technical skills like carpentry, bamboo, cane and construction technology. The workshop has been registered as an independent co-operative society. The co-operative provides fulltime employment to about 20 tribal persons. A bamboo resource centre has been established to develop various marketable products from bamboo and to train tribal people in bamboo craft in efforts to generate employment for forest dwelling communities. The centre has developed a wide range of bamboo products. More than 50 people have been given training in advanced skills. The centre is promoting plantation of bamboo on barren lands.
Tribal regions of Raigad and Thane have witnessed severe degradation of natural resources over the past 20-30 years. Alienation of tribals from forests and illegal tree felling by vested interests are perhaps the major reasons. A degraded environment offers little potential for livelihood opportunities. Realising linkages between the natural resource base of the region and improved livelihood opportunities to local people, ADS is implementing a Watershed Development Programme some of the tribal villages. Village Watershed Committees are responsible for planning, implementation and monitoring of the programme. The programme involves awareness generation, capacity building, community mobilisation followed by soil/water conservation work, tree plantation, social development, employment generation, etc. ADS is also trying to address issues of forest conservation. Efforts are being made to create awareness about the importance of forests. Saplings of native tree species are raised in nurseries and distributed to farmers. The distress sale of private forests by local tribals to forest contractors is prevented through the creation of a forest conservation fund. Cash loans are given to farmers who are considering sale of their private forests for meeting emergency cash needs. Farmers are expected to repay the money over a period of 4-5 years and, in return, undertake to protect their forests.
ADS promotes growing of fruit trees on barren/ sloping lands of small & marginal farmers. About 40 fruit trees and 500 other trees are planted on one-acre of land. The choice of species is such that they serve diverse day-to-day needs for fuelwood, fodder, small timber, etc. Fruits make an important contribution to the nutrition of poor families apart from providing additional income. Fruit tree orchards have so far been set up on 200 acres of barren land. A major constraint in promoting growing of fruit trees in tribal regions of Raigad and Thane Districts is unavailability of authentic planting material (saplings and grafts) of different fruit tree varieties. Academy is trying to address this problem by setting up a Community Genepark and Nursery of fruit trees and bamboos suited to the region. Different varieties of Mango, Jackfruit, Cashew, Jamun, Amla, Guava, Chikoo, Karvanda and Bamboo species have been planted in the Genepark and these are being used to raise grafts and saplings for distribution to farmers in tribal regions. Academy also promotes decentralised village-level nurseries owned and managed by local farmers, mainly widows. The nurseries are a source of employment to the poor women. The nurseries serve as a source of saplings/ grafts for various plantation programmes undertaken in the region.
Lack of food security is a major problem for tribal communities in Raigad and Thane Districts. There are periodic reports of severe malnutrition and starvation related deaths of small children in Thane, Raigad and many other tribal regions of the state. Livelihoods of tribals are woven around hunting/gathering and subsistence farming. Forest produce plays an important role in the food security of tribals. However, large-scale deforestation has resulted in depletion of forest resources and this has had an adverse impact on the livelihoods of tribals. Food grain yields from subsistence-based farming are not enough to meet the food needs of the family for the whole year. The periodic cycle of food grain shortages represents the "lean period" or "lean season" for tribal families. This is a period of starvation and hardships for tribals. Tribals have been borrowing food grains from sahukars or moneylenders to tide over the food scarcity. The moneylenders charge an exorbitant interest rate on the grain loan and force tribals to work on their fields as bonded labour. The fields of tribal people get neglected in the process; resulting in lower yields, further marginalisation and a continuing cycle of exploitation. Deeply concerned about these issues, ADS began looking for viable alternatives to meet the food needs of poor families during the lean season.
Grain Banks were considered as one of the possibilities to address food security concerns in tribal regions. Grain Banks are village-level institutions, which ensure availability of food grains to members during the lean period. ADS initiated the Grain Bank Programme in 4 tribal hamlets during 1987. By 2004, ADS has established over 160 grain banks in villages of Raigad and Thane Districts. Grain Banks have promoted food security amongst small & marginal farmers and have reduced their dependence on moneylenders. ADS provides the initial grain loan and entrusts management of the grain bank to a Village Panch Committee consisting of village elders. Each grain bank achieves self-reliance by repaying the grain loan to ADS over a period of four years. The grain bank is fully self-reliant from the fifth year onwards. Details about the implementation of the Grain Bank programme and its impact in villages have been given in a small booklet published by ADS. Copy of the booklet is being sent by post. The Government of Maharashtra was highly impressed by the success of the ADS Grain Bank programme and it has taken up replication of the Grain Bank programme in all tribal regions of Maharashtra through the Navsanjivan Yojana, which is aimed at reducing malnutrition and starvation in tribal regions. However, the Government Grain Bank Programme has turned out to be a failure due to faulty design and poor implementation. ADS has pointed out the weaknesses of the programme to Government officials in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, New Delhi, in efforts to bring about fundamental, pro-people changes in the programme. ADS has also facilitated a network of NGOs in Maharashtra for setting up grain banks in different regions. ADS organises training and capacity building programmes on food security for NGOs. Grain Banks are now slowly taking shape in different parts of Maharashtra. ADS efforts to set up Grain Banks, to facilitate replication through other NGOs and to influence Government's policy on food security are thus paying rich dividends. The ADS Grain Bank programme is acknowledged as a successful and innovative food security intervention.
ADS has undertaken a study on uncultivated foods consumed by tribal communities in Raigad District in efforts to understand the role of uncultivated foods in the food security of poor families. The study has revealed amazing facts: over 100 different foods (vegetables, fruits, tubers/rhizomes, fish, crabs, etc.) are consumed by tribals throughout the year. The hunting/gathering of these wild foods calls for specialised skills and understanding of nature and natural processes. The foods, their recipes and collection methods are closely linked to social, cultural and religious aspects of tribal groups. Uncultivated foods meet between 40-50 % food needs of poor tribal families, particularly during stress periods. Women are mainly involved in the gathering, processing, preservation and cooking of uncultivated foods. Uncultivated foods thus play an extremely important role not only in food security but also in nutritional security by enhancing the diversity of tribal diets. The valuable knowledge about diverse uncultivated foods is gradually disappearing as the younger generation fails to learn about these survival skills in their pursuit of "formal" education through 'schools'. Efforts need to be made to document and disseminate knowledge about uncultivated foods to the younger generation.
Academy has set up a formal school. In addition to conventional subjects, children are taught skills like bamboo work, nursery/grafting techniques, etc. The aim is to give enough opportunities and freedom to the children to learn and to develop their own interest and also to generate in them an understanding and love for nature. The school strives to make education a meaningful and joyful experience for children. It is expected that over the years, the school will extend its responsibility and create a centre for training teachers in activity based teaching, science education and rural technology.
ADS is engaged in addressing issues of women's empowerment in villages of Karjat and Murbad Takuka. Efforts are being made to establish Self-Help Groups (SHGs) of women to collectively address problems faced by tribal families and to seek active participation of women in village development activities. Awareness programmes are organised on Panchayati Raj for increased participation of women in Gram sabhas. 100 SHGs have been set up so far. Apart from participation in development issues, women are engaged in savings & credit programmes through which they seek assistance to meet emergency cash needs. Women have sorted out issues of drinking water, electricity connections, roads, etc. and are taking active part in cleanliness drives in villages.
The issue of land ownership assumes critical importance today given the widespread land alienation in tribal regions by ever-expanding cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, etc. and the increasing reliance of poor tribal farmers on land for their livelihoods. This is particularly true in the case of Katkari people who are confronted with insecurity of tenures and livelihoods. The sources of livelihood for the poor in tribal regions are undergoing a radical shift from forests-agriculture-wage labour to wage labour-agriculture-forests. Land ownership and gainful livelihoods through land are thus important issues in the fight against poverty in tribal regions. As forests dwindle and the poor are forced to part with their land, the only option they have to survive in this unequal world is to end up in the slums of Mumbai. Over the past 15 years the landscape in Karjat Tribal Block has changed considerably from semi-forested and primarily agricultural to one where lavish farm houses and health resorts dominate with barbed wire fences across vast tracts of land. Hordes of city people are seen pouring into the region on weekends in fancy cars to ?unwind? and to rejoice. In the process, the local tribal people and their cattle have lost their traditional footpaths, grazing grounds, lands and livelihoods. ADS has taken up work on land rights as part of the larger work with the Katkari community. Land issues related to ceiling lands, unregistered tenants, forest encroachments, Gaothan/ Gharthan, registration of legal heir, encroachments,? Dalli/ Eksali lands, etc. are being addressed through awareness programmes, legal assistance, follow up with government departments at various levels, posing questions in the Legislative Assembly and by filing Writ Petitions in the High Court. ADS efforts have enabled a number of poor tribal families to gain/retain legal ownership of agricultural land.
Katkari, Kathkari or Kathodi is one of the three 'Primitive Tribal Groups' in Maharashtra along with Madhia Gond and Kolam. Katkari are socially and economically on the lowest rungs of the development ladder. Most of the families are caught up in a vicious cycle of poverty, indebtedness and bonded labour. They are generally landless and depend on labour for their livelihood. Most of the families (men, women and children) work as bonded labour on brick kilns. Life on brick kilns is harsh and exploitative. Government programmes fail to reach the Katkari. ADS has taken up a comprehensive development programme for the Katkari community in collaboration with NGOs and individuals in Raigad and Thane Districts. ADS is assisting Katkari families to gain legal ownership of agricultural land and motivating them to turn towards agriculture for their livelihood.