Carrying her five-month-old baby girl, 35-year-old Kilo Rasmu of the Kondh tribe vigilantly guards her small piece of land situated between a hill range and a dense forest on the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border.
Despite the frequent rain making it uncomfortable for her baby, she diligently protects the paddy seeds sown on her family’s land from birds, a routine that began with the kharif season this year.
In Mettagudem village, located in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district, every Kondh woman is entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding the paddy seeds until they germinate, a duty that lasts for at least two weeks.
The cultivation method in these hilly areas involves direct sowing, contrasting the sapling planting typically done in plain regions. Ms. Rasmu recounts her struggles, having lost her only son to health complications years ago and now raising her two daughters. She manages three separate landholdings near their village, exclusively focused on protecting the seeds from birds. “All I can do is guard the seeds,” she explains, nursing her baby under an umbrella as it drizzles.
Mettagudem village comprises families from the Kondh and Porja tribes. The Kondh households generally own small landholdings of under 20 cents each. Several decades back, these families transformed the forest into arable land, migrating internally from Araku Valley in search of agricultural opportunities along the Sileru River.
Since the 1970s, many more settlements emerged along the river as tribes relocated due to work opportunities in hydroelectric projects. The Y. Ramavaram mandal is recognized as a region affected by Left-Wing Extremism, associated with illicit ganja cultivation and trade according to local police records.
Every day, Ms. Rasmu patrols the three landholdings until sunset, utilizing various techniques to scare away the birds. “We guard our seeds throughout the day,” she emphasizes.
During the kharif season, it is the Kondh women who are responsible for both sowing and safeguarding the seeds until germination occurs, which typically takes about a month. They also tend to the saplings for an additional two weeks. Young Kilo Anu, 17, collaborates with her mother Kilo Birma to monitor their three landholdings, ensuring attention is divided amongst all fields, especially when one of them takes time away for meals.
The commitment observed among Kondh women extends to safeguarding neighbors’ fields during their emergencies. It is common to see these women guarding their paddy fields alongside their children at this crucial time.
“Paddy is our main food crop and we cultivate it solely to meet our hunger needs,” reveals Kilo Sabita, who oversees seven landholdings. “We refrain from fertilizers and pesticides, and no family in our village sells their paddy harvest.” Alongside paddy, they also cultivate millets and vegetables, preserving seeds through traditional methods. Despite their agricultural progress, many Kondh families still live in mud-walled houses, a testament to their enduring lifestyle.
Mettagudem is home to 24 families—20 from the Kondh tribe and four from the Porja. The village’s population hovers around a hundred, with approximately 20 acres dedicated to paddy cultivation.
Innovative Irrigation Techniques
The Kondh tribe has implemented ‘step farming’ methods to capture and manage rainwater for irrigation, given the lack of robust irrigation infrastructure in the forest-covered terrain. This age-old technique has been mastered by tribes in the Araku Valley over generations.
Their fields are situated between dense forests and hills, allowing rainwater to navigate smoothly through the converted agricultural land. “We construct embankments from stone boulders sourced from nearby streams to prevent heavy rainfall erosion and facilitate efficient irrigation,” explains Ms. Kilo Anu.
Each plot is slightly lower than the next, ensuring effective water distribution. Small drainage channels run through each landholding to direct excess rainwater away once irrigation is achieved. The cultivated lands connect to nearby waterfalls or streams, enhancing irrigation efficiency.
Consistent Water Supply
According to Ms. Rasmu, “We don’t need to store rainwater as we benefit from a continuous supply. However, during summer, the inflow decreases, prompting us to focus on crops that require less water, like maize.”
Kondh women play a crucial role in irrigation management, working alongside one another while discussing village issues, agricultural challenges, and family matters. Unlike other tribes, the Kondhs lead a strictly vegetarian lifestyle, remaining devoted to their agricultural practices and innovations.
Prominent for their unique jewelry, including gold nose rings worn by all Kondh women, these ornaments reflect family prosperity and personal taste. Over the years, the Kondhs have migrated to areas along the Godavari, Sabari, and Sileru rivers, thriving in agriculture and cattle rearing.
Organic Turmeric Cultivation
Distinct from other tribes that have relocated from different regions, the Kondhs focus solely on agricultural activities, particularly excelling in organic turmeric cultivation in the Godavari Valley. They often enter into land tenancy agreements with other tribe members to enhance their turmeric production.
Turmeric serves as a vital source of income, allowing them to fulfill essential financial needs, including healthcare and savings. Notably, the Kondh tribe’s reliance on local markets for food supplies is lower compared to tribes like the Koyas and Konda Reddis, who rely heavily on market purchases. Nevertheless, they actively participate in weekly markets to sell their turmeric produce.
