MP's Baiga Tribe: Protectors of Millet Crops

 

 

The farming practices of the Baigas, an indigenous tribe in India, have made a significant contribution to the conservation of millet crops, increasingly recognized as crucial in the context of global climate change. This forest-dwelling community has developed an exceptionally diverse farming system, cultivating over fifty varieties of millet and pulses on their lands. Renowned for their long standing agricultural traditions, the Baigas employ the most diversified farming practices observed among any community in India.

Ethnologist Naresh Biswas, who has extensively researched the tribal areas of Central India, specifically among the Baigas, noted that Baiga farmers commonly cultivate up to 52 varieties of millet crops concurrently on their agricultural lands. He emphasized that these millet varieties are predominantly grown in the Baiga-dominated regions of Dindori, Mandla, and Balaghat districts in Madhya Pradesh.

Kodo and Kutki millets are fundamental to the Baiga diet, akin to rice and roti for urban dwellers, as noted by Shivalik Biswas, a filmmaking fellow interviewed by this newspaper. Each type of millet matures at a different rate, leading to varied harvesting times. Baiga farmers sow their crops between June and July, typically completing the harvest by September. Biswas produced a documentary that highlights the life of Phuljhari Bai, a Baiga woman who established a millet seed bank in Gaura Kanhari village near Kanha National Park in Dindori district.

Leher Bai, from Silperia village in Dindori district, gained recognition when Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised her for establishing a millet seed bank in her modest one-room house. Similarly, another Baiga woman named Phuljharia Bai has also initiated a millet seed bank in her own village.

The documentary is scheduled to premiere at the upcoming two-day tribal film festival organized by the Central India Green Hub, starting this Saturday. Dr. D.G.K. Gotu, Director of Research Services at Jawaharlal Nehru Agriculture University in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, underscored a crucial aspect of the tribe's farming culture: the tradition of sharing millet seeds during the sowing season. This practice has played a pivotal role in preserving a wide range of millet varieties over generations. Particularly noteworthy is the initiative taken by Baiga women, who have established seed banks in their homes to ensure the conservation of millet seeds.

"It's no surprise that coarse grains have become integral to Baiga culture, playing a crucial role in their wedding rituals, festivals, and leaving a profound mark on their folk songs. A Baiga folk song vividly portrays this cultural significance: 'Kutaki kutela barik dana, ragelin moriya jo bhar re, kon bhauji kute sanva hareni, kon bhauji kute sanva raseni...' which loosely translates to English as 'When a guest visits a Baiga family, he first asks which brother-in-law is pounding the little millet'.

 

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