Communitys Capacity to cope with Flood (Experience of GEAG in flood prone area of Eastern UP )
The Purvanchal or eastern Uttar Pradesh covers about 39 percent area of the state which has agriculture as a major source of livelihood. Flood is annual calamity of the region. The soil is very fertile as the area is situated amidst the plains of north east and Himalayan Terai which has a network of Mountain Rivers. The unpredictable nature of the river flow makes most of the area vulnerable for floods.
Due to environmental imbalance in past few years the flood has become more frequent. The global climate change is also reflecting here. The threat of hazards in the region is increasing due change in the monsoon cycle resulting in drought and water-logging. The imbalance is such that heavy downpour in a short period brings flash floods, causing water logging and destroys Rabi crops while; on the other hand, insufficient rain perishes Kharif crops.
The livelihood and food security of the region is endangered due to increased flood frequency and natural imbalance. This adversely affects production and productivity. This further culminates into the migration of the population, increased unemployment and also increase in the calamity. Not only this, the imbalance is affecting the life of females also. While the male population migrates it leaves behind the huge burden of looking after the land and other immovable on the shoulder of women. This makes them more vulnerable towards malnutrition and they fall prey to various diseases.
How the community is coping with?
Community always accustom with nature in order to deal with calamities. The knowledge and adaptive strategies of the local community to deal with calamities is worth-praising. The people of this region have accustomed themselves with the calamity by adopting appropriate agriculture techniques and strategies. The flood has badly hit the agriculture-based rural economy of the region. Despite this, the local knowledge and resilience of the community has helped them to cope up with hazards. However, in spite of immense potential such practices and local knowledge was confined to very limited area and known to very few people. Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG), a state level resource organization, felt the need of identifying and documenting such indigenous knowledge of community in order to develop a pool of potential livelihood practices within the region. The organization, with the help of 20 local voluntary organizations conducted a research in 7 most flood affected districts. It had found that the farmers in these districts were not only coping up the situation by changing the agricultural techniques, land and water management and preparedness activities, but they were also engaged in innovative practices of advocacy with stake holders. More than 100 practices related to agricultural livelihood adaptation and preparedness strategies were documented by GEAG and partners and propagated in the entire region to make people aware on such knowledge. Some identified practices, in brief, are as follows-
- Turanta (early variety): Turanta is also an early variety of paddy. It can also tolerate conditions of drought and flood but its seeds are not readily available. It is not useful for heavily waterlogged areas as its plants are very small.
- Maize It can be used as cash crop after losses due to flood. It can be consumed in many ways apart from as fodder. The crop season is from April to June and requires low input. It is reaped before the onset of floods so the crop loss is negligible.
- Musk : It can be implanted in the low lying areas near the rivers, where the silt is deposited after receding of flood water. The sandy land near the river is otherwise useless and no crop can be taken on this land. The protection of crop from stray cattle is important because there is no fodder for them after floods.
- Narendra 97 (Early variety of paddy): Narendra 97 grows in 90 to 100 days. As the variety is less sensitive to the sunlight, can tolerate the scorching heat of May-June and demand less water.
- Barseem : It grows in marshy land which is abundant during floods. This gives dual benefit the otherwise waste land is utilized and the scarcity of fodder can be avoided.
- Trapa Cultivation- Trapa, usually called Singharah, is cultivated in stagnant waters. It has religious value as it is mainly eaten on fasting occasion, festivals, etc. In some districts of UP, people often cultivate this crop in lakes and water logged areas.
- Desariya Paddy- It is hardy, traditional variety of paddy that grows on clayey soil and is able to withstand high water inundation for as long as six months as well as drought like condition. It can withstand even with 10 ft water inundation.
After floods:
1. Kulthi (with Practice and Interview): Kulthi is a pulse crop. Its a creeping plant like Moong and Urad. It does not need plenty of water or manure and not even any care. Kulthi can be grown on infertile land. It gives high yield. It has medicinal properties and beneficial in curing kidney stone.
2. Boro Paddy (with Practice and Interview): It is not possible to take most of Rabi crops on low-lying land. But weather resistant Boro paddy can be grown on these lands. Despite requiring high labour, it is high yielding variety that can be grown in standing water.
3. Arkil Peas- Arkil peas grow well in the fields where floods affect the paddy crops. It does not only provide food (both green and dried/preserved for times of scarcity) but also the income. It is a fast growing variety.
- Duck rearing -Apart from agriculture other agro-based activities like duck rearing is also a means of income generation. It help minimizing the losses due to flood. The farmers are also adopting plantation and storage of fodder as an effective technique.
- Grain Bank- The innovative practice of grain bank is being adopted at the community level. It gives food security as well as help in coping with the scarcity of seeds. The practice is being particularly adopted by the women farmer. This effectively minimizes the damage due to floods and other calamities.
- Land and water management- Apart from these, many efforts have been made other than agriculture like land and water management, calamity preparedness, and advocacy on public issues. These efforts are worth-knowing as they give inspiration for integrated development and to use local knowledge. Preventing soil erosion, participatory sand casting from the field, improving old drainage structures and constructing new ones are some of the examples at community levels that prove their efficiency to mitigate the disaster impact.