Brief Report on Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)

conducted at Benakanakatti

An effort was made to understand the status of millet cultivation, the extent of utility of the

minor millets now and three decades earlier by the rural community n in the village Benakatti of

Dharwad district through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). A team (annexure 1) headed by

Dr. Prakash Bhat interacted with the residents of Benakatti village for three non consecutive

days on 2nd, 15th and 29th September, 2012. The head master of the high school of Benakatti

was kind enough to provide space for us to conduct this important exercise. The details on the

outcomes of these valuable discussions are narrated here below.

Discussions held on first day (2nd September, 2012):

During the discussions, a group of 9 men and 10 women from the village (annexure 2) were

present for interaction with the team. This group of 19 consisted mainly of the farmers and

farm women. Mr. Anand Chougula, the field officer. SCOPE welcomed the gathering and Dr.

Prakash Bhat set the context by explaining about millets and the purpose of the team’s visit to

the village.

The participants shared the following information.

Crops grown:

In Benakatti, paddy is the main crop since this village is almost on the border of the malnad

belt. Cowpea, Sunflower, Mung, Soybean and Jowar occupy the subsequent positions on the

Benakatti farmers’ fields.

Millets grown:

The participants were shown the photographs of the millet crops – Jowar, Ragi, Bajra, Savi

(little millet), Navane (foxtail millet). The participants informed the team that these were part of

their agriculture but said they never grew the other two – Haraka (Kodo millet) and Baragu

(Proso millet) even before three decades. They were then requested to rank the cultivation of

millets 25 years back. Jowar, Ragi, Navane, Bajra and Savi were the millets that occupied the

1st to 5th rank respectively.

Millets consumed and recipes:

They consumed jowar, ragi, savi, navane, bajra in that order which means that they the crops

thar grew more were consumed more.

Varieties, yield and marketing:

i) Jowar: Local varieties were grown earlier. Nandyal white (Biligoni) and Nandyal

black (Karigoni), Gattibeeja were predominantly cultivated. During Kharif, Neerajola

variety was mixed with ground nut. While Nandyal and Gattibeeja were of 5-6

months duration, Neerajola was harvested in 3 months. At present jowar occupies

around 25% of the total cultivated area. Chowri variety of Jowar was invariably used

to prepare corns. Now hybrid jowar dominates the farms. Farmers shared that over

the last two decades the extent of hybrid jowar cultivation rose slowly.

Jowar was consumed more and sold less. It was sold only when it was cultivated

more. This happened more often in kharif only. Villagers exchanged jowar with other

crop produces and materials.

ii) Ragi: White ragi (Dundu ragi) and red ragi were grown 25 years back. Ragi survived

even if a couple rains failed. Farmers never sold ragi, which was used only for self

consumption

iii) Savi: Kari savi and Mallige savi were grown. Since last six years, the participants

said, savi is not being grown. Savi yielded on an average 10 quintals per acre. The

growers consumed it and never sold it.

iv) Navane: Halu Navane and Hurupalu navane varieties were being cultivated. The

former is white in colour and has no hairs on it where as the latter has hard grains

and has hairs.

v) Bajra: Local bajra varieties were being cultivated which were slowly displaced by

the hybrids albeit partially. Some aged farmers said they had also seen red bajra and

white bajra types being cultivated.

Recipes:

i) Jowar:

The recipes they prepared 25 years back from jowar were roti, nuchchu (bits),

ambali (porridge), Bana (bits mixed with curds or butter milk and then cooked),

Kichdi, balls, Chakli, Sandige, Vada, sweet cake (kadubu), etc. They consumed the

tender stalks of jowar just like the sugarcane. Also the tender grains of jowar on the

earhead were separated and the burnt tender grains were consumed as Sihitene or

belasi. The grains were soaked and seasoned and the vegetable called usali was

consumed. During drought. Most of these recipes find place in today’s diet as well

despite jowar is not being cultivated to the extent it was 25 years back.The villagers

consumed jowar and ragi porridge.

ii) Ragi: Ragi rotis, sweet cakes, ragi balls, porridge and ganji (pudding) were

consumed. Right now, ragi porridge has remained as a part of their diet to a larger

extent than the other recipes. It is invariably fed to the babies even now.

iii) Savi: Villagers consumed idli, savi rice, uppittu, rotis. They believed that savi rice

gave lot of strength and if consumed ensured people did not feel hungry for long

time. Savi was ground and pounded and then mixed with rice, milk and jaggery and

sweet pudding (payasa) was prepared.

iv) Navane: Navane rice, hurakki holige, chakli, uppittu, laddu were prepared. Now

laddus are prepared from rice flour. Also navane floor was mixed in milk whole

preparing cheese.

v) Bajra: Rotis, Kichdi, Bana are prepared

Millets as fodder:

Fodder:

i) Jowar: Especially, the Nandyal variety of jowar was fed to the cattle.

ii) Ragi: Eldest participant farmers said they used to feed the cattle with ragi bran only

during summer and not during rainy season since the cattle found it hard to grind

the fodder in the latter season.

iii) Savi: In fact the cattle liked savi fodder more than ragi or jowar. Savi was used to

cover the fodder stack since it did not hold rain water and drained off, thus

protecting the fodder within.

iv) Navane: Navane fodder was fed to the cattle 25 years back. Now since its

cultivation is almost scarce, fodder is also not available. Navane, lie in many other

villages is a medicine for cough (kirunalige). The bone fractures are also treated by

using navane. Navane flour mixed with cactus milk is pasted on the fractured part of

patient’s body. The patients were offered navane recipes more to facilitate quick

healing. The elder participants in the group were not so happy when they shared

that the youngsters of the village go straight to the clinics for treatment now a days

and that they seldom listen to the elders’ advices. An interesting practice was

shared which is seen during Deepavali festival. The navane plants are burnt and the

cattle are made to walk on the burning plants. People believe that this brings good

health for the cattle and prosperity to the family.

v) Bajra: The fodder was fed to the cattle 25 years back before they were milked. The

cattle were also fed bajra boiled in water for 15 consecutive days after they deliver

calf. This practice increased the milk yield. Thus we came to know that the farmers

knew bajra was a galactogogue. Now since bajra is not at all grown, all the above

are not seen to be practiced.

Festivals, religious and other special occasions:

i) Jowar: Jowar stalks were also part of the pooja materials. The earheads of jowar

were tied to the festoons (torana).during the Mahanavami festival. The seed drills

were worshipped using jowar sweet cakes. During another important festival, Naga

Panchami, the jowar corn were prepared and consumed. During especially the

naming ceremony, the soaked jowar grains were cooked and consumed as Guggari.

Also during marriages jowar occupies an important place, where the women poured

the grains into the pouch made by other women by folding their saree at waist

height which is locally called ‘Udi Tumbuvudu’. During marriages, the villagers had a

ritual called ‘haasakki hoyyuvudu’, in which, joear grains will be showered upon the

bride and the bride groom who will be seated on a blanket (made of sheep wool).

Jowar along with maize and paddy are important grains used during Dasara festival.

During Deepavali, the villagers prepare a small nest like structure using the leaves of

jowar and other crops and keep a lamp inside and then visit 5 houses to perform

Arati at their houses to the God. From Sheege Hunnime (Full moon day) to

Amavasya (new moon day) they also worship the cattle using this.

During Dasara, 5 types of seedlings are grown even now – maize, jowar, wheat,

bajra,Navane – which suggests that out of the five, 3 were and are millets.

ii) Navane: During Sheege Hunnime and Kanahabba, the villagers prepare sweet

pudding using navane which is popularly called Hurakki Holige. For preparing this

recipe they used hurupalu variety of navane. This practice is found to be existent

even now. People buy navane to prepare this recipe if they don’t have it.

Medicinal uses:

i) Jowar: The patients suffering from jaundice were usually given sorghum bits

(nuchchu) along with buttermilk. This practice is prevalent even now. In case of

injuries, only recipes of jowar are given even now. Even during difficult deliveries,

jowar roti , kichdi are given to the women along with little wheat avoiding rice

totally.

ii) Ragi: Ragi was consumed when people suffered from loose motion or dysentery.

iii) Navane: Navane was fed to the cattle during calving. Boiled navane when

administered helped easy discharge of the placenta.

iv) Bajra: Despite farmers not growing bajra now, they nevertheless have continued

the old practice of preparing bajra rotis during the Sankranti festival. Bajra rotis are

invariable part of the festival.

Other uses:

i) Jowar: The jowar plants were also used for pandals during festive occasions. They

were also used for thatching. The stalks and the residual part of the plant including

roots of jowar were used as fuel. Interestingly, the pith inside the stalk of jowar was

used to prepare toys like bullock cart, etc. Jowar was stacked at the bottom of the

underground storage tanks to control moisture within. Of course the jowar plant

parts were also used as raw materials for composting. An interesting practice also

prevailed where in immediately after sowing operations concluded, the jowar

Guggari was fed to the bullocks.

ii) Ragi plant residues were used for manuring.

Millets vs. Pest and diseases:

Jowar: Jowar in this village has been attacked by smut and leaf curl diseases.

Millets in Mixed /Intercropping:

i) Jowar: Benakatti farmers have been growing jowar mixed with tur, mung, matki,

cowpea, horse gram, niger and in rare cases with navane.

ii) Ragi: Ragi was never grown mixed with any other crop. It was grown on the

border of paddy fields after the paddy was harvested. Ragi was grown usually on the

hakkala lands where water never stagnated. The farmers harvested maximum of 2

to 3 quintals of ragi from an acre.

The participants drew pie charts to depict the pattern of utility of millets now compared to the

situation 25 years back.

From the charts they drew, it was evident that paddy has found more area than two and half

decades back. Excepting jowar, all the other millets have taken the beating. Jowar too appears

now on a reduced area. Farmers have almost stopped cultivating bajra. Savi is also on the way

of disappearing from the farmers’ fields. There are clear and threatening signs that unless

serious efforts are done, millets may soon disappear totally from the farmers’ fields. While the

millets remain a part of several religious celebrations / formalities, the farmers rather purchase

the millets but do not grow them.

Cultivation percent NOW Paddy

Jowar

Wheat

Ragi

Navane

Savi

Bajra

Cultivation percent 25

Years back Paddy

Jowar

Wheat

Ragi

Navane

Savi

Bajra

Annexure 1. List of the team which conducted the PRA

1. Dr. Prakash Bhat

2. Mr. Shivaraj Hungund

3. Ms. Vani Purohit

4. Mr. Umesh Chinchani

5. WatSan fellows (four in number)

Annexure 2 List of participants 1st day PRA

Sl.No. Name Gender Age Occupation

1 S G Rayatappa Male 48 Teacher

2 Gangappa N. Dasanakoppa Male 60 Agricultural labourer

3 Kenchappa D Devarahalli Male 70 Farmer

4 Mallayya S Pujar Male 63 Agricultural labourer

5 Basalingayya Male 80 Agricultural labourer

6 Basappa Kuruvinakoppa Male 64 Agricultural labourer

7 Banigayya Male 70 Agricultural labourer

8 Shivayya Male 77 Agricultural labourer

9 Rasayya Male 68 Agricultural labourer

10 Yallavva Female 60 Agricultural labourer

11 Ningavva Female 60 Agricultural labourer

12 Gutyama Female 70 Agricultural labourer

13 Basavva Female 45 Agricultural labourer

14 Savakka Female 60 Agricultural labourer

15 Neelavva Female 50 Agricultural labourer

16 Mallavva Kuruvinakoppa Female 54 Agricultural labourer

17 Shantavva Female 55 Agricultural labourer

18 Iravva Yaragambalimath Female 50 Agricultural labourer

19 Ulavva Yaragambalimath Female 57 Agricultural labourer

Discussions held on Second day (15th September, 2012):

The PRA for the second time was organised at Benakatti on 15th September, 2012. Seven male

and 11 female participants from the village shared their valuable knowledge. (Annexure) The

team that facilitated the first day PRA remained the same. While the first day of the PRA

reflected upon the cultivation pattern solely, this PRA, in addition to this aspect, also intended

to know the utility pattern of the five millets that find place in the village – Jowar, Ragi, Navane,

bajra and Savi. They put score 1 for the least / lowest and 5 for the best / highest. Totally

seven parameters were decided to be rated by the participants viz. millet as a part of mixed

cropping/intercropping, cultivation, as food, fodder, medicine and taste. At the end of the

exercise, they finally arrived at the total scores based upon which rankings were given to all

these millets.

Jowar: Out of the five millets that were grown in the village, jowar seemed to be the dominant

one. It is the only millet crop that has sustained its place even after two decades. The advent of

hybrid jowar and the market price that it enjoys might be the reasons for this trend. Hence the

farmers gave it 1st rank amongst the five millets that are being used by them. Increase in the

areas of cultivation of paddy is found to have eaten the space of millets especially the crops

other than jowar. Since the other millets are grown less, farmers seem to have been feeding

the cattle more jowar fodder than before. During the discussions, it was also found that 25

years back, jowar fodder was the most fed while today, it is replaced by paddy.

Ragi: The cultivation of ragi is on the decline. Hence the fodder that was used more to feed

the cattle is also being used less. It certainly is being consumed now but not to the extent that

it was 25 years back. While ragi ranked third 25 years back, the farmers gave it 2nd rank and

thus ragi has overtaken navane now.

Navane: Since the use of navane is restricted to festivals and to some extent as medicine, it is

ranked 3rd now slipping one rank down. While use of navane 25 years back as medicine for

cough, bone fractures, etc was more 25 years back, the participants shared that now the youth

straight away approach doctors and clinics for treatment and hence we observe from the table

below that the medicinal use of navane also has decreased. Earlier, navane was consumed

more frequently but now it seems that the villagers prepare recipes of navane only during

festivals and hence as a food navane has got less marks compared to 25 years back.

Bajra: It was observed from the marks that the villagers gave to this crop, that there wasn’t

much difference in the marks they gave for the present status and for the earlier situation. (25

years back). It seems that if bajra finds at least some place in the millet matrix of this village, it

is only because of its use in festivals especially the sankranti. Looking to the trend, it appears

that villagers may start buying it totally from the market in the years to come.

Savi: Two and half decades back savi was being cultivated and hence its fodder was also

available for the villagers to feed their cattle. But now savi ceases to be cultivated and thus

there does not remain any question of its fodder. In earlier days, breakfast with savi recipes

like idli, Uppittu, payasam was very common but now, thanks to paddy being supplied

especially through PDS, savi breakfast has been bare minimum. One feels savi in this village

could be considered as endangered millet!

As for taste the villagers gave highest marks to Jowar followed by navane, savi getting the least

marks.

Before 25 Years

MILLETS

At Present

TOTAL

Taste Cultivat

ion

Medicinal use

Festivals

Fodder

Food

Mixed/Intercropping

Mixed

/Intercropping

Food

Fodder

Festivals

Medicinal use

Cultivation

Taste TOTAL

27 5 3 - 5 4 5 5 Jowar 5 5 5 5 - 5 5 30

12 2 4 - - 2 4 - Ragi - 3 1 - - 3 2 9

14 3 1 3 3 1 3 - Navane - 1 - 3 1 - 3 8

5 2 - - 1 - 2 - Bajra - 1 - 1 - - 2 4

9 1 2 - - 2 4 - Savi - 2 - - - - 1 3

67 Grand Total

Grand Total

54

RANKINGS: Jowar 2. Navane 3. Ragi 4. Savi 5. Bajra RANKINGS: 1. Jowar 2. Ragi 3. Navane 4. Bajra 5. Savi

0 10 20 30

Jowar

Ragi

Navane

Bajra

Savi

Pattern of millet useinBenakanakatti Now

Pattern of millet useinBenakanakatti 25years back

Annexure List of Participants 2nd day PRA

Sl.No. Name Gender Age Occupation

1. Mallayya S Pujar Male 63 Agricultural labourer

2. MahadevapppaDasankoppa Male 48 Farmer

3. RachayyaKuruvinkoppa Male 68 Farmer

4. Basalingayya Male 80 Agricultural labourer

5. BasappaKuruvinakoppa Male 64 Agricultural labourer

6. ShantammaKambar Female 55 Agricultural labourer

7. YallavvaMadivalvar Female 60 Agricultural labourer

8. NingavvaMadivalvar Female 60 Agricultural labourer

9. GutyavvaKuvunkoppa Female 70 Agricultural labourer

10. BasavvaKuruvinakoppa Female 45 Agricultural labourer

11. BassappaMadivalr Male 75 Agricultural labourer

12. NeelavvaKammar Female 50 Agricultural labourer

13. MallavvaKuruvinakoppa Female 54 Agricultural labourer

14. ShantavvaDharwad Female 55 Agricultural labourer

15. IravvaYaragambalimath Female 50 Agricultural labourer

16. UlavvaYaragambalimath Female 57 Agricultural labourer

17. GullavvaYergamblimatth Female 45 Agricultural labourer

18. DundayyaBellakkinmatt Male 70 Agricultural labourer

Discussions held on third day (29th September, 2012):

On the third day, 19 villagers (10 women and 9 men) as enlisted in annexure, shared valuable

information with the dam team led by Dr. Prakash Bhat. Most of them were the ones who

participated in the first two rounds of discussions. The information that the team gathered this

time pertained to mapping their village, soil and crop mapping and the festivals that are

celebrated season wise.

The participants first mapped their village on the floor of a temple. They mapped four tanks of

their village – Oora Kere, Goudara Kere, Revannavara Kere and Sakkarevvana Kere. Then they

went on to map the temple, roads, the two hillocks one to the east and another to the south as

well as the forest area. The uplands and low lands also appeared in the map.

The group of participants identified the following soil types in their village.

a. Red loam

b. Marginal soils

c. Sodic soils

d. Murom soils

During the appraisal, it came out that the total land in Benakanakatti was found to be about 1000 acres

out of which around 30 acres is occupied by tanks.

Soil types and existing mixed cropping systems:

The participants gave information on the millets and soils / areas on which they are grown.

In the upland red loams, they grow ragi, jowar, navane (foxtail millet) and savi (little millet). On

the marginal soils, jowar is sown. In the low lands, paddy is grown.

Festivals celebrated in the village:

Later the team sought to know the various festivals that are celebrated in the village and the

millets that are invariably a part of these festivals.

The participants listed the festivals, seasons and millets used as follows.

Season Festival/s

Chaitra masa (first month of the

Hindu year)

Ugadi, Navalu Hunnime

Vaishakha Basava Jayanti, Akshaya Tritiya

Jyeshtha Kara Hunnime

Ashadha Mannettina Amavasye, Haalu Hoyyo Amavasye

Shravana Nagara Panchami

Bhadrapada Ganesha Chaturthi, Mahanavami, Sheege Hunnime

Ashwayuja Navaratri, Ayudha Pooja, Dasara, Deepavali (Neeru Tumbuva

Habba, Shavige Habba, Amavasye and Padya, on which day,

Arati is done to mud statues of pandavas)

Kartika Kartika Amavasye, Gouri Hunnime

Margashira Hostilu Hunnime / Rande Hunnime, Ellu Amavasye

Pushya Sankramana, Banada Hunnime / Muttaide Hunnime

Magha Bharata Hunnime / Gudi Hunnime, Shivaratri Amavasye,

Phalguna Holi Hunnime

Recipes prepared during festivals:

Ugadi: Vermicelli, Sweet Pancake, Bhaji (Vada)

On all Amavasyas: Bele Kadubu (Dal sweet cake), Bhaji

Kara Hunnime: Sweet Cake (Kadabu), Sweet Pancake (Holige consumed with mango pulp)

Mannettina Amavasye: Fried Sweet Cake, Bhaji, Sajjaka (sweet recipe prepared from

wheat), Cucumber seeds

Nagara Panchami: Laddu (Tambittu) mostly prepared from wheat and gram and rarely from

Navane, Allittu (prepared from jowar pop flour)

During Shravana Masa: Almost every day, Huggi (wheat pudding) is prepared. On Mondays

in this month, villagers do not consume roti bread. But in other recipes prepared, millets do not

find any place.

Navaratri / Dasara: Seedlings of Navane, Rice, sorghum, Wheat and Maize are grown on a

small mud strip. Twenty five years ago, instead of maize, savi was being used.

Sheege Hunnime: Hurakki Holige (sweet pancake), Vade (made of sorghum and Bengal

gram)

Banada Hunnime: Sweet Cake, Huggi (sweet pudding made of wheat)

Sankramana: Bajra roti, Rice dosa, laddus of wheat and gram (Maadli laddu)

Deepavali: Sweet cake, vermicelli pudding. On padya, sweet pancake, Chakkuli made of rice

Other occasions:

Whenever a child is born, jowar Guggari (soaked jowar seeds) is prepared.

During deaths, like in other villages, navane seeds are used to be dropped while the

dead are taken for cremation.

For the ritual of Udi tumbuvudu (Women are offered some items by other women, which

they accept with part of their saree folded to create a shape of a small basket),

especially performed by the parents of the married woman, along with rice, jowar grains

are used.

Recipes prepared from millets in the village:

Jowar: Roti, Bana (Liquid prepared from pounded jowar), jowar bran, ambali(porridge), jowar

balls, sweet cake, bhaji, pop, Talipittu (roti prepared by baking after adding chilli powder,

coriander, etc), Kodubale (spicy ring shaped recipe fried in oil)

Ragi: Roti, porridge (ambali), sweet cake and ragi ball

Navane: Hurakki Holige (sweet pancake), Chakkuli and rice

Savi: Rice, Idli and Uppittu

Bajra: Roti, rice (fed to the cattle),

Annexure 1 List of Participants 3rd day PRA

Sl.No. Name Gender Age Occupation

1 Mallayya S Pujar Male 63 Agricultural labourer

2 Shivvaya Yaragambalimath Male 77 Agricultural labourer

3 Gangapppa Dasankoppa Male 60 Agricultural labourer

4 Gadagayya Yaragambalimath Male 60 Agricultural labourer

5 Gangappa Jodalli Male 60 Agricultural labourer

6 Shantavva Dharwad Female 62 Agricultural labourer

7 Basaningayya Narendra Male 80 Agricultural labourer

8 Basavanneppa Kuruvinakoppa Male 64 Agricultural labourer

9 Shantavva Kammar Female 55 Agricultural labourer

10 Yallavva Madivalvar Female 60 Agricultural labourer

11 Ningavva Madivalvar Female 60 Agricultural labourer

12 Guttevva Kurunkoppa Female 70 Agricultural labourer

13 Basavva Kurunakoppa Female 45 Agricultural labourer

14 Basappa Madivalar Male 75 Agricultural labourer

15 Neelavva Kammar Female 50 Agricultural labourer

16 Mallavva Kurnakoppa Female 54 Agricultural labourer

17 Savakka Walikar Female 55 Agricultural labourer

18 Uluvavva Yaragambalimath Female 57 Agricultural labourer

19 Dundayya Bellakkimath Male 70 Agricultural labourer