The resilient lot

Tribal farmers face same adversities which dog ryots of other regions, yet taking an extreme step is rare among them.

An Adivasi woman collecting the morripandu or charoli at Sivaguda near Jodeghat in Adilabad district. Photo: S. Harpal Singh

For a brief while, Pendur Somu, the Gond Patel of Jodeghat village, seemed lost when he was asked why Adivasi farmers do not resort to suicide when in distress. A smile soon broke out on his face as he grasped the significance of such a question.

“Can we repay the debt by committing suicide,” came the question as the Adivasi farmer from Kerameri mandal of Adilabad district sought to answer the query in his own way. The reply certainly exposes the mindset of aboriginal tribals who face the same adversities which dog farmers in these parts of the world.

While the Gond community has seen four of its farmers committing suicides since 2010, the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) of Kolam has had no such incidence so far. These tribes have also suffered crop loss over the years and are deeply mired in debt, a condition no different than farmers from other communities.

“Though on the decline, one of the saving graces is cultivation of food crops including indigenous crops. These crops see us through the difficult period in the event of adversities,” revealed farmer Atram Bheem Rao of Mallapur village which has gone food self sufficient having resorted to traditional agriculture.

The spirituality of Gonds and Kolams seems to help them cope up with their problems rather easily. The clue lies in their way of life which has no farmer harbouring illusions about the outcome of the agriculture season and in dispute resolution which has community participation.

Their calendar of events includes half a year devoted to farming, which is largely based on prediction of rainfall in the monsoon through traditional knowledge systems, followed by religious, cultural and social activities which the aboriginal tribes indulge in, notwithstanding the state of harvest in the agriculture season. “We cannot escape religious events because we need the help of Gods,” observed Somu Patel hinting at the spiritual way of Adivasis in dealing with issues.

“No one here hesitates in extending loans repeatedly to the Adivasis because of their ‘sincerity’ in repayment. There may be delay in repayment but it is guaranteed,” stated a private money lender in Jainoor mandal on how the tribes have a higher rating among creditors due to their resilience.