Bhuria Inaugurates Workshop on Tribal Heritage Agriculture System
Minister for Tribal Affairs Kantilal Bhuria on Tuesday inaugurated a day-long workshop on Tribal Heritage Agriculture System (THAS), said an official release.
Bhuria said that the ministry is keen to start a programme for backing tribal heritage agriculture systems in the country.
He stressed that being a Scheduled Tribe from an interior area of Madhya Pradesh, he has seen how tribal families have squeezed out water from the smallest outlets for irrigation; constructed various types of bunds and channels for retaining soil moisture; planted a variety of crops with different maturity periods so as to anticipate adverse rain fall conditions; and made available harvested plant stock to the animals for their upkeep.
Tribals had their own stock of seeds which though not high yielding, were of a variety that was very well liked by them, said he.
Even today, when in most areas high yielding varities of crops are being grown, for special occasion and for worshiping tribal deities, it is these traditional crops that are high in demand, he said.
He said that under these circumstances and especially in this UN Year of Biodiversity Conservation, how can one allow the old technology, old cropping methods and the extensive varieties to be lost.
GB Mukherji, Secretary, Tribal Affairs explained the need to recognize traditional agricultural technologies and systems besides, the support to remaining ones before these get totally lost and absorbed in main stream agriculture.
He told that similar programmes have been started more than six years, in many other countries of the world including China, Philippines and Peru.
