- The introduction of solar-powered irrigation in 2021 has enabled villages in Chhattisgarh to shift from cultivating only carbohydrate-rich rice and potatoes to growing a diversified range of vegetables.
- Previously, limited dietary intake and lack of variety in tribal families contributed to malnutrition and stunting in young children, a widespread problem in many rural areas of India.
- Many families are now growing vegetables such as spinach, tomatoes, carrots and beans in their backyards, in the hope that their health will gradually improve.
Devmati Singh, 30, has been cultivating paddy and potatoes for as long as she can remember. Potatoes and rice were the main source of carbohydrates and staple food for her family of six, including her four-year-old son, seven-month-old daughter and elderly parents. The family consumed what they grew on their tiny plot of land, less than an acre.
But today, the land and landscape have changed. When I visit her home in Karaunti, a village in Chhattisgarh's Surguja district, she enthusiastically shows me around the small plot of land adjacent to her home. The land is now a happy mix of yellow, green, and red. From seasonal paddy fields to barren land in summer and winter, Devmati can now grow vegetables in her backyard.
“We have been living in darkness for years,” Devmati says. “In 2021, our village was electrified by solar power. Not only do we have lights and fans, but we can now irrigate our farm. Instead of growing paddy once a year, we started growing vegetables on our land last year. My children can now eat something other than potatoes.”
Located deep within the vast wilderness of Guru Ghasidas National Park, villages in Koriya, Surajpur and Surguja districts, mainly within the national park, were electrified in 2021 by installing solar panels on each home.
The solar panels that line the skyline here convert energy from the sun to power water pumps in communal taps, light street lights, and power villages.
“Solar power electrification is the main focus area for these villages, which are deep in the forest,” says CS Goswami, supervising engineer, Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Authority (CREDA). “The 90% subsidy provided by the state government to install solar pumps has also enabled these villages to irrigate their farmlands. It was installed in
CREDA is an entity registered with the state energy department and is the nodal agency for the development and promotion of non-conventional and renewable energy in the state. In 2016, the state also launched Saur Sujla Yojana, a flagship scheme to provide solar pumps across the state.
A total of 20,000 irrigation pumps have been installed across the three districts and around 466 hamlets have been electrified through solar panels, Goswami said.
Developing a home vegetable garden using solar power
“Most of the farming here is done during the monsoon as the only source of irrigation is rainwater,” says Devmati. “The rest of the time, people either migrate in search of work or survive on whatever work they can.”
In Basnala, about 10 kilometers from her village, the only alternative source of irrigation water is a permanent irrigation canal about 5 kilometers from the village. But the lack of electricity only adds to the hardship, and the water cannot be used to irrigate the farms at all.
“After solar power was installed in our village, we have been able to start irrigating our fields through solar irrigation and drip water,” says Sahuria Singh of Basnara village. “We have a small piece of land next to our house. By 2023, with the help of some vegetable seeds, we will be able to start cultivating vegetables for our own consumption,” said Sahuria, who lives with her daughter-in-law and grandchildren as her son has migrated for work.
In 2023, Watershed Organization Trust (WOTR) reached out to these villages and helped them convert to organic vegetable farming and establish vegetable gardens in their backyards. The villages were provided with 11 varieties of seeds, including the right amount of green, red and yellow, to complete the all-color diet. Now, around 288 households in the region regularly harvest vegetables from their nutritional gardens, providing nutritious food to their children and supplementing their family incomes.
“Solar panels are used to generate electricity to power irrigation systems, and this technology allows villagers to efficiently water their gardens, even in areas with limited access to electricity. ” said Raven Singh, WOTR Field Coordinator. “With reliable irrigation, they are now growing a wider variety of crops, increasing yields and contributing to food security.”
Additionally, the farmers also produce traditional organic fertilizers prepared by fermenting cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, soil and water, without using any chemicals that are harmful to soil health.
In addition to ensuring nutritious meals for their families, villagers also plan to eventually sell their produce to earn an additional income.
“Currently, we only grow vegetables for what we eat,” Safria says. “But we want to scale up and sell our produce within the village, helping all households reduce their dependence on outside markets.”
Improving nutrition through home gardening
In these villages, residents live in a world where frugal eating and survival are intertwined.The family sells rice every year and Kendu (Diospyros melanoxylon) leaves from the forest. Daily meals are prepared based on needs, with rice and potatoes being the staple food in most households for most of the year. This need was also exacerbated by a lack of market access. The main market is about 7 kilometers away and going there was never an easy choice.
“When I go to the market, it costs more than what I buy,” says Shiv Prasad, 62, of Maharso village. “A lot of what I buy rots as I don't have any storage facility at home.” Shiv now grows vegetables on half an acre of land.
“Every time we bought vegetables, we used to spend a significant portion of our income on buying them from markets far away,” he added. “That was also our limit, so we avoided buying vegetables and relied solely on produce. Now, thanks to home gardening, we save money and get fresh produce every day. .”
This limited food intake and lack of variety is also a cause of malnutrition and stunting in young children, a problem that overlaps with widespread issues in many rural parts of India. These districts are home to around 46% of the Scheduled Tribe population (as per the 2011 census), most of whom live around national parks. Geographically, market access remains difficult and affordability remains a challenge.
An analysis of the nutritional profiles of all three school districts found that nearly 30 percent of children in these districts were stunted or malnourished. Surguja district has the highest burden of child stunting, wasting and anemia.
Research has shown that malnutrition and stunting are the result of household food insecurity. In this regard, nutritious home gardens are seen as an affordable and sustainable way to ensure a balanced and nutritious diet for rural households. They are not the only Strengthen In addition to food security, household nutrition is also important.
Palak spinach. Representative image. Many families now grow a variety of vegetables in their backyards, including spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and beans. Image by Rameshng via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED)“We eat what we grow,” says Safria. The shift from monoculture to a diversified diet has been transformative: Many families now grow a variety of vegetables, such as spinach, tomatoes, carrots and beans, in their backyards.
“Introducing vegetables every day has excited my son. He likes the change in colour on his plate,” says Devmati. “We have realised that relying solely on rice and potatoes has a detrimental effect on our health, especially our children's health. There will not be a sudden impact but we are very hopeful for a gradual improvement.”
Read more: Malnutrition affects cattle health and productivity in Chhattisgarh
Banner image: Devmati Singh plays with her children in the vegetable garden near her home. Her photo was taken by Aishwarya Mohanty.
