8th trip: pics and videos

Chargheri 8th Trip dated 19th-Sep-09:
[Pictures and videos in chronological order - links to videos / pics are given in red & grey]

You can find some quite interesting videos of conversations and narrations related to agriculture in the links below. It was quite enlightening for me to be part of these communications as a videographer and I hope it will be the same for people interested in agricultural methods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKS8g0wv13k
[Video: Breakfast at Malancha, where "parathas" are torn and sold by weight. We have taken our breakfast at this shop on the way to Sonakhali for 7 of the last 8 trips.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf2DPKYIbDo
[Video: As soon as we get on the boat we see a sudden weather change. There is a heavy downpour. Fortunately it did not continue for long. The weather held up for the rest of the day and it helped us walk on the earthen paths inside Chargheri in much easier fashion than we would have done if the earth would have become slippery from rains. ]


http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385291640834629090 [Stillpic: Some of the PAKT team members who made the 8th trip - Sudipto, Kaustuv, Angshuman and Saptarshi (L to R). Debajyoti da took the pic, while Sandeepan is missing from the scene]


http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385291631790948386
http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385291615197655650
http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385291620322757554
http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385288255170330882
http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385288275125587282
http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385288300346880450
http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385288325038137010
http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385291606837661026
http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385288379373015362 [Stillpix: The stills in above links were taken on the boat. They show the various charts that the villagers have prepared under guidance of Trainers Narayan Bachar and Anjana Mandal from Swanirvar. The next training will have more such charts, especially the "Sampad" or land resource map, being produced for the other villages. Some charts will be common.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvbAgFuT2lw
[Video: This video shows how the locals use the slippery mud to drag their boats from the dyke walls to the river which moves far away during low tide. This is how we are often loaded on a boat and hauled near our main boat by these villagers at departure time when it gets dark.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBYfMZkaXYE
[Video: People are queuing up near the distribution spot for the final phase of food distribution by PAKT to identified families of Chargheri, Santigachhi, Bidhan Colony, Lahiripur & Poroshmoni.]


http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385288437409263602
http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385291602272016818 [Stillpic: Snaps of the same distribution point]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngFClG5MAUI
[Video: A few of the villagers, such as the family in this video, have been smart and already started using traditional knowledge of alternative backyard farming methods to maximise vegetable yields. We can see both cultivation on elevated ridges as well as trellis (machan) farming being practised by this family.

However the percentage of people trying out the trellis method / sack method / ridge & trough method cultivation to grow vegetables is still woefully less. We hope the alternative agricultural training will help drive more people towards having backyards like this and thereby capitalise on what they have got.]


http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385291559845733186 [Stillpic: Trellis farming at the entrance gate of that family's home]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTaxruOdv6U
[Video: This backyard was used as a practical demonstration of the various alternative farming methods that the trainers advised local farmers to take up in order to maximise the vegetable yields in coming winter season to satisfy food requirements of their own families. Mr Bachar explains the various methods to PAKT.

Most of these techniques may not be as effective in the main farmlands which too low to use draining methods and hence are still covered with salinity. Rice yield may not be possible in the main farmlands with many of these techniques. But these can be highly effective in the backyards of their homes which are naturally at more elevated lands. Most of the people have a significant plot of land attached to their now damaged homes where these techniques can produce enough yields for self-sufficency of vegetables.

Sack method is useful to people who have less backyard land. It maximises production of suitable vegetables while minimising land space on ground. The vegetable shoots growing from all faces of the sacks - top as well as sides - can be guided on to a trellis (machan) to allow the vegetables to grow on the trellis.

A set of beds was also prepared to create a nursery for growing seedlings 'offline' and then transfer to people's backyards.]


http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385291583741902162 [Stillpic: Close up snap of a typical sack, showing growth of seedlings in it]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX2ZjukZVAg
[Video: Narayan Bachar, one of our trainers, explains the details of the sack method and 'philosophy' of selection of seeds for that method. The villagers are also being taught to prepare compost on their own from natural wastes, as also preparation of base material for vermicompost (compost with earthworms) which will be complete when they add necessary breed of earthworm to the base material.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmo18YjYfsE
[Video: This video shows that the trainers had planted 5 strands of 7 different varieties of rice in the salt affected farmlands. This has been done 2 weeks back at 2 separate villages - one at Chargheri (seen here) and the other at Poroshmoni. If some of the strands can grow even in that salty-water-salty-soil situation, then these varieties can be tried out in coming days with the hope that at least some fields can get a crop (They have a rice crop sowing season coming up in January 2010).

We can also see how some of the seeds of various vegetables, sown / scattered around the backyard a few weeks back, are all growing up with or without care being taken. The hay spread at the base of the seedlings not only helps loss of moisture so important to the tender plants, but also prevents salt from coming to the surface and affecting the plant (this generally is abetted by drying of moisture).]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMrgf-U4v7s
[Video: Trainers show us examples how the soil in the backyards of local farmers is extremely supportive of vegetation even at this stage.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv7b3btZAXI
[Video: PAKT & the trainers visit a few households that have developed their backyard vegetable farming as per advice provided by the trainers]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p7iR64PfWI
[Video: Sandeepan of PAKT, supported by the trainers, communicates to the trainees that each of them need to teach at least 3 other farmers in the coming weeks. They need to transmit the advanced knowledge gained on alternative methods to other farmers so that all can adopt these techniques to the fullest in their backyards over the coming winter season for self-sufficiency on vegetables.]


http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385291648465382386 [Stillpic: Agricultural trainers explaining the purpose of training program to the attendees of the introductory session to 3rd agricultural training program]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aylNungbdts
[Video: Sandeepan and the trainers explain PAKT's long term objective of providing the training on alternative vegetable growth techniques to as many villagers as possible.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9HjP6dFQPY
[Video: Trainers utilise the introductory session to brief farmer families on what they stand to learn (or re-learn) from the training in next 2 days.

They touch upon the topics like how to choose suitable vegetables to be grown in saline conditions, how to beat the prevailing saline conditions, how to apply natural fertilisers like cowdung & compost in backyards, how to protect saplings from drying up of soil & salt effect by covering beds with hay, how seeds can be implanted on land unsuitable for tilling by simple scattering method (instead of sowing) and supported / protected by cowdung water. These topics will be covered in more detail in the next 2 days of training.

Mr. Bachar also briefs people how it is beneficial for everyone to use natural fertilisers like cowdung. Cowdung, when used as fertiliser, causes no harm to humans consuming the vegetables (unlike chemical fertilisers) but also doubles up as a natural pest repellant as well as anti-saline agent.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AGiqlph6BM
[Video: Trainers explain how pest repulsion can be done at no extra cost by sprinkling cowdung water and also spice grinding water ("moshla bata jol") on the seedlings.

Mr. Bachar explains using common sense and traditional methods to beat the present saline conditions. He also cites others to follow the example of those farmers who had already explored such techniques (with or without advice from trainers). These people already have vegetables growing in their backyards, and others can also see the same in their backyards if they start putting in the effort employing the right methods.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaIBkAHJowE
[Video: The statements made by the trainers are spontaneously supported by a local trainee, Alok Mondal. Alok is a farmer from Posroshmoni who received training in earlier programs by the trainers (he can be seen taking down notes in videos of 1st program).

Alok reiterates that the training helps fine tune the agricultural knowledge that the locals already have. Alok opines that after knowing the specific methods, people will be able to adapt with the present saline conditions better and use these new techniques (including producing natural fertilisers and pesticides on their own) to their own benefit. He states the essential aim of this training by PAKT - they know what to do with various crops / vegetables, and the training aims to help the locals adopt the best way to do it.

Mr. Dhiren Mandal, father of Dipankar, also reiterates that the the locals stand to cut down on expenses substantially if they can at least grow their own vegetables instead of having to buy it at extremely high prices from the market.]



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjSnGprHFZ8
[Video: PAKT has an informal chat with local farmers. They explain some techniques that are proving successful at their backyards. PAKT highlights the need to spread knowledge of ALL newly learnt methods (whether by self-experimentation or by training arranged by PAKT) to others in their neighbourhood.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYWpXOk1MhY
[Video: Mrs Anjana Mandal re-explains the invaluable potential of cowdung as a natural and freely available material with three-in-one utility for farmers in farm as well as in household work: fertiliser, pest / micro-organism repellant as well as protection from salinity.]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvBhhkeHQa4
[Video: As the trainers explain how this particular backyard could be (and can still be) made lush with agricutural products INCLUDING rice. Here we can see that stray rice seeds that were washed out by Aila waters from the homes into these open backyards have taken root without any effort from the land owner. With some effort, this significantly large backyard could have yielded an assortment of agricultural products by now.

However the land owner was so far sceptic in taking up any agriculture work after Aila - a mental block that many other farmers have fallen victim to. They also narrate how the rich growth in each strand also prove the need to adopt some optimum scientific spacing for crops (varying from conventional techniques) have proven to give much higher crop yields per unit area.

As far as I learnt from Narayan-da, conventionally the farmers place a few rice strands every 6 inches while SRT (expands to Superior Rice Technique or something like that) advises placing a single strand and also increasing the spacing by almost 3 times. It is apparently proven by results all around that each strand produces many times more than the conventionally placed strands and overall yield per area is increased. However farmers need to be urged to adopt it for the first time. Some of them find it hard to get over the fear of getting low yield.]


http://picasaweb.google.com/angshu2909/ChargheriTrip8PixCellcam#5385288452184719490 [Stillpic: A traditional lantern dimly lights up the top deck of boat during our return journey]