Climate change is having a more harrowing effect in different aspects of our lives than we realise. In addition to melting glaciers, forest fires, and drought, our crops are getting destroyed because of irregular rainfall, bringing in huge plight for our farmers.
According to a report by TOI, women of Chizami, Nagaland, are distressed as their previous wet-terraced field has now become dry. One of the female farmers revealed how in the last two decades, they have seen a humongous change in farming due to pest infestation and irregular rainfall patterns. Their crops are suffering.
“Due to climate change, water in streams has reduced and aren’t reaching all the fields. Nearly a third of our agricultural land is not being cultivated,” said the Chizami village council chief.
The women farmers are battling a three-fold problem – men aren’t participating in fieldwork and choosing construction work instead, farmers switching to cash crops, and scanty rainfall. All these factors combined have taken a toll on their farming.
However, under the guidance of an NGO called North-East Network, women have found alternate ways to develop farming. From NEN’s seminars, they have learnt how to grow beans and different kinds of crops throughout the year to beat weather extremities.
Their most prominent achievement is starting a seed bank to help farmers. The bank has 226 types of seeds, 35 types of paddy, and 7 types of foxtail millet stored in bamboo baskets and dried gourd shells.
“If a farmer takes a cob of maize or a cup of some seeds, he or she must return double the amount a year later”, reported sources.
“With it, even in times of crop washouts, we won’t lose out completely,” said the Secretary of the village development board.
Women are earning cash from their produce and are spending it behind the education of their children. They are making decisions on the field – this is a huge achievement for women living in a patriarchal society who have been denied decision-making roles for generations!