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Global Perception of Grassroots Innovations In order to survive in high-risk environments, farmers have been using innovations since time immemorial in their farming systems, storage techniques, and livestock management. This review is based on the July 2000 special issue of LEISA focusing on such "grassroots innovations". The articles in this issue stress the need for a community to recognise local innovators in general and women innovators in particular.( http://www.oneworld.org/ileia) Innovation be Considered a Resource Steve Rogers emphasises the need for empowering of farmers to take the lead in experimentation, communication and then social organisation. Tauvela Suafoa from Malaemalu village in Falealili district is cited as one such example of a farmer who developed his approach for multiplying and growing taro (Colocasia esculenta). He multiplied 50 ‘tiapula’ (seedlings), which he received from the Extension and Research Division of Ministry of Agriculture, to more than 3000 mature plants in less than a year.
He described his method thus, " Remove the taro runners and cut them into node sections of about 5 to 10 cm long, place node sections horizontally on a prepared nursery soil bed and cover with a thin layer of soil and Erythrina leaves. After 3 to 4 weeks, when the shoots are 25 cm to 30 cm long, transplant them to the field plots". Usually the farmers keep the spacing of 100 x 100 cm, but he recommends a closer spacing of 50 x 50 cm. He claims that decrease in spacing increases the yield (LEISA 16 (2) 2000: 7). Government Differs Nowhere William Ratan of Heuter Atlantic region worked hard to solve local problems in spite of callousness of Government Experimental Research Station. Scientists discarded a sample of grass given to them by a local farmer, which was identified as Hemarthria altissima and locally called ‘limpo’. Ratan brought this grass for testing and noticed that it was a good fodder for cattle and increased production of milk and meat. The two main characteristics of this grass were, first that it could withstand flood and second it could be grown without fertilisers. At present he grows around seven hectares of ‘limpo’. In 1995, William presented ‘limpo’ grass innovation in a workshop "First innovating farmers" organised by the Ministry of Agriculture (Henri Hocde and Mauricio Chacon, LEISA 16 (2) 2000:31). Noureddine Nasr in his article ‘local innovation and wider development in Tunisia: Gafsa regional radio’ writes, "it was the first time that a radio programme in Tunisia systematically invited farmers to present their innovations to stimulate others so that it (could) unleash the creative skills of people in order to create permanent movement of innovation driven by the rural population" (LEISA 16 (2) 2000: 18). Women Innovators Challenge Cultural Norms Nasr, Chahbani and Ayed (LEISA 16 (2) 2000: 20) part of a Indigenous Soil and Water Conservation (ISWC) project team in Tunisia, found that in the local culture, it was difficult to recognise women innovators. Mrs Mbirika Chokri, a 70-year-old farmer in Gafsa region, specialised in poultry and incubated chicken eggs in dry cattle dung. She puts 16 to 20 eggs in a bag in which humidity is preserved with the help of straw. Bags are placed in small holes dug in the manure and thereafter covered with cardboard, eggs are inspected every day and turned to aerate them. A thin layer of manure is put over that. Temperature of the eggs is checked every day. Eggs start to hatch after 20 days. Womens’ innovations often indicate how especially poorer households can use local resources more intensively.
One such example is that of Tensue Gebre-Medhin a 30-year-old woman who farms at an altitude of some 1500 m in central Tigray. Lemma, Abay and Waters- Bayer describe how after her husband’s death, Tensue was forced to put to use what she learnt in a training program on oxen ploughing. She for the first time tried donkey-ox draught team much against her father's advice and given cultural traditions. There are many advantages of this ingenious draught team. Donkeys not only cost one third of ox but also are easier to manage as they can live on poor quality of feed. She did come across certain problems but was able to solve these. Since donkey has no hump and is shorter than an ox she used old rugs over the donkey’s neck to keep the yoke in horizontal position. This also prevented the donkey from getting bruised up by the constant rubbing of yoke. Even though she was criticised, she did not give up the ploughing. Villagers are starting to accept her as a farmer and innovator only after a few women came to get trained in ploughing (LEISA 16 (2) 2000: 40). |
