Sustainable traditions of Indigenous Communities are connected with Tubers and yam, sweet potato, taro and cassava are grown in several parts of Karnataka and North East. Grassroot is a non governmental organisation started in July 2007 to promote rights of indigenous communities.

The people of Manipur consume tubers as a staple diet but its production has reduced.  Casava and taro are grown in Manipur. The broad leafed arrow head is one of the unique tubers of this region that is not found elsewhere it can be boiled, mashed, stir fried and made into fritters and also combined with shrimps. In fact historically the tubers would be traded for rice.

Scientists who have been working in North East since 2012 says we documented traditional recipes made using tubers. A 97 year old rice research station, CT-CRI has worked on bio fortified sweet potato project.

Wild pigs are a risk as they damage the tuber crops. Intervention through anganwadis and school connect program to give the sweet potato cuttings is being seen as a way to popoularise tubers.

Vishnu from Joida says that the kunbi were originally from Goa who moved towards the forests of North Karnataka and settled there. As paddy takes six months to harvest they relied on local products like tubers that were growing in the forest. Tubers are planted during Ugadi and harvested in Ganesh chaturthi. Leaf is used to represent Gowri and tubers food is offered to Ganesha. Around Diwali it is offered to guests as it is ready to be harvested.

The tribal community Kumbi in Joida in Uttara Karnataka have their ways of living that is connected with the forest. The tuber is an indispensable part of their daily life and plays a prominent role in their cultural diversity. Once the dam submerged their villages they moved with 22 varieties of tubers.

Melas organised at Joida have encouraged farmers to cultivate more tuber varieties. Chips, sambhar, chutney, fries, and papad are made using these tubers.

Read the full story that first appeared in CEIA Magazine’s April 2024 issue here:

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