Published Date: 19 July, 2021
Nirendra Prasad Rabha –
The inter–state areas of Assam–Meghalaya under West Guwahati constituency is covered with unending green hills. The vast areas starting from Rani to the last village of Muduki in the constituency reveals natural beauty where different tribes live with mutual understanding and co–operation. The vast paddy field is started from the foothills of unending inter–state evergreen hills. Now a days, the quantity of green forests decrease due some reasons.
The livelihood of the people of the area mainly depends upon agriculture. The value of the agriculture land becomes so high for extension of Guwahati Metro city to the area. Some businessmen out side of the area has taken advantage in purchasing the agricultural land from some poor people as a result of which the agriculture land is becoming decreased position day by day. Different industries, business center and huge buildings have been set up in the paddy field instead of crops. The chemicals and smoke of the industries badly affected the fields of the crops. Moreover, the dust of stone quarry, crusher machines have also played a vital role in damaging the paddy field. On the other hand, the Elephants of the nearby hills bully trespasses the paddy fields. Now, many of the cultivators become desperate in their job due to conflict of Elephants with men. Nevertheless, some of the cultivators are continued their profession with a hope of their survival regardless of contradiction to fulfill an agricultural revolution.
Ganapati is a village of Garo tribe dominated nearby Rani. The people of the village about 300 families have established nut and black pepper garden. The cultivators of the village are Dilip Marak, Winard Marak, Wiling Marak, Dulal Marak, Sunil Marak, Superson Marak, Gimelthon Sangma and Padmavati Marak. Dilip and Winard Marak who had first started sapling fruit tree, nut and black pepper in the village are now belonging to 500 branches of nut and black pepper. Now the process of gardening of nut and black pepper is continued. A part from this, the agriculture of sugar cane, pine apple and betel leaf are increasing day by day. Sericulture is also under process in the village.
The village in the last border of Umsur, Batabari–Salser, Bakhalapara, Jimirigaon under West Guwahati constituency is famous for producing flavoured oranges. The garden of orange was started before 80 years ago. The number of orange garden is found in the village Umsur about 200, Batabari–Salser 600, Bakhalapara–Jimirigaon 500. Each garden has 500 to 4000 branches of orange plant. Every family receives a huge amount from orange plant. They also extended the betel–nut, black pepper simultaneously.
Banana cultivation in large scale in Kulsi area is also seen in Palashbari LAC neibouring West Guwahati LAC. The traditional agriculture like betel–nut, black pepper is also developed in commercial basis. Satish Nongbag, Subhash Chinal, Uren Rabha are youth farmer in the area. Now the young generation is interested for their survival taking part in organic agriculture. The farmer of Ganapati in relation to their business nut and black pepper and the farmers in the village of Umsur, Batabari –Salser, Bakhalapara, Jimirigaon in orange transacted a huge amount every year. But they are always deprived of benefit having no appropriate market. The rate of the commodities is determined by the businessmen. But the farmers have to take advance from the businessmen before maturity of the product. The businessmen offer low rate to the farmer of their product as interest of the amount paid before 4/5 months.
The value of the commodities producted by the people of Tribal is now increasing in the city and village of Assam. Such market is found in Beltola Chariali, Ganeshguri, Panbazar (near telephone exchange) Uzanbazar, Chanmari, Bamunimaidam, Maligaon in Guwahati city. The Tribal women sale banana, pineapple, cocoon, crap, snail, wild vegetable etc. in these market. The customers show interest to have such vegetable having no chemical. This has opened a way–to–income of the women and this helps the women taking responsibility of their respective families.
The insufficient facilities of Govt. fail to inspire the youth farmer. The primitive weapon (apparatus) it’s used in agriculture till date. Most of the farmers have no connection with modern technology of agriculture. The orange, nut, black pepper produced in the area is olden variety. Good harvest cannot be expected from such variety. The farmers do not get required advices from the concerned department to prevent the disease of trees. They have to treat any kind of disease of tree themselves as result of which it followed ruin the trees instead of recovery.
The requirement of vegetable and fruits can be supplied to Guwahati from Rani and South Kamrup. Guwahati is 33km distance from Rani having good road condition. The youth will be interested in agriculture if the Govt. provides sufficient facilities in the development of agriculture. So, let the farmer be a skill one providing developed technology among them. The provision of market be setup to sale the productive goods of farmers. The farmer will be economically developed if they get a good market to sale their production. The village economy will grow with the development of village farmers.
Title Pix: Chandubi News
(Translation- Hiren Kalita)
