Rural Development & Resources

Name - Sarangadhar Pradhan, Village - Gasaguda, Gram Panchayat - Jiridikia, Block K. Nuagaon, District Kandhamal. In our village, the food items lacking in the forest are Sahada fruit, Kendu fruit, Jamu Koli (Java Plum), Siali fruit, and Siti Kusha Saag (a type of leafy green), which are not available!

— Rajib Pradhan · Phiringia, Kandhamal, Odisha

In our region, forest food items that are nutritious are not found in such a way, due to which we cannot include them in PDS and mid-day meals.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

The people of the village are not allowed to enter the forest for their needs of wood, roots/tubers, or medicinal herbs. So, this is the problem.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

In our area, forest produce is not available like in PDS and MDM. It is better to cultivate organic nutrition gardens in every family and school.

— Krishna pada mahato · Purulia, West Bengal

My name is Sabita Pradhan. My village is Ghosaguda. The block is Tikabali. In earlier times, we used to cultivate in the forests. And we used to cultivate millets, corn, black gram, and horse gram. We used to cultivate all those. Fertilizer was not even needed there. And even if we want to cultivate now, we are not getting seeds. That's why we are requesting the government that if they provide us with seeds, we will be able to cultivate and sustain ourselves.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

In this village, the forest has been damaged a bit more than before this time. Herbs cannot be collected, and because of that, we...

— Padmini Bhoi

My name is Jarunal Pradhan, and my village is Piparodi. And the GP (Gram Panchayat) is Piparodi block, Tikabali. In the past, we used to clear the forest there and plant millet, ragi, and corn. But today, we are not able to get those seeds. That's why we are requesting the government for seeds.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Nutritious forest food items are not found in our area because very few forests are left here.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

Now, not much food is available in the forest, but our community's traditional grains like Kodo Kutki khichdi, dalia, and Tur, Chana, and Masoor dals should be included in the PDS, and our children should also receive these in their midday meals.

— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

Villagers are not allowed to enter the forest. They have to go there for their needs, whether it's wood, tubers, or medicinal herbs. The forest is a problem, as they are not allowed to enter it.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

The most nutritious wild food items are not available here because there are very few forests around. And it doesn't seem that all those PDFs and such are here.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

The government scheme's food grain vehicle is not being brought to the village, so there is a problem of food grains for our village.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

In our area, we don't get edible produce from the forest that is suitable for inclusion in PDS or MDM.

— Krishna pada mahato · Purulia, West Bengal

We do not get forest produce for PDS or MDM here, but it might be possible according to the time.

— Krishna pada mahato · Purulia, West Bengal

There is a problem in this village. Food grains are not brought and delivered to this village, and people have to go 7 kilometers to fetch them. The problem is that food grains should reach this village.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

Nutritious wild food items are not found in our area, which we can include in PDS and mid-day meals.

— Sunil oraon · Verno, Gumla, Jharkhand

Currently, in our forest, bamboo is not found, other wild produce is not found, mushrooms are not found. Also, our cashews are not doing well; the cashew cultivation that used to happen before is also not doing well.

— jitendra khila · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

Old, traditional foods are not available. As a result, the forest was also destroyed. The food that should be available is not available.

— Keshab Majhi · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

In ancient times, people used to depend on the forest for their livelihood. But now, since the forest has become depleted, they are no longer able to get tubers, leaves, fruits, and roots from the forest. Therefore, the forest in greater quantity...

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

Forest produce is not available in our area. Every family should get access to school and the nutrition garden scheme.

— Krishna pada mahato · Purulia, West Bengal

Now I am in a lot of trouble because I am not in the forest. It would be very beneficial if medicinal plants were supplied to the village. Now that is not available, so please provide those.

— Parikshit Majhi · Balangir, Odisha

There is a great lack of development in our forest area. There is no permanent housing. There are no toilets. And there is no network. There are no schools for children.

— Kamleah Kumar · Dalla, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

There is a great lack of development in our forest area. There are no permanent houses, no toilets, no network, and no schools for children.

— Kamleah Kumar · Dalla, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Locally available wild food products that are nutritious are very scarce in our area because the forests here are on the verge of extinction.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

In our village, there is a problem with grazing livestock in the forest. We used to take them into the forest repeatedly, generation after generation, but now the forest guards are prohibiting us, which is a problem.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

Due to the road problem in our village, the things that should be available are not being received under the government's scheme.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

Due to excessive deforestation, we specifically have a shortage of water. Also, there is a significant shortage of food and fruits.

— Karunakar Uthansing · Maradipanga, Kandhamal, Odisha

We are not getting food to eat. Brother, the forest is completely depleted. When they destroyed everything by cutting down trees for mining, after that, now we are deprived of things like Charikuli, Barukuli, Kendu, and even bears (Bhalia), including the black bear (Kala Bhalia).

— swornalata nayak · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

My name is Isaac Sabar, village Zero Number, Panchayat Mandi Mandi, District Kandhamal. I feel that in the current situation, people used to use traditional forest products, which are forest-derived goods, in large quantities to sustain their livelihoods, but due to the lack of forests, they have disappeared. We want to restore the forests so that we can enjoy those forest products just like our ancestors used to.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

It is certainly remembered. Our people are destroying forests. As a result, when they go to the forest, no forest products, including food items, can be found. It would have been better if forests were not destroyed.

— jitendra khila · Lachery, Malkangiri, Odisha

My name is Sukanti Pradhan. My village is Lambakupa. GP is Pikorodi. Block is Tikabali. District is Kandhamal. In our rural areas, the main food items that were cultivated, such as ragi, millet, maize, black gram, and green gram, did not require fertilizer. That's why our ancestors lived for a long time. Currently, because we are not cultivating our traditional food seeds, many kinds of diseases are occurring. So, if we can get traditional food and seeds from the government, then we can return to our previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

There is a lack of cultivation in our village.

— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Adaba, Gajapati, Odisha

This time, we are not receiving seeds from the agriculture department, which is a problem. We need to get some seeds from the agriculture department.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

Large trees have been cut down, due to which it is becoming difficult to find forest vegetables and herbs.

— Kachala Choudhary

I am Juno Chhatria. We are tribal people. We used to live by cultivating the forest and land. We used to eat fruits and roots from the forest, and we used to eat food without fertilizers, and we were not victims of any disease. Currently, we are eating food with fertilizers and are facing various diseases. That's why we request the government to return our previous world to us. Raykia Kandhamal.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

What isn't in my forest? In my forest, neither Corridi nor Satuma grows. Due to this climate change, even tamarind is not falling in the village now.

— jitendra khila · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

We do not consider Pata Soujyamati Pradhan. From our Kandhamal region, we three individuals from Mhoisar Agasa are surviving by gathering fruits. We stand together for our needs. We three, consuming this chemical-laden food, are suffering from various diseases. If we fall ill and lack forest produce and other support, we three from Kusaburu Kandhamal are united. We are humbly requesting the government to make the necessary arrangements.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

The problem in the village is that food grain vehicles are not delivering supplies. Food grains should be delivered to our village.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

My name is Ashalata Pradhan. My village is Pikorodi, and the panchayat is Pikorodi, the block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to cultivate everything like corn, paddy, and all with only natural methods (without chemical fertilizers) and would eat it, and we didn't get any diseases. Now we are not getting these seeds, that's why we are not cultivating. Our people are suffering from many diseases. And if the government gives us seeds, we will be happy and able to cultivate.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Nutritious food is not available from farming as before; all food available is cultivated with fertilizers. Various root-based foods are also not available in the forest.

— KAPAL MARNDI · Bissamcuttack, Rayagada, Odisha