VILLAGE MATTERS
CLIMATE
ADAPTATION, STRATEGIES AND PRACTICE • WOMEN’S LAND RIGHTS
FEMINISATION OF AGRICULTURE • GRASSROOTS CHANGE • PATHWAYS TO PEACE AND JUSTICE
Madras Café, still going strong!
Saying that Madras Café has been a presence as WOMAD Festival for 31 years is a reminder of how the world has changed around us in that time. The amazing Team Effort that is the Madras Café has worked together over the years, growing and adapting to a bigger team, welcoming succeeding generations, in responding to greater demand for their wonderful food, and raising more funds each year to support Action Village India’s partners in rural India.
What started as two founder members of Action Village India (nee Friends of ASEFFA) in a battered VW van 31 years ago, is now a yearwide body of work from a core team (MAG, the
Madras Advisory Group), that leads to over 100 volunteers coming together at the festival itself. The work done incorporates logistics, governance, recipes cooked with skill and love, and is much-revered as a stalwart of the unique WOMAD Festival - with many festival-goers marking it as a highlight of their days at WOMAD.
Our 400 strong mailing list is testimony to the generous and repeated help of what has become the MadCaf Family of volunteers, without which our best endeavours would not have endured. The scale of MadCaf’s operation for the last ten years has seen such volunteers, working in shifts for three and now four days of the WOMAD Festival. Many on our list come and
go whilst newcomers are always welcomed. Over the last few years Madras Café has developed a management structure that provides continuity and ensures compliance with National and Hygiene Law – Serving a variety of South Indian freshly made vegetarian food, cooked in a ‘field’ kitchen, under canvas, to 4000+ customers over the four-day Festival. Do come & JOIN US!
Throughout this time, we remain entirely grateful to WOMAD for allowing us to ‘strut our stuff’ at their unique Festival. Thank you WOMAD!
Jai Jagat, Bryan
Harry Potter
Madras Café
Climate Adaptation, Strategies and Practices
The land, the mother, has started smiling at me...
I served to protect the border of my Mother land, now I serve the land, to rejuvenate her life…
I am Rajagopal, aged 57 years old, the sixth son of my parents, hailed from a small village living with all section of castes and communities. My ancestors migrated from Andhra Predesh, in the North, and settled down amongst three other Telugu speaking families living together in a community dependent on each other in Tamil Nadu.
Millets and pulses were raised for consumption throughout the seasons. Cotton was cultivated to meet their needs as a cash crop. Each family had managed to keep many cattle including goats, sheep, cows, who contribute to keeping their land fertile. The trees were used to construct sheds, buildings, and fuel. If there were any shortages, other families shared among themselves.
After being discharged from the military due to health reasons, I returned to my native land only to find my parents were no more, my brothers had migrated and settled down elsewhere, and my only sister was married in a distant place. My wife and two daughters were unable to get along with other families due to the cultural barriers. We were forced to move on, to a nearby big village called Periya Puliyampatti. It was well connected to different places within Tamil Nadu, and I was able to get an industrial job using skills I had learnt from the army.
However, my native place was not forgotten.
I kept on visiting, my only concern at that time was to bring back life to our abandoned ancestral land, that once gave livelihood to our family. I
quickly realised I needed more working capital and a proper plan to bring back production in the land.
ASSEFA’s team arranged a get together of farmers which met every week. The resources and acquired knowledge gave me confidence. We were taken on an exposure trip to an Agriculture University, connecting me with agronomists who guided my preparation of a land-use plan. We were taken on a bus journey, visiting many different farms for inspiration, encouraging us to adopt new and progressive agricultural techniques. We visited farmers who had managed to turn some of the most challenging land into profitable use.
A new vision was developed with this detailed land-use plan. I consolidated my fragmented land holdings, which are spread across different locations in Tamil Nadu and implemented our plan by making use of each area for different forms of farming. Along the way, I provided employment for landless people, engaging them in agricultural activities and providing them with wages. ASSEFA provided the financial support to install a fence around my land, and through our planning, arranged deep ploughing by hiring a tractor. This is important so that when the rain falls on the land, rather than running off, the water gets absorbed deep within, nourishing the soil.
I spend nearly 18 hours a day in the field. The land, the mother, has started smiling at me. Now we have crops, cattle, and trees enabling income
based on our needs - daily, weekly, seasonal. I make regular income from vegetable cultivation, harvesting and selling green chillies, brinjal, millet and pulses once every three months. With ASSEFA’s fund I was able to buy a herd of goats, which roam within my fenced land. Three times every two years, our goats give birth to more offspring, which are sold in the local market. Through the process of soil testing, ASSEFA made recommendations of tree saplings which were purchased from a nursery and planted on our land. Now, every decade we have income from our trees. My farm has become a research unit and learning centre for many farmers, continuing a cycle of growth and support for aspiring farmers to learn as I once did.
My heartfelt thanks to ASSEFA who gave me a new lease of life.
As narrated by Mr. Rajagopal And edited by Luli Fukukawa, July 2024
Climate Adaptation, Strategies and Practices
Fighting back against coastal degradation: A glance at Chilika Lake
Picturesque Chilika Lake in Odisha has been under threat for decades. As India’s largest saltwater lake, it is home to a great diversity of fish and other aquatic creatures. Around 200,000 fisherfolk live in the region and depend upon the lake for their livelihoods. Yet commercial fishing, and the local prawn cultivation mafia, along with tourism and climate change have created widespread ecological degradation. Due to the economic exploitation taking place across the region, and social oppression that has marginalised the landless and fisherfolk community, many working family members have migrated into urban areas to gain employment, leaving women to bear the brunt of household management.
This adversity is amplified in places such as Harachandi Sahi, a fishing village. Many local people have told us how the effects of climate change have prevented many fisherfolk from continuing their traditional practices. The Regional Centre for Development Cooperation (RCDC) has stepped in to support local people in learning new skills such as hygienic dry fish processing. They also formed a series of self-help groups across 32 villages. These groups have committed to resolve conflicts, facilitate benefit sharing, promote women’s leadership, and dis-
cuss land rights and other such issues that were highlighted by the villagers. Through their facilitation the staff members involved in village-level meetings have received training on disaster management, with an exposure field trip enabled by SEEDS, a development agency focused on disaster response and mitigation.
Whilst these programmes were an immediate stopgap, long term change in the region is dependent upon restoring the natural environment. Over the years, several cyclones have resulted in deforestation in the catchment area, which has led to eutrophication (when algae growth increases exponentially due to chemical pollution) and changes in aquaculture practices. In addition, extreme temperatures and erratic
rainfall have contributed to environmental degradation in the area. In response, RCDC planned extensive coastal tree plantation to protect the fisherfolk communities and improve aquatic conditions. Five patches were selected in the coastal villages of Moto and Sahajanpur, where RCDC planted 22,800 casuarina seedlings, 7,000 mangrove seedlings and 5,000 cashew seedlings. Planting these trees is an effective way of mitigating ongoing climate displacement. They have a multitude of benefits such as mitigating climate change impacts, whilst creating a better environment for fishing. It’s never too late to begin turning the tide on climate change.
Edited by Luli Fukukawa, July 2024
Women’s land Rights in India
Here at Action Village India, we’ve dedicated over three decades to fighting for the rights of people in rural India. One of the most pervasive battles has been the fight for land rights: the right that enables people who have lived on a piece of land, often for generations, to continue to live there.
VILLAGE MATTERS
Women’s Land Rights
When a person doesn’t have their land patta (deed), they can be uprooted at a moments’ notice, with little recourse. We’ve seen this play out across India, from the fisherfolk who are being displaced by the mechanised fishing industry around Chilika Lake, to women across the country who face being displaced after their husbands die. Women are disproportionately dependent on the land as a method of providing a livelihood. In India, approximately 85% of rural women are engaged in agriculture, yet only 13% own the land they work on. As men increasingly migrate for work in cities, many women are left with more responsibilities, but diminished rights.
One might assume that widows would naturally stand to inherit the land that they live and work on if their husbands die. Yet India’s inheritance laws are patriarchal and vary depending on the state and religion of the person. Under the Hindu Succession Law, equal shares of property are inherited by Hindu widows, each of their children, and their husband’s mother. However Muslim women inherit one fourth of their husbands’ assets if he dies, or one eighth if they have had children. A Christian woman is entitled to one third of her deceased husband’s property. This puts many women farmers in a position
of precarity: working on the land, but being dependent upon men to continue living and working there.
There is a growing solidarity movement to provide immediate security to women in the informal economy, whilst advocating for their rights politically. One of the organisations at the forefront of this struggle is the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA: our newest solidarity partner). They are a union of over 1.75 million members, who collectively work together to support women who have a precarious income or housing situation. On a community level they promote awareness of women’s rights and provide a social security net for women. Yet there is strength in solidarity, and SEWA brings together women on a community level to engage in collective bargaining, and advocating for public policies that benefit women.
Written by Ashley Wild, July 2024
If you’re interested in reading a bit more about SEWA’s work, you can find information here: www.sewabharat.org
VILLAGE MATTERS
Grassroots Change
From the Grassroots: What we can learn from social change activists in India?
Things need to change.
I’m sure this isn’t a controversial statement, more a widely accepted fact. To be diplomatic in this election year (as charities legally must be): some people believe that our leaders are out of touch with the real issues affecting people.
At my time of writing there’s a cost-of-living crisis in the UK, and humanitarian crises in Manipur and Gaza. The headlines? “Rishi Sunak floats sanctions on young people for refusing national service” and “Joe Biden nearly fell asleep during TV debate”.
So what are we actually meant to do? From our position in the grassroots, how do we create the change that our communities, both local and international, desperately need?
1) Protest like EKTA Parishad
Ekta Parishad (one of our solidarity partners) are famous for their walks for justice, the most recent of which being the legendary Jai Jagat 2020. Loosely translated as ‘Victory for the Planet’, the campaign is built around four essential pillars: the eradication of poverty, elimination of social exclusion, amelioration of the climate crisis, and bringing an end to violent conflicts.
Launched on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Birthday (October 2nd, 2019), the plan was to walk from India to Switzerland in a yearlong foot-march! Over a formidable 10,151 kilometres, marchers would have traversed 10 countries, meeting with activists, UN representatives and leaders from across the world.
Unfortunately, the movement only got as far as Armenia before the Covid-19 pandemic hit in April 2020. Rather than put anyone’s lives at risk, Ekta Parishad put the march on hold, and transformed the campaign into a 10-year movement.
Jai Jagat is still underway, and you can find out more at: https://www.jaijagatinternational. org/
2) Band together like EquiDiversity
Based on the fundamental principles of feminist philosophy, EquiDiversity Foundation has a vision of Sarvodaya (welfare for all), rooted throughout equal participation across society. To hold power to account, and bring women into the political sphere, EquiDiversity Foundation have been working for several years to mobilise Nari Jagran Committees (a rough English translation would be community watch groups).
These groups speak truth to power through encouraging women to participate in local governance whilst advocating for the groups. They also work as a community support system, ensuring the safety of women at a village level. These groups offer crucial support for women experiencing domestic violence. With the backing of Nari Jagran Committees, many women feel more confident speaking out against abuse. The committee provides a safe space for survivors, offering counselling, and assistance in accessing legal and social services. They also work together for the collective economic empowerment of the group, helping each other sell their products in local markets and start their own businesses.
There is strength in solidarity. In a very interconnected way, ensuring that women are safe (financially, emotionally and physically), is an essential step towards equal political participation. Yet immediately meeting the needs of women through solidarity is a means and an end in itself. If you’re interested in reading more, there is a wonderful interview with Anandita Majumdar of EquiDiversity below:
https://believe.earth/en/anindita-majumdarempowering-women-in-politics/
3) Take the economy into our own hands like RCDC
We live in the era of climate change. Operating in one of the hardest hit regions of India (around Chilika Lake in Odisha), the Regional Centre for Development Cooperation (RCDC) works with those who have been displaced by climate change, commercial interests and tourism. Traditional fisherfolk who can no longer live off the lake are struggling to cope; whilst there are government schemes that locals are eligible for, there is often little awareness and support is not adequate for emergency situations.
In consultation with the local community, RCDC have collaborated to create a labour bank called Sharama. Within this labour bank, a sum of money is assigned to community self-help groups, accessible to families in need, to be paid back when they can. In doing so, the community can avoid unscrupulous moneylenders, whilst growing in capacity with the amount of members using the bank. To quote RCDC:
“Poverty is a form of violence that robs the dignity of the poor. Such community initiatives build solidarity and ensure resilience.”
Written by Ashley Wild, July 2024
Jaffa Cakes
Amadou & Mariam
Non-Violent Actions for Peace and Justice VILLAGE MATTERS
Pathways to Peace and Justice
Double spread written by Kavita Pandey, July 2024
The world is living through its darkest time since World War II, and the reports of violence and humanitarian crises across the world are very disturbing. Furthermore, attempts at peace talks have not yet been successful.
Amidst such darkness, we are making a small effort to instil hope by sharing some of the historical non-violent actions, carried out by our partner Ekta Parishad (EP), to achieve justice for millions of landless and marginalised people in India. This is our ‘Gesture to Peace’ and a testimony of our love for peace and justice.
For decades, EP has worked relentlessly for national and global peace, giving hope to millions in India and across the globe. Here, we exhibit potential pathways to peace by looking at EP’s actions and achievements.
Enduring Satyagraha
The earnestness with which Mahatma Gandhi, along with millions of poor Indians, tried to mould India was weakened every day with every new plan by wiseacres and errant reforms. Though the British government was responsible for the geographical partition of India, the post- independence governments stand accused of perpetuating the wide socio-economic divide. With such affluence and poverty, it is as if there are two historical tales about one country.
Jan Satyagrah (People’s movement) is a widespread movement to seek meaningful solutions for the sake of the poor, for whom this is not second or the third struggle, but the first Satyagrah to empower them to proudly say
‘We the citizens of India...’
Non-Violent Action Struggle Peaceful talks Creation
Land Rights Movement (1984-2000)
Trained c.5,000 young village people. A land related survey, People’s Movements, petitions, legal proceedings, huge rallies, foot march, stretched over thousands of kilometres
Land Rights Foot March in Madhya Pradesh (1999-2000)
3,500Km walk through 8,000 villages, mobilised thousands of landless poor. Supplemented by Joto Jito Andolan (Land Occupation Movement) and Janmbhumi Wapsi Andolan (Back to Native Land Movement) to disobey the anti-poor land and forest laws.
Land Rights Foot March in Bihar (2001)
Walked 1,000Km across South Bihar and mobilised thousands of homeless and landless poor.
Negotiated for land rights with local and State administration. c. 20,000 landless poor received land rights
Occupied lands used for individual and collective farming.
Land Rights Campaign in Chhattisgarh (2003)
Land Rights Campaign in Odisha (2004-05)
Covered 2,000Km; mobilised tribal community against anti-tribal Forest Laws and Policies. Spoke out against massive acquisition of farm and forest land.
Negotiated to set up a Task Force on Land Reform, with a clear focus of allotment of land to indigenous people and other landless poor. EP members given equal representation in State and District Level Task Forces. 340,000 landless poor received land rights entitlement.
Negotiated to set up a Land Commission to address unresolved land questions and propose measures for the allotment of land to the landless and homeless poor. Homestead land distributed to 18,000 homeless poor within a year.
Negotiated to set up a Task Force on Land Reforms. Allotment of land to 6,000 tribal families in Kawardha district. High level order issued for consideration of consent of indigenous people before any land acquisition.
Successful village level Food Grain and Seed Bank in over 10,000 villages.
Janadesh (2007)
Covered 2,500Km and mobilised thousands of landless and homeless poor across Odisha. Successfully linked the various movements into one united action which was supported by 100+ land rights organisations.
Historical foot march of 25,000 landless and homeless poor covered 350Km from Gwalior to Delhi. Set an example of non-violent direct action in a mass campaign. 500+ social organisations came together for the first time.
Negotiated for a Task Force on Land Reforms.
Later ‘Mo Jami Mo Deha’ (My Land My Home) policy adopted by State government resulted in allotment of land to nearly 100,000 homeless poor.
Negotiated for the declaration and implementation of Forest Rights Act. This extended to the constitution of National Land Reforms Council. Nearly 100,000 indigenous people received land rights within the operational area of Ekta Parishad.
People who received the land rights were united. Rejuvenation of traditional irrigation systems: thousands of people benefitted. Some small landholders were formed Vegetable Grower Cooperatives.
Forest Produce Cooperatives in 50+ villages to strengthen the means of alternative livelihood.
Nearly 400+ villages adopted s Grain Banks. Water conservation structures and Forest Produce Cooperatives in 50 villages.
Nearly 5,000 landholders adopted organic and low-cost farming in various States. They also engaged in Grain and Seed Banks. Several cooperatives established, to strengthen local economy.
VILLAGE MATTERS
Pathways to Peace and Justice
Jan Samwad Yatra (201112)
Mobilised nearly a million people by covering 80,000Kms in 24 States of India
Jan Satyagrah (2012)
Historical mobilisation of 100,000 landless and homeless poor for Land Reform. This mass action was led by 12,000 grassroots leaders, fully trained in non-violent actions.
Built an alliance of 2,000+ land rights organisations and movements for one larger decisive action Jan Satyagraha (2012).
Agreement on 10 point agenda for Land Reforms, which includes set up of National Task Force on Land Reforms. A detailed circular was issued to 17 States of India for the allotment of land to the landless and homeless poor and to do land reform.
Archive of success stories of land rights movements and its impact on rural economy.
Nearly 50,000 landless and homeless poor received land entitlement through various State actions – and decided to adopt organic and low cost agriculture.
Women Farmer Rights Campaign and Jan Andolan (2018)
A mass mobilisation of 25,000 landless and homeless poor for Land Guarantee Policy and Legislation. Spoken for the rights of Women Farmers and Land Holders.
Negotiated with Central Government and also with Government of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for land reform and distribution of land to the landless poor.
Jai Jagat 2020: Global march for peace and justice (2020)
Jai Jagat 2020 was a wake-up call in response to the deepening economic, social and environmental crisis. The campaign was an urgent appeal for people to transform and achieve ‘one planet one people’, and had four pillars:
• Eradicating Poverty
• Eliminating Social Exclusion
• Ameliorating the Climate Crisis
• Halting Conflict and Violence through peace making
Sadly owing to the COVID–19 pandemic, the Jai Jagat 2020 global walk had to be halted in Armenia and all the walkers safely returned to their home bases in March 2020.
Jai Jagat 2.0 (2021-2030)
The international campaign continued and has transitioned into a ten-year campaign, gathering new members and re-focusing the messages and the methods of raising awareness. The international partners within Jai Jagat have come together as a global movement, based on revised convergent actions around Justice and Peace. These themes are broken down into Actions; Advocacy and Training; Learning programmes in peace building; and climate activism.
Village Gandhi Campaign
Ekta Parishad’s new campaign is ‘Gandhi kay Gaon (Village Gandhi)’ a historic and life-changing campaign, shaping the collective dreams for a better and more hopeful world. This is a significant step with the primary goal towards fostering national unity. The initiative aims to inspire diverse communities to come together, fostering a collective movement towards a robust and prosperous India. Reflecting on Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj, the concept emphasised the start of India’s independence from the grassroots level. The vision was for each village to evolve into a self‐reliant and capable republic, contributing to the overall strength of the nation.
Recently, the 40th Niwano Peace Prize was awarded to Mr. Rajagopal P. V. (Ekta Parishad) in recognition of his extraordinary work in the service of Justice and Peace.
Considering the ongoing genocide taking place in Gaza, the urge to cry out for peace whatever the cost is growing. On some level, if an unjust peace was achieved, I think many of us would breathe a collective sigh of relief. If the bombings were to end, if the massacres were to finally be over, whatever the cost, it would be a relief. And the eyes of the world would go back to domestic matters, the issue of Palestinian occupation relegated to being another distant geopolitical turmoil which began before many of us were born.
Those of us fortunate enough to not be directly affected have dealt with a growing anxiety, the feeling that a crisis is happening and action needs to be taken immediately. Some of us have tried to scratch that itch by going to protests, writing to our MPs and voting. Labour lost out on four seats in the most recent election to pro-Gaza independent MPs. There is real power,
CROSSWORD
VILLAGE MATTERS
genuine concern and real change being kicked up from the world’s grassroots. The eyes of the world are watching Palestine with a scrutiny that hasn’t existed in past decades, and once a ceasefire is agreed those eyes need to remain. Lasting peace can’t continue at gunpoint, and peace without justice is tyranny.
For over 31 years, Madras Café and Action Village India have stood with communities facing displacement, who have been told they do not have the right to occupy the land they have lived on for generations. In response to the ongoing genocide of Palestinians, we raise our voices unequivocally in favour of the PEOPLE, in solidarity against injustice and inequality.
The struggle does not exist in isolation, and we are tied in an inescapable network of mutuality. In the words of Martin Luther King, whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
Justice Without Peace Entertainment
• We stand with the Palestinian people and their right to the land they have lived on for generations.
• We advocate for an immediate ceasefire, and a just peace. In doing so, we recognise that peace without justice is oppression, which is a continuation of violence against the people.
If you can, please consider donating to Medical Aid for Palestinians, who are providing life saving support to those suffering in Palestine.
QR code to this website: https://tinyurl.com/3kjxd44a
Recommendations
Documentary: India’s Mothers- Bearing the Heat
The BBC’s global health correspondent Tulip Mazumdar reports from southern India on new research suggesting heat can double the risk of stillbirth and miscarriage
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001xsyc/ indias-mothers-bearing-the-heat
Film: Laapataa Ladies
Two newlyweds find themselves inadvertently separated from their husbands moments after their respective weddings.
https://www. imdb.com/title/ tt21626284/
TV Series: A Suitable Boy
A vast, panoramic tale charting the fortunes of four large families and exploring India and its rich and varied culture at a crucial point in its history.
https://www.imdb.com/title/ tt10795574/
Book: Exit West
This novel tells the story of two young people from an unknown Muslim state, Nadia and Saeed, who fall in love and decide to flee from the country plagued by war.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/ show/30688435-exit-west
This edition of Village Matters has been written by Madras Café volunteers, partners in India, Action Village India staff and interns. It has been edited and brought together by one of this year’s intern Luli Fukukawa. The views are of the individual writers and not of Action Village India.