Dear All,
I will like to draw attention towards a very important indigenous practice of water conservation named sacred groves. Sacred groves are extremely important in terms of biodiversity, cultural, religious and ethnic heritage and are intertwined with numerous traditional legends, lore, and myths. They are home to many rare and endemic wild plants having agricultural and medicinal value. International Union for Conservation of Nature and natural Resources (IUCN) treats them as sacred natural sites (SNS). These relic forest patches often protects watersheds and are source of water for agricultural fields nearby. Several sacred groves have been reported throughout the world being intimately connected with indigenous local communities. Examples can be given of Yoruba of Ara in southwestern Nigeria, the Kuna Indians of Panama, South America, the Cocnucos and Yanaconas of Colombia, the Tukano of the Uaupés basin on the Brazil–Colombia border,coastal sacred groves (Kayas) of Kenya. India is home to about 100,000 sacred groves being protected by indigenous communities throughout the country. Some of the famous Indian Sacred groves occurs in Khasi Hills of Assam, in the Arvalli ranges of Rajasthan, all along the Western Ghats in the southern peninsula, in the districts of Bastar and Sarguja in Madya Pradesh, in the Chanda district in Maharastra, in the Bankura, Birbhum and Purulia districts of West Bengal.
Sacred groves maintains ecological services like preserving local hydrological cycles, preventing soil erosion, serving as firebreaks, and serving as areas of recruitment of species, allowing for ecosystem renewal during various disturbances. Especially in mountainous terrain, their rich vegetation plays crucial role in slope stabilization and soil conservation. As the runoff water is reduced, paving way for greater infiltration, soil erosion and sedimentation of downstream areas are minimized. Grove soil is usually rich in organic matter due to efficient decomposition of leaf litter, dead wood and other remnants. Water seeping out of sacred groves into the surrounding cultivation areas is considered nutrient rich by village communities. Hence my suggestion is conservation of sacred groves with emphasis on their role in agricultural water management and biodiversity conservation should be prioritised.
Dear All
I will like to draw attentions to the use of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides), a native Indian grass for addressing the water scarcity. This grass is commonly known as Khas-Khas, Khas or Khus and highly valued for its essential oil. It is highly valued among tribals for its medicinal values and is frequently used in aromatherapy. This grass can be cultivated for multiple issues of in situ soil and water conservation in agrarian land. Vetiver contour hedges in India on cropping land with 1.7 % slope is reported to reduce runoff, soil loss to a huge extent. This grass can tolerate extreme climatic variations like prolonged period of drought, flood, submergence and extreme temperature fluctuations from −14 to 55 °C. It is also tolerant of adverse soil conditions like soil acidity, salinity, sodicity and acid sulfate states. Vetiver leaves can serve as medium for mushroom cultivation. Handicrafts made from vetiver roots serves as sources of income for smallholder farmers of the Western Ghats, India. Moreover, vetiver curtains on windows serves as the traditional way to keep home cool during the scorching summer days and is still used in various parts of India. It keeps home cool and is claimed to be an alternative of air conditioner thereby saving energy.
Hence cultivation of this plant in a better planned way calls for an immediate attention.
Thanks
Debarati
Sra. Debarati Chakraborty
Respected Sir
As mentioned in my earlier comments on 2.2.1, Sustainable Diets being defined as protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable I mentioned about a Bengali ritual of eating 'Choddo sag' (14 greens). It is well known that leafy green vegetables are among nature’s best nutrition supplements Bhoot chaturdashi, celebrated a day before Kali Puja among Bengali is believed to be the day Narakasur (a demon) was killed, according to mythology. It is on this day 14 greens are consumed a list of which along with their scientific names are given below:
14 greens/Choddo sak
1. Waterclover green Marsilea minuta
2. Chick pea/Bengal gram leaves Cicer arietinum
3. Spinach leaves Spinacia oleracea
4. Corchorus sp. young Jute green
5. Calabash green Lagenaria siceraria - lac
6. Squash green Cucurbita sp.
7. Green amaranth Amaranthus viridis
8. Hincha saag /Helencha saag Enhydra fluctuans
9. Fenugreek green Trigonella foenum-graecum
10. Vine spinach Basella alba
11. Oriental radish green Raphanus sativus var. Longipinnatus
12. Black mustard green Brassica nigra
13. Water spinach green Ipomoea aquatica
14. Red amarnath leaves Amaranthus cruentus
Moreover, in another Bengali ritual of Lakshmi Puja, it is a must to have a khichdi (an Indian dish made with rice and lentils) to use particularly Gobindobhog, an aromatic rice landrace. In winter, it is common to celebrate the ritual of Makar Sankranti with aromatic date palm jaggery (Nolan gur) based sweet dishes (Payesh- a type of rice based kheer and pithe- rice cakes). These rituals are few of several examples of innumerable traditional dishes which are not only directly contributing to nutritional benefits but also to the conservation of indigenous landraces (eg. Gobindobhog). The date palm jaggery helps to improve digestion, have high iron, potassium and magnesium content. Thus my suggestion is instead of making the document totally technical even if a few of such innumerable traditional culinary dishes name can be included along with an emphasis towards their health benefits, it will motivate its users to have their very own traditional foods. After all, until and unless we are actually growing and eating our own traditional, local foods we can't contribute directly towards their conservation. Another such example is drumstick tree Moringa oleifera every part of which is used in Indian culinary traditions from ages and now it is well known for its medicinal benefits. We need for such examples from all over the world to understand the concept of Sustainable Diets being rooted to everyone's unique culture and biodiversity.
Sra. Debarati Chakraborty
Dear Sir
The key concepts in relation to sustainable food systems in section 2.2. is well defined but not well described with examples. For example, in section 2.2.1, Sustainable Diets has been rightly defined as protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible but these points are not clearly explained with appropriate examples. Though the example of the Mediterranean diet is given its major components were not mentioned and so it is difficult to understand why it is a typical example of Sustainable Diet. I think it is better to explain the examples which help to understand the definition of a sustainable diet. For example, in Bengali diet, there is a special role of several types of greens. There is a ritual like 'Choddo sag' (14 greens) which involves eating of all these green and its considered to be auspicious in Bengali tradition. To emphasize the point of protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems examples of uncultivated, forest foods which are often highly nutritious can be given.
Similar points can be raised about the section 2.2.4. Resilient Production Systems where Resilient Agricultural Production Systems is defined as the capacity of agro-ecosystems, farming communities, households or individuals to maintain or enhance system productivity by preventing, mitigating or coping with risks, adapting to change, and recovering from shocks, examples were not elaborated.
Addition of examples will help common practitioners to understand all these important points in a much practical manner.
Yours sincerely
Debarati