Ecology & environment

“In Central India, individual plant species figure in the first fruit ceremonies of the adivasi (indigenous) communities. During certain periods of the year, their fruits, flowers, leaves or seeds are not collected or consumed. This allows those species to rest for a few weeks or months during crucial periods for their growth or regeneration. The norms around these practices or methods are often embedded within the cultural-religious traditions of communities. As a knowledge system being transferred between generations, seldom are they explained or discussed in terms of ecology or conservation.” – Madhu Ramnath in “How culture threatens species A note on Caryota urens in South India” (Current Conservation 16.3, accessed 4 December 2022)
https://www.currentconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/16.3.pdf
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=20305

Jeevanam by Prithvi Eco Club: An award winning environment awareness programme – Kerala

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The Hindu, KOZHIKODE, December 2, 2013 A 25-member group, comprising students and teachers of schools in Kozhikode district, took part in deliberations on medicinal plants and rare trees as part of ‘Jeevanam’, an environment awareness programme organised by Prithvi Eco Club of Sree Ramakrishna Mission School, in Kozhikode on Saturday . The eight-year-old club, which … Read more

Film on ancient tribal creation myth and Kerala’s eco system wins ‘Golden Conch’ for Best Documentary at MIFF 2014: ‘Have you seen the arana?’ – Mumbai

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To watch the film trailer and more information, click here >> ‘Have you seen the arana?’ wins the Golden Conch for Best Documentary in the National Competition at MIFF 2014.The award citation: “This film is elegant, patient, meditative, and subtle. The director gently moves her audience towardsa deep appreciation of the tribal, mythical connections between … Read more

Slideshow: Children’s paintings, a recurring expression of aspirations for a more healthy environment

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What are the dreams expressed by India’s children today? Their paintings demonstrate that for them, just as for their peers worldwide, natural surroundings are dreams worth aspiring to: trees, birds and animals and a cozy home near clean rivers, and of course, a clear view of the sky. In other words, the very conductions needed to … Read more

Placing India’s tribal heritage in its historical and ecological perspective: Documentaries by filmmaker Sangita Datta – West Bengal & Sikkim

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Brief excerpts from documentaries relating to tribal heritage – Showreel 2013 00:49 “The language of the Mundas“: CIIL’s series on Bhasha Mandakani: Bangala – Central Institute of Indian Languages (Govt. of India)03:14 “Righting the Historical Wrong“: A Film on The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers [Forest Rights Act 2006] – University of Manchester;04:49 “The Paharias: An Endangered Tribe” – … Read more

Bee pollination improves crop quality, shelf life and commercial value: Study on market value compared with wind and self-pollination – Royal Society

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‘Pollination crisis’ hitting India’s vegetable farmers

A decline in pollinating insects in India is resulting in reduced vegetable yields and could limit people’s access to a nutritional diet, a study warns. […]Despite the concern, no study had been done to assess directly the scale of the decline in natural pollinators, explained Parthiba Basu, from the University of Calcutta’s Ecology Research Unit. […]He explained that certain crops did not depend on insects for pollination, including cereals. Instead, the plants used other mechanism – such as relying on the wind to carry the pollen.However, many vegetables – such as pumpkin, squash, cucumber and gherkin – were reliant on insects, such as bees. […]Dr Basu said: “There is an obvious indication that within the ecological farming setting, there is pollinator abundance. This method typically provides the habitats for natural pollinators – this is the way forward.”He added that if the team’s findings were extrapolated, this would offer a “clear indication” that India was facing a decline in natural pollinators, as ecological farming was only practiced on about 10-20% of the country’s arable land. […]Troubling timesThe UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that of the slightly more than 100 crop species that provide 90% of food supplies for 146 countries, 71 are bee-pollinated, primarily by wild bees, and a number of others are pollinated by other insects. […]In industrialised nations, such as the US and in Europe, many farms employ the services of commercial hives to pollinate fruit trees and food crops, and ensure they harvest adequate yields.But Dr Basu said the use of domesticated bees in this context was not widespread in South Asia.

“There are honey farmers, but using hives in the field to pollinate crops is not at all common in India,” he said. […]

A number of possible causes have been suggested, including the misuse of pesticides, habitat loss and fragmentation, and the spread of parasites and diseases.  […]

Source: BBC News – ‘Pollination crisis’ hitting India’s vegetable farmers
Address : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11418033
Date Visited: Fri Jan 10 2014 19:43:22 GMT+0100 (CET)

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