Bamboo in Orissa: Trade and Livelihood Perspective - Vasundhara

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All rights reserved by VASUNDHARA(www.vasundharaorissa.org). For any clarification, contact author at sunlit1968@yahoo.co.in price of the products also, like the basket earlier sold at Rs.80/piece was now priced at Rs.220. The products are also bartered for rice or paddy. For ex., in Sahada village a basket worth Rs.70-80 is bartered for 5 gaunis of paddy(i.e., approx.21 kg). Importance in livelihood In Nilakanthapur, the artisans earn Rs.4000 to 5000 per family per annum from cane-work which is almost equal to the earning from the other source of income for them, i.e., wage labour. Had the raw material scarcity not been there, and the demand of traditional caneproducts had not reduced, they could have earned much more from this source than wage labour. Artisans of Kendrapati, who work both on bamboo and cane, claim that if bamboo products can fetch them Rs.6000 per year, cane products can fetch almost double. In Talabasta, more than 25 workers depend on full-time cane work round the year. Cane work started in this village when Panchanan Moharana got a training under a govt programme, and imparted his skill to others. It is interesting to note that unlike other areas, Moharana and his fellow-workers belong to the upper caste(other backward caste), and they don't need to work on bamboo since cane work has proved itself to be more than sufficient for them as they are unable to meet the market demand. Each artisan earns about Rs.2500 to 3000 per month, and the factor facilitating the higher income is the manufacturing of heavier and costlier items like furnitures. Cane artisans also work as non-resident labourers. People who need sufficient quantity of gauni,mana, etc. for use in family marriage or some religious functions, prefer to employ artisans in making these products for them. Such employers either purchase the raw materials, or have cane on their own lands. The artisans charge Rs.100-120 per day per person, and food is provided extra. The number of artisans depending on cane is not known, but one thing is clear that their distribution is extremely sporadic and the number is quite insignificant as compared to that of bamboo artisans. In Kendrapati, 20 to 25 HHs are bamboo artisans and only 10 to 12 HHs among them also work on cane. In Belabani, only two out of 70 artisan HHs work on this. The number is controlled by availability of the raw material and demand of the product, and the total number of cane artisans in the state seems to be less than 5% of that of the bamboo artisans. Women are usually found to have an equal share in cane work like their male companions except in raw material collection and works like bending thicker culms for frame-making, which is considered to be a man’s job. In Talabasta, they have formed self-help group to market the product. 99
All rights reserved by VASUNDHARA(www.vasundharaorissa.org). For any clarification, contact author at sunlit1968@yahoo.co.in Cane in community forestry Badapokharia near Khurdha is a large village having about 400 HHs. Almost 75% of the people are dependent on agriculture. The villagers started protecting the nearby hill forest more than two decades ago when they found that without protection they would lose whatever remaining in the already degraded forest. A distinguished feature of this forest patch is cane which is available there in considerable quantity. The forest does not have the legal status of village forest, hence the villagers hesitate to formally allow commercial harvesting of any item from there. In fact, the villagers themselves are not supposed to harvest anything from this forest. Timber, firewood, bamboo and cane are available for harvesting, but the villagers are not accustomed in taking its advantage. There is no management of the forest, and hence entry is quite difficult for layman. The villagers would rather prefer hiring local tribals for harvesting something for them. There have been two exceptional cases of allowing commercial harvesting in this forest, by the village committee; and these two are related to cane. About 10 years ago, they auctioned cane in this patch to a party, at Rs.12000, for one-time harvesting. It was the responsibility of the party to arrange for transit, etc. because allowing harvesting in this forest was illegal, the official owner of the forest being the Forest Department. Recently, they auctioned cane berries in a similar way, and got few thousand rupees from the same. All these money is deposited with the village treasury (kotha), and spent on village feasts and religious activities (per comm.). Secondary uses Artisans of Nilakanthapur also use cane for medicinal purpose. After cutting the culm, they separate the uppermost part so that the other part can be used in their professional work. Leaves are removed from this uppermost portion followed by peeling of the bark, after which it is eaten either after boiling, or after pounding and then frying in ghee. This is said to be effective in certain type of rheumatism. Berries of cane, known as beta-koli, are quite popular among the rural people. The seeds are used in making necklaces for special purpose. In some places of Puri district traders come to villages and purchase the seeds of semi-mature fruits at Rs.1.25 to 2 per a bunch(contains about 100 to 150 seeds). 100
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Bamboo in Orissa: Trade and Livelihood Perspective - Vasundhara

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