Community Charter on the Climate Crisis
“We should be consulted about our choice”
A meeting with the Dongria Kondh took place between the 23th and 26th of May. The objective was to share observations and experiences of the community on changes in climate. To draw a clear picture about their perception of climate change, its impact on the community and facilitate the decision making by the community.
The villagers of Kadraguma welcomed Sri Satheesh and Dr Suresh Reddy from the NGO Deccan Development Society. They facilitated the PRA (participatory rural appraisal) exercises together with Living Farms staff and explained the community why they came. “We have come because there is a very serious situation now. This situation is about Sun, rain and our crops. We want to know your decision regarding this situation.”
The community responded : “We are observing since the past many years that rainfall is decreasing. Maybe that is why the heat is increasing. The combination of this is affecting our crops and we are facing low productivity.”
With the help of a drawing, the community decided that some crops could tolerate high temperature but none could grow under no rainfall. At least one or two showers are required, opined the community. At the end of the first day they mentioned some of their crops that could grow under adverse circumstances. 
For identifying other food and crops, the community took active part in another PRA exercise. They drew their village, the road, houses, the stream mouths, their places of worship, the forest... With the help of seeds, sticks and colors they indicated different crops they grew on their fields and on their homestead land. They also explained that they still get a variety of products from the forest though the quantity has come down drastically.
After this exercise was finished, they listed out grains, food and resources in the first column of a matrix. They drew a sun in the second column, rain in the third and discussed about which crops can withstand adverse conditions. Then they took each item and discussed what and how many varieties they had in the past, how many survive today and what is the cause of the change.
From the entire exercise it emerged that the community could count on millet and cereals like Finger millets, Little millets, Cow pea and Pearl millet. Fruits like mango, jackfruit; and tubers. Spices like ginger etc. Turmeric too was a sturdy crop that often sprouted on its own.
Please contact us if you want to read the full report of this meeting.
Few community members expressed their feelings about this exercise
Bejuni, a respected elderly lady of community: “We thank you for showing us how to consider all aspects, consult everyone and take decisions. We do that in the community. But we have never used drawings as you do. These drawings and the way we put grains in boxes to make things clear is very interesting.”
Kuli, a member of the community: “Yesterday we came to know that we have to take our own decisions with respect to our village and the community as a whole. We should not blindly accept and agree to whatever others give us. We should be consulted about our choices. We came to know that the heat and change in rainfall will continue to become worse. Our cultivation and health will be affected badly. Only very few of our crops can grow in heat and with less rainfall.”
