SEASONAL  CALENDAR
English JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
Local name Thai Masi Punguni Chitire Vaikasi Auni Audi Avani Pertasi Aipasi Karthigai Margali
Rains Arigidike    Mede-gidike Jesta Mungaru Mudu-sire Kode Audri Asle Dodda, Asle Chikka Manna Asle, Makke

 

 Ubbe- uthure

 

 Asstha, Ati Chitte (heavy Pour) Anagapana,
AnuradhMithunaShanti

Vishanti
Wind                        
Agriulture                        
Festivals Sank-

ranthi

 

 Shiva-

rathri

 

 Ugadi

Mari

Habba

       Audi

Habba

 

 --- Gowri

Ganesh

 

 Dasara Deepa-

vali

 

 Pooja

fasting

 
Human Disease                        
Animal Disease                        
Income Expenditure                        

EXAMPLE 6

Status of Land

5 paise, 10 paise and 25 paise coins together totalling upto a rupee were given to a group of farmers and they were asked to show the percentage of land under various categories. The output is as follows:

Cultivable lands

 

Revenue lands

Non-cultivable lands

 

Hillocks

EXAMPLE 7

Historical Transect of the Environment

A walk from the ridge to the valley of the watershed, observations along the way, and conversations with the farmers accompanying the participant group generated the following information :

 

1965 1990
Particulars Year Upland Midland Lowland
Soil 

 

 1965 Black, Soft 1-2 ft. depth Clay Soil 1 layer red soil
2 layer sandy soil
1990 Jelly, sand & mud Sandy loam Mix of red & black; clayee
Crops 1965

 

 Ragi, lab-lab
castor, niger
horsegram 		Same crop as in
upland but better yields

 

 Castor, ragi,
horsegram, lab-
lab, paddy,
mustard, greens
1990 Same crops as before but lower yields Same as upland +Jowar, Bajra, mustard and
greens. Yields better than uplands.		 Paddy & other
crops shown in
midlands. Yields
better than on
other lands.
Trees 1964

 

 Bijjalu, Aralae
Surulee, Seegae
Pavatigae, Kaggalli,
Sundrae, Sandal
Angarakae 		Same trees as
shown in upland. 		Bamboo, Banyan
Jamoon, Beedae
Teak, Naee, Belae.
1990 Arali, Goose
berry, Thorn trees

 

 Agro Horticulture
Gauva, Chikku,
Lime, Cherry,
Tamarind etc.		 Agro Horticulture
Forest species:
Jamoon, Nerale,
Bamboo, Roses, Dadsale.
Wild animals &

Livestock

 

 1964

 

 Elephants,Bisons, Stag
Deer, Hares, Leopards, Bear, Tigers, Boar
Wild Fowl 		Same as in uplands +
domesticated
animals 		Same as in Upland
and midlands,
including domestic animals
1990

 

 Wild animals
seen very rarely.		 Bulls, cows, goats, dogs

 

 Cows, Bulls,
Buffaloes, Goats,
Poultry
Grass Fodder

 

 1964   Hunugae Hullu
Bale Hullu		 Same as in
midlands but in more quantity.
1990 Anchi, Unuga, Nayi Anchi Anchi, Unuga,
Nayi Anchi,
Benenchi, Edagala		 Bale, Anche.
Hydrology

 

 1964 No wells   1 well dug by villagers
1990   1 well 15 ft depth 2 small wells
5 ft. in depth,
1 farm pond
Problems  1990 Soil erosion, no water, bunds, to be strengthened, de-forestation Soil erosion,
faulty cultivation,
infertile land irrigation,
deformation, no bunds, steep slope.		 Faulty cultivation, 5 ft.
bunds, shallow wells.

 
Opportunities  1990 Afforestation, broad casting of fodder seeds
Strengthening of bunds.

 

 Tree planting
along bunds, strengthening bunds, land levelling, & cultivating against the slopes.		 Vegetation against the slope, earthern bunds, etc.

 

EXAMPLE 8 
Trees & Their Uses

A discussion with the farmers on locally available trees and their uses yielded the following information :

Usage       Teak Honne Mati Banyan Jack Tamarind Mango  Pongamia Dodda
Seeur		 Neem Soap Nut
Housing      
Firewood                    
Honey    
Carts & Implements                  
Cash          
NOTE:

Only a portion of the information collected has been presented here to serve as an example of how information can be elicited and then presented in a comprehensive and easily understandable form.

Important :

In the process of gathering this information the participants also came to understand that although the above tree species are present in the area and farmers are aware of their uses, in actual fact many of the trees are being cut off by contractors. The villagers earn some money by working as labourers for these contractors in cutting and transporting the wood. Therefore, more than the trees themselves, it is the grasses (fodder, broom-making), twigs (firewood), and collection of a few minor forest produces that sustain the people to an extent.

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