Odisha's Dongar Cultivation: Meaning, Challenges and way forward

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Picture Courtesy: Down to Earth

Context:

In Odisha’s Rayagada district, the Kondh tribal community has been practicing dongar cultivation—a traditional method of farming on hill slopes. This system involves mixed cropping of millets, pulses, and oilseeds, which supports both food security and biodiversity. However, this age-old practice is now under threat due to the rapid spread of eucalyptus monoculture, promoted by paper mills and commercial interests.

What is Dongar Cultivation?

• Dongar means upland or hill slope in the local language.
• It involves mixed cropping—growing multiple crops like millets, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables together on sloping lands.
• This method is rain-fed (depends on natural rainfall) and organic, as farmers do not use chemical fertilizers or machines.
• The soil is tilled using hand tools, and traditional seeds are used and conserved locally.

Key Features:

• Diverse Crops: Ragi, foxtail millet, pigeon pea, cowpea, sesame, and local vegetables.

• No Chemical Inputs: Fully organic and eco-friendly.

• Soil and Water Conservation: Mixed cropping prevents soil erosion and improves moisture retention.

• Community-Based Practice: Seeds and labour are often shared within the village.

• Food Security: Ensures year-round food availability and dietary diversity for tribal families.

Historical evolution of Dongar Cultivation:

Current Status of Dongar Cultivation:

• Tribal farmers leasing land for eucalyptus monoculture earn very low returns: typically, ₹1,500–₹3,000 per acre. (Source: Down to Earth)

• A study quoted by Living Farms noted that tribal communities collect ~53 varieties of crops without chemical inputs, and 273 varieties of uncultivated foods (roots, tubers, mushrooms, etc.) which contribute to ~40% of their food needs. (Source: Down to Earth)

• Peripheral blocks like Muniguda, Bissamcuttack, and other upland/midland areas of Rayagada are witnessing the spread of eucalyptus plantations. (Source: Down to Earth)

Challenges:

• Replacement by eucalyptus and cotton monoculture for commercial purposes.
• Land leasing to paper mills leading to reduced food crop area.
• Declining interest among youth and soil fertility loss due to monoculture.

Government measures for Dongar cultivation:

• The Odisha Millets Mission (OMM) is one of the most important initiatives. It promotes millet farming and local consumption in tribal and upland areas, encouraging farmers to grow traditional crops such as ragi and foxtail millet instead of commercial monocultures like eucalyptus.

• The Shree Anna Abhiyan, which focuses on millet promotion in tribal regions, aims to improve food security and nutrition.

• To ensure fair income for farmers, the government also provides Minimum Support Price (MSP) for millets like ragi.

Way Forward:

• Promote Traditional Crops: Encourage farmers to return to mixed cropping systems that include millets, pulses, and oilseeds. These crops are climate-resilient and suitable for upland areas.

• Limit Eucalyptus Monoculture: Strict rules should be made to stop the spread of eucalyptus plantations in hill and upland regions.

• Provide Financial Support: Offer subsidies and minimum support prices (MSP) for traditional crops so that Dongar farming becomes more profitable than leasing land for commercial plantations.

• Promote Seed Conservation: Establish local seed banks to preserve native crop varieties that suit local soil and weather conditions.

• Integrate with Government Missions: Link Dongar cultivation with existing programs like the Odisha Millets Mission and Mission Shakti so that more farmers receive financial and technical support.

• Awareness and Training: Conduct awareness campaigns to educate tribal farmers about the ecological and nutritional importance of Dongar cultivation.

Source: Down to Earth