Gatekeepers

As part of my journal today I decided to find some people to contact in Bylakuppe that could help me find an opportunity serve on the farms. Though many of the email address I found were old I did find a few that may be able to help. One of the organizations I emailed was the Himalayan Insitiute. They are based in Pensyvaniya but have helped in several Tibetan communities all over India, particularly Bylakuppe and Rabgayling. One  of there projects is to build trees to help return chemically damaged soil to its organic state.


They have also played a part in helping diversify crops on the plantations. I hope that by contacting them I can find more specific information out about where I can help on these diversified plantations and that they can help me contact individuals that can build my rapport in the community.

One of the other organiaztions I contacted was the Bylakuppe Settlement office which is connected to the Central Tibetan Relief Commitee. They play a  key role in training and demonstrating orgainc farming  in over 10 Tibetan Refugee communities. "In each settlement one or two agriculture extensionists organize trainings and assist the farmers to adopt several organic techniques, which include both traditional and modern practices.

• Soil fertility is maintained by appropriate crop rotation, green manures, cover crops, application of compost, vermicompost, biofertilizers, and traditional preparations like jeevamruth and panchagav.
• Pests and diseases are controlled through the application of home-made leaf extracts, integrated by purchased biopesticides whenever necessary.
• Biodynamic methods have been introduced and are increasingly popular among farmers."http://ctrc.tibet.net/agriculture.html

As I get in contact with these different organizations I can a hoping I can gain access to farms in Bylakuppe and individuals that I may interview. I want to gain rapport with  the Tibetan refugees so that I can become involved in farming in Bylakuppe. As I gain more and  more contacts I can recieve access to the farms thourgh gatekeepers.

Project Background

As part of my project in India I had to research background information to purpose why my project would be beneficial. A I wrote it really made be begin to think about the how I am going to approach asking my questions. Using my annotated sources I was able to come up with the following: 

“The Tibetan culture will never die,” says Collen McKnown, an avid researcher and journalist for the Tibet Post International (McKnown. CST. 2011). In 1959 the Dalai Lama and tens of thousands of Tibetan citizens fled to India to escape the Chinese invasion (United State Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2003). Previous to moving to India, the Tibetan people’s main industry was animal husbandry and herding.  Now that Tibetan citizens no longer have the expansive land required for herding they have had to learn how to farm on the limited land offered by the Indian government.  I propose to study this transition- study how Tibetan refugees have learned to farm on India’s soil.

In Tibet families were able to provide organic crops for their own family. Though the plot of land was modest they were able to have a well balanced diet based mainly off of meat then followed by barley and seasonal crops. In India land is more space than in Tibet so the Tibetan refugees had to accommodate to farming on little land. At this point they were still farming organically as they had done in Tibet. In the 1960’s and 1970’s the green revolution began in India and the Tibetan communities caught on as well. Fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation and high-yield seeds became popular because the amount of crops that could be harvested and exported. In 2002 the Dalai Lama made a statement encouraging a balanced and healthy diet (Central Tibetan Administration. 2012).  The objectives of Dalai Lama’s organic farming policy as stated by the Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives in India Ltd. is as follows:

• “To protect, preserve and rejuvenate the environment and biodiversity.
• To offer assistance and support to the international movement against consumerism. More specifically by persistently opposing the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, hybrid and genetically engineered seeds, etc.
• To make future Tibet is a storehouse of organic grains to the rest of the world.
• To achieve sustainable livelihood in the Tibetan settlements in India by turning the present agriculture land holding into a source of sustainable income generation.
• To achieve in making organic farming, animal husbandry and other allied activities as remunerative opportunities. Thereby we can encourage the educated Tibetan youth to live in settlements.” (Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives Ltd. 2009)

Bylakuppe has taken these objectives seriously and started to apply them to the community almost immediately. In 2002 the Tibetan Farm Project, an 80 acre plot of land dedicated to farming, transitioned to completely organic farming because of the Dalai Lama’s call to produce healthy organic food just as they did in Tibet. Bylakuppe is the largest Tibetan refugee settlements in India and is the sixth largest organic farming community in India(Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives. 2009). As part of my study I would like to learn how they made the adjustment from the green revolution to being an organic farm.

The Organic Research and Training Center in Bylakuppe has played a key role in educating the community about organic farming.  They have trained Tibetan exiles on the Tibetan Farm Project to rotate crops, create natural composts, and construct proper irrigation systems utilizing India’s vastly different environment (Himalayan Institute. 2011).  While all this talk of organic farming, pesticide free, and feeding the whole world is great talk there are still many concerns and problems that have to be confronted. Lobsang Chodack, a family farmer from Mundgod (the largest Tibetan organic farm community), emphasizes his concerns with organic farming stating that it requires more paid help to take care of the farm and much less product is produced than from fertilized farms. In order to maintain his organic farm teak trees must surround his farm in order to keep the cows out; the soil must be a mixture of 5kg cow dung, 1kg cow urine, and 1 kg jiggery to detract pests and still pests attack his crops somehow (McKown. Mundgod’s Tibetan Farmers. 2011). Chodack shows that on his farm alone he is confronted with three specific challenges that conflicts with the Tibetan organic farming objectives. First, he is not producing a large enough crop to contribute to the storehouse of organic grains for the world. Pests are invading his crop causing  small harvests. Secondly, because pests still invade his farm even when using natural pesticides it makes it difficult to remain resistant to chemical fertilizers and pesticides because it is either lose your whole harvest or use fertilizers. Lastly, since Chodack needs extra assistance on the farm resist the pests it does not provide a sustainable income due to the loss of income to pay for the helpers. As a result of all this Tibetan youth do no find farming as a sustainable enough income to remain on the settlements (McKown.CST. 2011). Although this is in different community, I expect similar problems to be occurring in Bylakuppe. In interviewing farmers I would like to know the depth of these problems on an individual and societal level and also learn if there are other challenges specific to Bylakuppe.

      Stu Nicholls reports a brief history of Bylakuppe in which he discusses the difficulties of sustaining a family solely off of farming. Most original families have a small crop of land for agricultural use but due to the lack of irrigation facilities families have to engage in other activities such as trading, restaurants, shop keeping, etc. (Nicholls. 2011). To help with sustaining farms in Bylakuppe the Dickey Larsoe Co-operative Society Ltd. was installed to help with loaning seeds, fertilizers, urea, and other agricultural inputs on a credit basis. As a result the farmers are obligated to return agricultural products to the Dickey Larsoe Co-operative Society Ltd. warehouses where they can sell the products to open markets for gain. There is lack of further information on how this cooperation is currently being used. I hope to find out more information while I am in India.

 The growing concern among the younger generations of Tibetans in Mundgod is that farming is no longer a profitable occupation as exemplified by Chodack. As a solution the Central Tibetan Administration advises farmers to farm cash crops such as alphonso mango, coconut, cashews, and amla to boost farmers’ gain. Still young Tibetans desire to grow up and become doctors, nurses, and dentists which puts the older generation of Tibetans in fear of their children forgetting their culture (McKown.CST. 2011).

            Though there have been many implemented plans by the Dalai Lama, the Central Tibetan Administration, and the Federal Tibetan Co-Operative there are still many struggles with adapting. By going to Bylakuppe, a prime opportunity for interviewing and observation, I will be able to interview individuals like Chodack so see their experiences and how they have progressively learned and become better at their trade. By observing and meeting the the Organic Research and Training Center I hope to be able to assist in their objectives in training and assisting individual farms and farmers produce a good harvest that can sustain themselves. I also plan on looking at the Dickey Larsoe Co-Operative Society to observe how they are benefiting the community and expanding the farming community. Through each of these ideas I propose to observed how the Tibetan Refugees have adjusted and learned to farming on India’s soil.

Works Cited

United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. India: Information on Tibetan refugees and settlements, 30 May 2003, IND03002.ZNY. < http://www.unhcr.org/

refworld/docid/3f51f90821.html>. Accessed 24 February 2012

Xu, Jianchu; Yang, Yong; Li, Zhuoqing; Tashi, Nyima; Sharma, Rita; Fang, Jing. “Understanding Land Use, Livelihoods, and Health Transtion among Nomads: A Case of Gangga Township Dingri County, Tibetan Autonomous Region of China.” EcoHealth. 5,104-114 (2008).

 Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives. Untitled Document. 2009. <http://www.ftci.co.in/

consolidated-information-on-15-member-coop-socities.htm>. Accessed 20 February 2010.

Central Tibetan Administration. Department of Home: Central Tibetan Administration. “Agriculture: Tibetan Organic Farming.” 2012. Web. 10 January 2012. http://ctrc.tibet.net/agriculture.html

Federation of Tibetan Co-Operatives Ltd. Tibetan Organic. 2009. <http://www.ftci.co.in

/F41923/tibetan_organic.html>. Accessed 20 February 2010.

Himalayan Institiute. “Bylakuppe Settlement.” 2011. <http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/

            humanitarian/tibetan-settlements/bylakuppe-settlement/>. Accessed 19 February 2010.

McKown, Colleen. “Mundgod’s Tibetan Farmers on Organic Methods and the Monsoon Pattern”. The Tibet Post International. 29 Sept 2011.

McKown, Colleen. “CST Pricipal and Students on Changing Times, Tibetan Identity”. The Tibet Post International. 26 September 2011.

Nicholls, Stu. Central Tibetan Admistration: Department of Home “A Brief Story of Lugsung Samdupling, Bylakuppe, Karnataka State.” 2011. <http://ctrc.tibet.net/

settlements/india/south/lugsam.html>. Accessed 20 February 2012.

http://tdlsociety.com/tractor_Section.aspx

Methodology

           The main goal or purpose in going to Bylakuppe India is to study agriculture and farming of the Tibetan exiles. My questions that I would like to explore are: How have the Tibetans in Bylakuppe learned to farm on India's soil? What kind of problems they have confronted (ex: pesticides and fungus)? My methodology for researching these qestions are as follows:

Plan for entry and building rapport

            Previous to arrival I am planning on contacting the Organic Research and Training Center within the Himalayan Institute and make contacts. I am hoping that they can help me with a non-profit job or refer me to other people within the community. I would like to be able to work on the farms so that I can learn how it functions and it will also help become acquainted with people I can interview.

Description of Informants

            I am planning on contacting individuals within the Organic Research and Training Center and interviewing those who are involved with its functions and teaching. I would like to interview Tibetan refugees who work on the Tibetan Farm Project, those who run the farm, and those who purchase products from organic farms.

Plan for sampling and recruitment

            I will include Tibetan refugee farmers, trainers, and merchants who work and sell organic farm products. I plan on recruiting people by building rapport in the community and being interested in what they teach me. By working on farms I hope to become acquainted with individuals who can recommend me to other individuals.

Description of Method

            As I am out in the field I plan to work on the farms and in the market. I want to observe and learn how farmers maintain the organic environment while resisting pesticides, how they prune and care for plants to prepare for a greater harvest, and how irrigation works on the farms. By learning this information I hope to build contacts and interview various individuals about how they have learned to do what they do. I also want to interview individuals that have lived in Tibet and come to India to learn how the farming industry compares and contrasts. I would like to know the struggles, how they progressed, and how they continue to advance. Through informal interviewing I hope to become acquainted with the farms and through semi-formal interviewing I would like to learn how the Tibetan refugees have come to learn to farm on India’s soil.

            A few possible interview questions include:

·         When did you begin farming?

·         What is a typical day like on the farm?

·         What parts of farming are difficult?

·         Has the farming industry changed since you began?

·         How were you taught to farm?

·         Was learning a difficult process?

·         How does the monsoon affect the harvest?

·         What seasons do you plant certain crops?

·         How do you maintain the health of the soil?

·         What do you believe your connection to the earth?

·         How important is it for you to involve your children in farming?

Mundgod: Mini Tibet

The last article I read " Mundgod's Tibetan Farmers on Organic Methods and the Monsoon Pattern" really cemented or, at least, made me more confident on what I want to research. I love the personality of the paper  even though it may not go as deep into the topic as I plan on going. I keep on being tossed back an forth on how much farming actually happened in Tibet.

This article made it clear that it was little and of the farming done it was mostly family farms. In Tibet they did have pesticides so they just maintained natural organic farming. Once they were exiled to India they immediately were taught about pesticides and they became widely used. Now the Dalai Lama is highly advising against it because organic foods are healthier for the body.

Over the years Mundgod has become known as a "Mini Tibet". Mundgod is a showcase of Tibetan culture and life style. It is considered to be one of the largest Tibetan settlements. Its main industry is agriculture but this may change as it continues to transition from a traditional society into modernity. If it is possible I would like to visit Mundgood to see the differences between Bylakuppe and Mundgod. From the readings it seems as though Bylakuppe's farms are more governmentally controlled where Mundgod seems more family oriented but I guess I will never really know until I can see for myself.

Mundgod Tibetan Settlement

McKown, Colleen. “Mundgod’s Tibetan Farmers on Organic Methods and the Monsoon Pattern”. The Tibet Post International. 29 Sept 2011.

This article discusses concerns with farming and organic farming, the monsoon, and having the future generation continue the farming tradition. In Mundgod, a Tibetan settlement about seven hours south of Bylakuppe, there are nine camps six of which are fully organic. The Dalai Lama expresses the importance of producing organically, just like they did in Tibet, in order for good, healthy food. Lobsang Chodack from camp eight emphasizes his concerns with organic farming stating that it requires more paid help to take care of the farm and much less product is produced. In order to maintain his organic farm teak trees must surround his farm in order to keep the cows out; the soil must be a mixture of 5kg cow dung, 1kg cow urine, and 1 kg jiggery to detract pests and still pests attack his crops somehow. The Central Tibetan Administration is beginning to advise farmers to grow cash crops such as alphonso mango, coconut, cashews, and amla to boost farmers gain. There is a roaming fear that the younger generation will not keep the family tradition. The younger generations are leaving the farm to the parents care and Lobsang believes the only way to keep them involved is to gravitate towards modern technology. Lastly the monsoons of the last few years have been unpredictable so it is impossible to know how to protect the crops. My questions are if they could predict the weather how would it change farming techniques? Would location be different? Does the future generation plan on eventually continuing the farm? If so, will they continue organic farming?

Organic Research and Training Center

While I was researching the Tibetan Farm Project I found a brief description on tibet.net suggesting that the name has been changed to Organic Research and Training Center (ORTC). Part of the reason for this change is that the farm has been expanded from testing organic farming to being committed to organic and, as a result, using it to train others on organic farming. The project is now used for various organic crops, fruits, vegetable training and demonstration, and herbs for medicinal and kitchen purposes. Bylakuppe plays a critical role in sharing their knowledge about organic farming and teaching other Tibetan farmers and community leaders how organic farming works.

I am particularly interested in the medicinal herbs that they are growing on the farm and how they are used in the home. My hope is that I will be able to attend meetings at the ORTC and work on the farm so that I can understand how it works and how they learned to work it. I would like to talk to the leaders of the program to interview how they have created such a program and how it is benefiting the Tibetan Settlements.

Agriculture: Tigetan Organic Farming

Central Tibetan Administration. Department of Home: Central Tibetan Administration. “Agriculture: Tibetan Organic Farming.” 2011. Web. 10 January 2012. http://ctrc.tibet.net/agriculture.html

                Previous to the exile of Tibetan citizens, families were able to provide organic crops for the whole family. When they arrived in India families were not provided with enough farming area for families, particularly for organic farming, so individuals had to leave the home to find work. In 2002, the Exile Tibetan Government set up a plan to encourage settlements to provide for their families, Indians, and the whole world through organic farming. This is being achieved through training Tibetan exiles to rotate crops, create natural composts, and construct proper irrigation systems utilizing India’s vastly different environment. The connection with my project is that I want to see how effectively these methods have been employed in Bylakuppe, and how sufficient the community has become because of them. Is Bylakuppe able to grow most of its own food, or does it rely heavily on importing? Has the diet of the Tibetans there adapted to the crops that grow in southern India, or have methods been found to cultivate traditional foods for a taste of home?

Statement of Intent

I was finally forced to come to some kind of conclusion with what to do for my field study, so here it is!


"The main goal or purpose in going to Bylakuppe India is to study agriculture and farming of the Tibetan exiles. My questions that I would like to explore are: How have the Tibetans in Bylakuppe learned to farm on India's soil? What kind of problems have they confronted (ex. pesticides and fungus) How have/are they transition to organic farming? For my own personal benefit I would like to also look at natural medicines and remedies in the home.

In order to answer these questions I plan to volunteer on local farms particularly on the Tibetan Farm Project, 80 acre experimental farm which has practiced organic farming for the past 10 years, in Bylakuppe to understand how the farm functions. I plan on meeting with leaders that run the Tibetan Farm Project and those that help run it. I would also like to interview various individuals in the community to understand the importance of having organic farming readily available. As a result I would like to be able how agriculture and farming is of key importance to Tibetan society, and I would like to begin to understand the Tibetan beliefs, customs, and values."

Currently I am more excited about getting to know the people and the culture. A friend of mine went to Jordan last semester and always talked about the fun of immersing yourself in the culture. He was able to make many, many friends. He was able to work in a perfume shop and learn how to make his own perfumes. He was invited to friends houses which allowed him to truly learn and love the people. This is certainly the kind of experience I want to have.

25 questions

 This coming May my husband and I are planning on going to Bylakuppe, a little town in southern India for a field study. Although his plans are pretty set in stone, I have yet to confirm my exact plans. Thusfar, I have become interested in agriculture and farming in India. The town that we are going to is a Tibetan Refugee settlement so I would like to base my study on how they learned to farm on India's soil, what kind of problems they have confronted as far as pesticides, and how they have learned to manage the summer monsoon rains. To further extend my study I will look at natural medicine in the home. These are a few questions that I have about India, Tibet, and the people there:


1. What grows in India during the summer months?
2. How does irrigation work?
3. What fungus and bugs are a problem?
4. What pesticides are used?
5. Do most Tibetans do their own farming?
6. How common is organic farming?
7. Is farming ran by Tibetan families or their "Help"?
8. Where does Bylakuppe's water source come from?
9. Who do their crops go to?
10. Where did the Tibetans learn how to work on India's soil?
11. Does the future generation show interest in continuing to farm?
12. How do the Tibetans feel about working somebody else's soil?
13. What kinds of medicines do the refugees tend to use in their home? Natural vs. allopathic?
14. What are some remedies for common ailments (headaches, upset stomach, etc.)?
15. What is the Tibetan conception of death like?
16. How are major ailments dealt with, generally? Acceptation, leaving the camp for a major hospital, etc.?
17. Do people often grow their own medicines?
18. Is it common to go and see doctors?
19. What does the typical Tibetan refugee diet consist of?
20. Do the refugees import things from Tibet for a "taste of home?"
21. I read a paper about substances in the soil producing various skin ailments in northern India. Is this type of thing common in Bylakuppe?
22. What is the quality of the soil in Bylakuppe?
23. How do farmers maintain nutrition in the soil?
24. Is farming mostly done by men, or do women and children also farm?
25. What is the quality of the available water sources?
26. How open are family members about their illnesses? Is it a source of shame, or a fact of life?
27. Are health issues common topics of conversation ("how have your bowel movements been lately" is not an uncommon question in some places!)