International Journal of Research and Review Vol.7; Issue: 11; November 2020 Website: www.ijrrjournal.com Research Paper E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237

Tribal Women and Economic Significance: A Comprehensive Study

Appala Naidu Pappala

Post-Doctoral Fellow (ICSSR), Department of Anthropology, Andhra University, -530003

ABSTRACT Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), New York in 2015, all the members have made more rd This study conducted from 9th February to 3 than 700 commitments to action with a March 2020, interviewed a total of 46 tribal focus on women and girls, domestically. women farmers aged 15-49 included the Through these commitments, women and pregnant women and lactating mothers were girls have greater access to education and selected randomly in a comprehensive view. It aims to determine about the patterns and health care; opportunities to make their dynamics of tribal women's participation in voices heard without a threat of violence; economic activities, and also recognized hard and increased access to the formal economy. work in performance of the agriculture and podu A progress in development and operations from the Lotheru village in ITDA empowerment has not translated into Paderu revenue division of Visakhapatnam proportional gains. Findings of the study district. Empirical data about aspects of socio- have been suggested that the women must economic and demographic profile, work enter into a labour force of the country on participation, occupational distribution and an equal foothold with men and get occupational classification collected with the integrated into the system.[18] Women are help of anthropological tools and techniques the 'silent majority' of particularly such as observations, case studies and discussions. All data were coded and analyzed vulnerable, poor and the most disadvantaged group, they constitute almost half of the with the SPSS-18 version. On the basis of [17] findings, the highest percentage of tribal women developing countries like . The belonged to marginal, poor income and low status of women is often described in term literacy farmer groups. The participation of levels of income, employment, education, tribal women was reported that the higher health and fertility as well as their role in a significantly in the agro-economic activities can family, a community and a society. be categorized like seed selection included Although, issues of the women have not hulling and inter-cultivation, whereas in case of solved and taken by many governments land preparation, showing, harvest and post- seriously. harvest activities.

Key words: Economic Significance, Lotheru, 1.1. Women in Agricultural Society Tribal Women, Work Participation An agricultural society has its own distinctive symbiotic relationship with INTRODUCTION nature and people. The some historians and Universal access to economic agriculturists believed that it was women opportunities and education as well as who first domesticated the crop plants, health care of women globally, has more thereby initiating the farming of art and [19] significant positive outcomes for reducing science. Since the time of Neolithic poverty. In short, empowering women is agriculture, this distinctiveness has lain in central to sustainable development.[22] Since the central role of women in society and the inception of the 5th annual meeting of culture. Primarily, it was she involved in

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gentling, nurturing and breeding; it was her [1,2,5,7] leading to wide economic disparities, capacity for tenderness and love which gave [11,13,15] poverty feminization, [4,6,8] increased the earliest agricultural settlements, their gender inequality through deteriorating touch of food security, receptivity, working conditions and an unsafe working enclosure, nurture and it was she who made environment, especially in the rural fully possible the growth of civilization. [10] communities. [14,16,20,21] There is paucity of In India, an agrarian society representing a data on the tribal women and their economic complex social system with its significance. Hence, the researcher carried heterogeneous nature, women and economic out the present work on "Tribal Women and significance are relatively fixed and Economic Significance: A Comprehensive expected. Study." It reveals that an economic activity Indian agriculture comprises mainly by time and energy spent is enormous marginal and small farmers. In 2013-14, considering the women's participation in the budget share of agriculture in total GDP income of tribal households. This study is a (18%) and is expected to reduce to 7-8% by part of PDF (ICSSR, New Delhi) which 2019. [11] A large part of the farms are rain- mainly focused on the impact of fed, spread over 200 million hectares and Government schemes on maternal constitute 62 per cent of the country's total morbidity. geographical area. The rain-fed agriculture supports 40 percent of the country's 1.2. Tribal Economy: Agro-Forest Mixed population, and has a large share of cropped This study with a comprehensive area under paddy (42%), pulses (77%), view to generate useful information on oilseeds (66%) and coarse cereals (85%). various aspects of the tribal women's According to the Ministry of Agriculture & participation in different economic activities Farmers Welfare, [9] nearly 72% of rural and significance undertaken, particularly, population are depending directly or anthropology domain which involves indirectly on agriculture for job analysis of data from the multiple sources. opportunities, more than that of any other The economy of tribals is a close sectors. relationship between economic life and The socio-economic and caste natural environment or habitat which is in census 2011 reports that almost 40% of general, a forest. Tribals of India belong to rural households fall under the "excluded" different economic stages, with overlapping category, as they do not fulfill the basic stages in the broader framework of the state parameters of inclusion. Just about 8.3% of economy. Nowadays, tribal societies are rural households reported a monthly income exposed to harsh realities of modern life, of over ₹. 10,000/- for the highest earning where they have to negotiate with the member. Average half of the rural changing environment that is fast posing a households derive the income mainly from threat to their existence. Transitional daily wage labour, whereas 30% from the process from food gathering to industrial farm cultivation. Despite Indian women labour brings external influences and have played an integral part in the farming induces internal challenges that are and agricultural production, the gender sometimes detrimental to the socio-cultural division of labour remains unchanged. fabric of tribal societies. The emphasis on Women contributed in agricultural infrastructural projects such as the mining, operations right from transplanting to strong construction and industries has led to the about three fourth of the labour required for forced eviction of people from their roots, production. Eventually relegated women to thereby depriving them of their livelihood the exclusive role of the housewife. and homeland. Many studies have focused on the financial benefits are unevenly distributed,

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1.3. Tribal Women: Roles and Status 2.1. Study Area Tribal women contribute and This study focused on vulnerable participate to the family economy positively communities particularly the tribal women along with men in subsistence agricultural of Lotheru village in the of activities except ploughing. They share . Administratively, the study major responsibilities in the production village belonging to Araku Valley mandal in process. In reality, women do more work the ITDA Paderu revenue division, than their men. In addition, they have to , it is a high density manage household chores, which is a of the tribal populated village. During 9th stupendous task. Child rearing is also the February to 3rd March 2020, the field work responsibility of the women. The work of for data collection was conducted in the tribal women is always more than their study area (Figure 1). counterparts as they have round annually, unlike men who enjoy seasonal and 2.2. Data Source periodical leisure. According to Prasada Rao Primary data collected on socio- 1976, [12] if she is playing an important role economic situations included demographics in economic activity particularly and adding of the tribal households with a help of substantial income to her family, she will anthropological methods and techniques achieve a status that is equal to man and such as observations, case studies, further she will have a voice in the decision interviews and discussions both formal and making process for her family. non-formal. A total sample of 46 tribal women in reproductive aged 15-49 included 1.4. Relevance of the Study the pregnant women and lactating mothers This study has much contemporary interviewed on their observations and social relevance, occupies an important experiences by randomly administering a position in a field of development studies. structured schedule. For the secondary data, The study is intended to serve dual purpose census sources and annual reports were also that is academic as well as applied; and is tapped. expected to be a greater help to the students, scholars and teachers in the field of RESULTS AND DISCUSSION agricultural extension and women studies in The results showed a broad to general and to the social scientists like examine the tribal women and their anthropologists, sociologists, psychologists, economic significance in podu and and administrators who formulate the plans agriculture activities from a village and policies for sustainable development of perspective. It is a comprehensive study, the tribals. based on nature both qualitative and quantitative variables such as socio- 1.5. Objective of the Study economic and demographic profile, work The objective is to understand the participation, occupational distribution and participation in subsistence economic classification etc. activities of the tribal women in Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh 3.1. Socio-Economic and Demographic with a participatory approach. Profile An understanding of the socio- MATERIALS AND METHODS economic and demographic profile is an For this study, methodology that has extensive concept and valuable initial step been utilized and discussed by the following for any research, which is derived from heads: dependent variables related to the tribal women: geographical area, population, sex ratio, type of house, female literacy rate,

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annual income, land owning capacity that by the Orissa State and partly by can be taken. , on the South by , on the West by Orissa Geographical Area State and on the East by Bay of Bengal. The After the bifurcation of Andhra strip of the land along the coast and the Pradesh state, area covers is 1.63 lakhs sq. interior called the plains divisions, and the km. and ranks as the 7th largest state in the hilly area of the Eastern Ghats adjoining on country. The state situated in a tropical the North and West called the Tribal region, has the 2nd longest coastline in the Agency Divisions. country with a length of 974 km. As per In Visakhapatnam district, the scenic forest records, which accounts for a forest tribal tract popularly known as Paderu area is 34,572 sq. km (21.58% of the total Agency, about 11,161 sq km (48%) of the area). Under the provisions of 5th Schedule total area in the district is notified with of Indian Constitution, Scheduled Areas in 2,312 revenue villages and 3,574 tribal Andhra Pradesh extend over 14,132.56 sq. habitations. A clear definition of the extent km, nearly 4,444 villages covered the five of agency is difficult to find despite its districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, importance for Scheduled Area governance. Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and West A practical definition would be the area in Godavari. which the Andhra Pradesh Government's Integrated Tribal Development Agency Visakhapatnam District: At Glance operates, that is to say, the 11 mandals It is one of the North Eastern Coastal namely, Ananthagiri, Araku valley, districts of Andhra Pradesh and it lies Dumbriguda, , Pedabayalu, between 170 - 151 and 180 - 321 Northern Munchingiputtu, Paderu, G. Madugula, latitude and 180- 541 and 830 - 301 Eastern Chintapalli, G.K. Veedhi and Koyyuru. longitude. It is bounded on the North partly

Figure 1: The study area highlighted with an arrow mark

International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 71 Vol.7; Issue: 11; November 2020 Appala Naidu Pappala. Tribal women and economic significance: a comprehensive study

Tribe Population 11 mandals which make up Paderu ITDA As reported in the Scheduled Tribe division, a pleasant hill station famous for population in Andhra Pradesh state, about its scenic gardens with lush green nature, 2.73 million people (5.53%) of the state's valleys, waterfalls and streams. It has high total population, in the state of Andhra level humidity and dense abounding species Pradesh live in forested landscapes. [7] Out of flora and fauna. In this region, the forests of the 34 STs, Yenadis are numerically the are of mixed deciduous type, which includes largest ST with a population of 5,33,746 many wild animals. constituting 19.5 per cent of the state's ST population. They are followed by Yerukulas Lotheru Village: An Overview 3,75,209 (13.7%), Sugalis 3,61,520 Lotheru is a medium size (13.2%), Konda Doras 2,10,509 (7.7%) and pleasant tribal village, the 20th by population Koya 1,04,348 (3.8%). There are (34) and the 23rd by area, it administratively falls Scheduled Tribes, out of which (6) tribal under the jurisdiction of ITDA Paderu groups are categorized as Particularly division, at a distance of 24 kms from Araku Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) like valley mandal headquarters respectively. Kondh, Kondareddi, Savara, Gadaba, The Lotheru village is selected as a study Chenchu and Porja etc. The PVTG are area for a comprehensive study on the tribal characterized by smaller in size and women and economic significance in podu diminishing in number, backwardness and and agricultural activities, essentially a isolation, use of pre agriculture technology heterogeneous group, of their simple forest and very low literacy. life, age-old methods of agriculture and From the North Coastal tribal belt of their primordial cultural life which is Andhra Pradesh, in particular, influenced. The Lotheru village is Visakhapatnam district has the highest coordinated from 180201 to 180331 North number of tribals that make up 14.45% of latitudes and from 830021 to 830051 East the state population with a tribal population longitudes. Being a part of the Eastern of about 5.57 lakhs. The Agency is home to Ghats, the study area is characterized by an the tribal groups such as the Bagatha, Konda undulating topography. Dora, Nooka Dora, Kotia, Goudu, Mali, Geographically, the total area of the Kammara, Dulia, Didayi and Valmiki are Lotheru village is approximately 270 Vulnerable Tribal Groups. The PVTGs are hectares rounded up to one decimal place, Porja, Gadaba and Khond. Across the entirely, as the hill region is still un- district tribal people live in homogeneous surveyed. Topographically, this village is villages. Tribals live closest to nature; they situated on the top of a hill, surrounded by rely on resources provided by forests and hills of higher altitude which provide little make a living out of it. In many aspects, scope for the cultivation of large extent 117 tribal habitations in these parts are unique hectares land except resorting to the shifting cultures. According to Prof. P.D. Satyapal, cultivation (podu) on hill slopes. Flatlands [16] the Bagatha is the dominant tribal group at the foothills are also cultivated, locally in the ITDA Paderu division, they own land known as garuvu, such being the case, the but despite the Konda Dora tribe being economic life of these tribals is very simple. numerically superior. The panchayat system has not struck roots in the region, the village Public Facilities in the Village: Amenities headman or Naidu and village priest This village has electricity facilitated continue to hold sway, and in most of the by average power supply about 10 hours in villages the traditional posts are held by the summer and 14 hours in winter period. For Bagathas. drinking and cooking water, facilitated The study area belonging to Lotheru through tap, tube well sources provided by a village falls under the Araku valley is one of Christian missionary within the village.

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Among all amenities which are public affordable within the village, but PHC, facilities distance in kilometers of nearest CHC, Divisional Hospital facilities so far place where facility is available showed in distance range 15-20 kms of nearest place series of Tables-1, 2 & 3, there are the where facility is available, the AP TW UP Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre and Girls Residential School also functioned Anganwadi centre under the Integrated within the village. For transportation, all Child Development Scheme, ASHA, Birth roads like Cement Concrete, Kuccha and & Death Registration Office functioned Foot Path within the village and bus facility within the village, health facility like are available with a single trip per a day. primary health sub-center availability and

Table 1: Distribution of Access to Water And Education Facilities by Distance in Lotheru S.No Public Facility Distance in Kms of nearest place where facility is available Within Village < 5 5-10 > 10 a) Water Facility  Tap (Treated/Untreated) Y  Well (Covered/Uncovered) Y  Tube well/Bore well Y  Tank / Pond / Lake Y b) Educational Facility  Pre-Primary school Y  Primary School Y  Secondary School Y  Senior Secondary School Y  Degree College Y  Engineering College Y  Medical College Y  Management Institute Y *The letter "Y" shows that availability of the public facility

Table 2: Distribution of Access to Socio-Economic and Political Facilities by Distance in Lotheru S.No Socio-Economic and Political Distance in Kms of nearest place where facility is available Meeting Facility Within Village < 5 5-10 > 10 1 PDS Depot Y 2 Self-Help Groups Y 3 Regular market Y 4 Weekly market Y 5 Agricultural marketing society Y 6 Mini GCC Y 7 GCC Y 8 Birth & Death Registration Office Y 9 Power Supply for Domestic Use Y 10 Newspaper Supply Y 11 Assembly Polling station Y 12 Community centre without TV Y 13 Sports Field, Y 14 Sports Club / Recreation Centre Y 15 AP Online Centre Y 16 Public Library Y 17 Public Reading Room Y *The letter "Y" shows that availability of the public facility

Table 3: Distribution of Access to Health and Nutrition Facilities by Distance in Lotheru S.No Public Facility Distance in Kms of nearest place where facility is available Within Village < 5 5-10 > 10 c) Health Facility  Health Sub Centre Y  Primary Health Centre Y  Community Health Centre Y  Maternity and Child Welfare Centre Y  T.B. Clinic Y  Hospital-allopathic Y  Hospital-alternative medicine Y  Dispensary Y  Veterinary hospital Y  Mobile health clinic Y  Family welfare centre Y

International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 73 Vol.7; Issue: 11; November 2020 Appala Naidu Pappala. Tribal women and economic significance: a comprehensive study

Table no.3 continued…… d) Frontline Health Worker Facility  ASHA Y  ANM Y  MHW (Female) Y  MHW (Male) Y e) Nutritional Facility  Anganwadi Centre Y  Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre Y  ICDS Centre Y *The letter "Y" shows that availability of the public facility

Population Structure 1.3% in the last 10 years. In the recent Table-4 denotes that about the census, the total population here was 767 population structure of the Lotheru village, respectively. Female population growth rate the total population is near 757 of the 163 of the village is 28% which is 49.3% higher households from which 359 are males while than male population growth (-21.3%). The 398 are females. The tribal groups namely, general caste population has decreased by - Bagatha, Valmiki and Konda Dora are 91.4%; the Schedule Tribe population has living together. In every family, an average increased by 1.6% and children have 5 persons live. The village population of decreased by -11.8% in the village since last children with age 0-6 is 82 which makes up census. 10.83% of the total population of the village. Among them 47 are boys and 35 are Type of House girls. Under the study, majority of the tribals in the village live in their owned Sex Ratio houses (92.2%) and mostly prefer to live in single roomed houses (59.5%) than double Table 4: Details of Population Structure in the Lotheru village S.No Parameter Frequency roomed houses (27.4%) for their domestic 1 Total Population 757 utility purpose. It can be observed that, 2 Scheduled Tribal Population 744 (98.3) 3 S.T. Male Population 355 (46.9) majority of the houses are Semi-Pucca 4 S.T. Female Population 389 (51.4) (79.1%) constructed with tiled or asbestos 5 Children (0-6 years) 82 6 Girl Children (0-6 years) 35 (42.7) roofed and the remaining houses are Pucca 7 Population Density 280 per km2 (11.7%) constructed by RCC and very few 8 Population Growth (%) -1.3 houses (9.2%) are Kutcha or Thatched made 9 Total Sex Ratio 1109 10 S.T. Sex Ratio 1096 with mud flooring. The study area had an 11 Child Sex Ratio 745 average size of family of 4.78 persons per 12 Literacy Rate 342 (45.2) 13 Female Literacy Rate 144 (36.2) household. This is moderate family size and 14 Total Households 163 is in comparison with other parts of the 15 Average of Family Size 4.78 district. *Numbers in parentheses and brackets are percentage

Sex ratio defined as the ratio of the Female Literacy Rate females per every 1000 males, changes in The development of education that ratios can affect marriage prospects, labor plays a crucial role in the growth process of force participation, social and economic an economy. The Literacy rate of Lotheru variables. The sex ratio is Lotheru village is village is 45.18% reported with 342 are 1109 which is higher than average of literates. Among the male literates, the Visakhapatnam district (1006) and Andhra literacy rate is 55.15% as 198 out of total Pradesh state (993). For the child sex ratio 359 are literate males whereas female with age 0-6 is 745, it is observed that a literacy rate is 36.18% as 144 out of total lower than average of Visakhapatnam (961) 398 females are literate. The dark part is and Andhra Pradesh (939). Population that the illiteracy rate of this village is growth of the village has decreased by - shockingly high (54%). Here, 415 of the

International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 74 Vol.7; Issue: 11; November 2020 Appala Naidu Pappala. Tribal women and economic significance: a comprehensive study

total 757 individuals are illiterate. It is Approximately, 25 hectares of cultivated observed that the specified tribal village has land is wet also known as irrigated land, the a low literacy rate (45.18%) while the source of irrigation in Lotheru village female literacy rate is low (36.18%) when mainly, 12.2 hectares from canals and 12.8 compared to 59.74% of Andhra Pradesh and hectares from watersheds or tanks. Their Visakhapatnam (59.34 %) respectively. holdings are small and mostly in dry lands. By the local people, the dry land was Annual Income classified into podu (4.6%), garuvu (8.7%) An economic status is one of the saruvu (6.7%) and coffee plantation (9.2%) determinants of the class and development. respectively. About 32.8% of households are generating income from agriculture in the study area. It Work Participation is reported that nearly half of the tribals The economic structure consists of (49.4%) by annual income is below ₹ the dependent variables such as work 10,000 because mostly they depend on the participation, occupational distribution and source of daily wage labour and podu occupational classification. These aspects cultivation. The average annual income of help us to understand the following: 1) Rate these people is ₹ 11,425 reported. at which the population grows; 2) The number of people employed; 3) Productivity Land Owning Capacity of the working population; 4) Industries Even in the agricultural sector, the which are becoming unimportant; and 5) tribal communities are not beneficiaries of Number of people that construct the labor the green revolution. The researcher force. Work participation rate highlights the discussed that an extent of land holdings occupational distribution of the percentage possessed by each household in the study of main and marginal workers. The work village, fall under the category of small and participation of the village people in marginal. According to interactions of the comparison with the district of tribal women, out of the total 163 Visakhapatnam, total workers account for households, about 28.5% are possessing the 44.05%. Among the proportion of main greater than 2 acres of land followed by workers is around 34.52%, male main 35.1% are possessing between less than one workers accounted for 49.08% and female acre of land. About 15.1% of the households main workers are around 20.05%. The are land less category while remaining are 9.53% of the remaining population are possessing between 1.1 to 2.0 acres of land. marginal workers as per the recent census. The average size of land in the [3] Lotheru village is about three-fourths of an acre. The 64th round NSSO's survey showed Occupational Distribution that the percent of landless households Occupational distribution of a among tribes was somewhat higher than the population reflects on the degree of non tribes, the respective figures being development and the diversification 20.5% and 16.3%. The percentage of tribal achieved in an economy. As per the marginal households (40.6%) was less than Ministry of Statistics and Programme the non-tribal marginal households (51.7%) Implementation (MoSPI), the growth in respectively. GDP during 2018-19 was placed at 7.2 per cent as compared to the growth rate of 6.7 Classification of Land per cent in 2017-18. Through agriculture In the tribal village, the land which is facing a number of challenges, the classification is based on location and water tribals in Lotheru village earned incomes. A capacity. These people have classified into large number of tribal households restore to the land mainly two types: wet and dry. the subsidiary occupation for meeting their

International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 75 Vol.7; Issue: 11; November 2020 Appala Naidu Pappala. Tribal women and economic significance: a comprehensive study

requirements at minimum. Another source community in the ITDA Paderu division to of cash income of the tribals from the the secondary sector is less than 20%. collection firewood and minor forest Table-5 shows that a distribution of produce from the forest. working group in the Lotheru village, the three fourth of working people are Occupational Classification essentially 58.42% are marginal group and The occupational structure clearly remaining constitute the main workers reflects a high degree of backwardness (21.53%) in the different ages. Among the prevailing, changes are associated with total marginal workers, 64.86 percent of development. Economic development tribes participated in daily wage labour creates various occupational types. All the included MGNREG scheme works followed occupations can be broadly classified into by the 40.72% of agriculture labour. three categories, as follows: Whereas a working group, female 1. In the Primary sector of economy, participation in daily wage labour is 54.10% activities are undertaken by directly and in agriculture is 40.72% in the age using natural resources: Cultivation; group 15-49 only excluded the age group of Agricultural Labour; Livestock, 50 years and above respectively. Forestry. Fishing, Hunting and Plantations, Orchards and allied Table 5: Distribution of working group in the Lotheru village S.No Parameter Frequency activities; 1 Total Working Group 442 (58.42) 2. Secondary sector includes the industries 2 No. of Marginal Workers 287 (64.86) 3 Female Participation in Marginal Work 155 (54.10) where finished products are made from 4 No. of Cultivators 130 (45.23) natural materials produced in the 5 No. of Agriculture labour 57 (19.67) primary sector. Mining and Quarrying; 6 Female Participation in Agriculture 23 (40.72) *Numbers in parentheses and brackets are percentage Manufacturing, Processing, Servicing and Repairs in 1) Household Industry; 2) Tribal Women's Economic Activities: A other than Household Industry; and Participatory Approach 3. Tertiary sector’s activities help in the A key to achieving for sustainable development of the primary and development by 2030 Agenda, empowering secondary sectors. By itself, economic women in the economy and closing gender activities in the tertiary sector do not gaps of work particularly Goal 5, to achieve produce goods but they are an aid or a gender equality, and Goal 8, to promote full support for the and productive employment and decent production: Constructions; Trade and work for all; also Goal 1 on ending poverty, Commerce; Transport, Storage and Goal 2 on food security, Goal 3 on ensuring Communications; and Other Services. health and Goal 10 on reducing inequalities. Over the last five decades (1971- [20] Despite a good progress in efforts to the 2020), the proportion of working force tribals in the Paderu Revenue Division engaged in primary occupations remained participatory approaches, the concept of very steady, i.e., around 70 per cent and that participation has been differently in the secondary and tertiary sector was understood by people in the Department of ranging between 28-30% only. The Tribal Welfare, in GCC, among the project occupation classification in Visakhapatnam officers and staff of the ITDA Paderu, and district shows that, out of the total workers, elsewhere at different times. Therefore, the cultivators comprising (19.23%), strategies of participation applied were Agricultural Labourers (25.42%), different depending largely on the Household Industries workers (2.55%) and perceptions of the project officers and other workers (52.80%). Firstly, the tribal related staff in a given period. areas are alarming growth in agriculture and In the study village, even after development, the share of women industrialization and resultant

International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 76 Vol.7; Issue: 11; November 2020 Appala Naidu Pappala. Tribal women and economic significance: a comprehensive study

commercialization swamped a tribal nigrum), 'Alusulu' (Niger: Guizotia economy, women play the most important abyussynic), 'Kafi' (Coffee: Coffee arabica), role than in other social groups, because 'Amudamu' (Castor: Ricinus communis), they work hard and family economy and 'Nuvvulu' (Gingelly: Sesamum orientale), management depends on them. The 'Puttakokku' (Mushroom), 'Konda cheepuru' economic activities exist at all levels which (Hill broom: Thysanolaena maxima), are a set of actions that produce, trade, sell 'Dabbagaddi' (Lemon grass: Cymbopogon or distribute goods or services with the citratus), 'Olibanum' (Gum: Boswellia involvement of monetary transactions. In serrata), 'Adda akku' and 'Adda pikka' this, women's participation in the (Platter leaf and seed: Bauhinia vahlii), agricultural activities are: crop production, 'Beedi akku' (Tendu leaves: Diospyros farm managers, agricultural labourers, melanoxylon), etc and other minor products livestock keeping, family affairs, household in a weekly shandy at Araku when they duties and MFPs collection, including come into contact with the non-tribals. Due fetching of water for drinking and cooking, to these frequent contacts with the plains they had to walk uphill 1.5 kms from the people in the weekly shandies they have springs. There is a spring near the village, taken to the use of washing and toilet soaps. but water availability is less, and purity There is no perceptible change in the nature contaminated. They foregoing daily labour of their aspirations so far as the present as, had to be absent from their daily work occupation is concerned. just to get drinking water. Podu Activities MFP Activities It's the motto 'early to bed and early The collected minor forest produce to rise' that works for the tribals, who (MFP) by the tribal women in the Lotheru inhabit the Lotheru village, begin their day village from their surroundings of the forest having a small carriage with staple food or at seasonally like 'Kanuga' (Indian beech: gruel before setting off to work in the forest. Pongamia glabra), 'Chintha' (Tamarind: Their lifestyle has not changed much over Tamarindus indica), 'Kunkudikaya' (Soap the ages. The tribals are free to choose and nut: Sapindus emerginantus), 'Shikakai' cultivate any part of the surrounding hills. (Soap pod: Acacia concinna), 'Jeelugu' Each tribal, podu cultivation to the limit of (Toddy palm: Caryota urents),'Nallajeedi' his working capacity with the assistance of (Marking nut: Semecarpus anacardium), the family members. The land is not usually 'Karakkaya' (Myrobalan: Terminalia sold or purchased in this region. The son or chebula), 'Induga' (Cleaning nut: Strychnus the brother acquires the right over the land potatorum), 'Dannimma; (Pomegranate: soon after the death of the owner. The land Punica granatum), 'Narija' (Orange: Citrus tenure rules are conventional and mostly sinensis), 'Sitaphalam' (Custard apple: governed by the traditional customs. Anona squamosa), 'Vusiri' (Gooseberry: The greater part of the hill slopes except the Phyllanthus embilica),' Jamma' (Guava: hill tops, are under podu cultivation as it is Psidium guajava), 'Panasa' (Jackfruit: the principal source of livelihood. It is very Artocarpus heterophyllus), 'Neredu' (Java interesting to study the primitive farming plum: Syzgium cumini), 'Nimma' (Lemon: practices of Bagathas. During the months of Citrus sp.), 'Mammidi' (Mango: Mangifera February and March the tribals both men indica), 'Arati' (Banana: Musa and women are usually engaged in felling paradisiacal), 'Eetha' (Date palm: Phoenix the trees which are burnt completely. sylvestris), 'Boppai' (Papaya: Carica Afterwards in the month of April, the ash is papaya), 'Allam' (Ginger: Zingiber then distributed all over the field before officinale), 'Pogaku' (Tobacco: Nicotiana taking up the ploughing operations. The tabacum), 'Miriyalu' (Pepper: Piper cattle dung, the principal manure, is evenly

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distributed all over the field after common to see heaps of cattle dung in her completion of the ploughing operations both family land. In the month of June, they will in kondapodu and garuvu lands. The start agriculture work. They plough their fertilizers are not yet used by them. lands and sow the seeds.  Before first rainfall in the month of Besikalenji (April-May), the garuvu Table 6: Percentage of participation in agricultural activities by Tribal Women of Lotheru lands are ploughed. There are many S. Activity Per cent mixed crops of ragi, virajonnalu, No (%) 1 Land preparation 34.22 peddakorra, thotakura, 2 Selection, cleaning, mixing, broadcasting 70.51 peddasarasavalu, anuvulu and and dibbling of seeds 3 Care of germination 45.59 alachandalu that are raised on the hill 4 Watching of seedlings 61.77 slopes. 5 Weeding and protecting the crop produce 82.65 6 Application of fertilizers 18.54  After the first rainfall in the month of 7 Harvest and Post-harvest activities 86.13 May, the kondapodu begins with the turning of earth locally known as The tribals both women and men in tuvvodam with a spade by men and the village neither attend to any intercultural women, where the cattle cannot be used operations nor remove the weeds. They will for ploughing purposes was done for harvest the crop in the month of December three or four times. Small pits of 2" or January. At the time of harvest, they depth are made indiscriminately on hill worship God and offer sacrifice hen and slopes to show the castor and goat in the land. Then they will bring the peddakandulu seeds and they are crop to their houses. The results reveal that covered with earth. an economic activities by the tribal women in agriculture as follows: Agricultural Activities  Above half of the respondents (79.4%) During the interactive, some tribal of the farm tribal women had nuclear women shared their perceptions and families and 62.4% respondents family experiences on the importance of traditional income was quite low (less than ₹ varieties still in use. The agriculture in this 10,000/- annually). region is the most susceptible spheres to  It was observed that 70.51% of the tribal variability due to its high dependability on women classified high levels of seasonality, especially quantity and involvement in the selection, cleaning, distribution pattern of rainfall. In the mixing, broadcasting and dibbling of Lotheru village, male-female participation seeds. in the agriculture sector is quite flexible,  Whereas medium involvement of women play an effective role in production women was found in care of and resource mobilization. As regards the germination (45.59%) and watching of category, workers mainly classified into as seedlings (61.77%). agricultural labourers who on somebody  In land preparation through cutting of else's farm for a wage payment either in jungle, the tribal women showed low cash or kind and as cultivators who own level of involvement (34.22%), but their own land. Moreover, the category of better involved (53.78%) in hoeing of cultivators covers both owner cultivators land and land leveling of the Bagatha and tenant cultivators. Table-6 shows the women. percentage of participation in agriculture  In application of fertilizers, a low activities with reference to multiple involvement was found (18.54%) by responses by the tribal women. Thus, every tribal women. day, the Lotheru tribal women deposit the cattle dung in their respective fields as it is the principal source of manure. It is very

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 A very high involvement of the tribal purpose, h) drying of grains, and i) women in wedding (82.65%) cleaning of grains. respectively.  Majority of the tribal women were Crop Yielding in the Village highly involved in all the harvest and The crop yielding is sown cyclically post-harvest activities (86.13%) as and intercropped in the available land follows: a) reaping of crops, b) making depending on the season. Here, agriculture bundles, c) carrying of crops from field, is important economic activity among the d) threshing of grains, f) winnowing of tribal people. The paddy is the main crop grains, g) storage of grains for seed followed by cereals and millets.

Table 7: Distribution of Crop Pattern by Annual Calendar Name of the crop Sowing season Harvesting season Paddy May-June (Kharif) October-November December-January (Rabi) April-May Maize or Corn May-June September-October Ragi or Finger millet May-June November-December Samalu or Little millet May-June October-November Virajonnalu or Great millet May-June November-December Korralu or Foxtail millet May-June November-December Sajjalu or Pearl millet May-June September-October Sarasavalu May-June November-December Alachandalu May-June November-December Anuvulu May-June November-December Redgram May-June November-December Blackgram May-June February-March Horsegram June-July November-December Greengram June-July November-December Peas September-October December-January Black-eyed peas June-July November-December Round beans June-July December-January Kidney beans September-October December-January Broad beans November-December February-March Sweet Potato November-December February-March Tomato May-June November-December Castor seed May-June February-March Niger or Valisalu June-July November-December Chilly June-July November-December Ginger June-July November-December Yam November-December February-March

Table-7 presents the distribution of (Horse gram: Dolichos uniflorus), 'Batanilu' yielding crop pattern calendar by one year. (Peas: Pisum sativam), 'Alasandlu'(Cow In the Lotheru village, a diversity of pea: Vigna unguiculata), 'Rajmalu' (Kidney yielding under food crops is generally very beans: Phaseolus vulgaris), 'Kandulu / good and needs to be transported to the Sirikandulu' (Red gram: Cajanus cajan), nearest marketing center i.e. Araku valley so 'Chikkudlu' (Round beans: Dolichos lablab), as the farmers shall get the better benefits 'Bobbarlu' (Black eyed peas: Vigna catjang) and true value that include several varieties followed by vegetables such as 'Thakkali' of 'Vari' (Paddy: Oryza sativa), (Tomato: Solanum lycopersicum), 'Cholu/Ragulu' (Finger millet: Eleusine 'Gummudu' (Beech: Gmelina arborea), coracana), 'Samalu' (Little millet: Panicum sumatrense), 'Korralu' (Foxtail millet: CONCLUSION Setaria italica), 'Gantelu' (Pearl millet: Where the researcher observed and Pennisetum typhoides), 'Mokkajonna' (Corn: finally concluded, the tribal women are Zea mays), 'Jonnalu' (Jowar: Sorghum found to be active in all economic activities bicolor),etc. Among pulses are: 'Minimulu' and have significant effort to make in the (Black gram: Vigna mungo), 'Pesarlu' Lotheru village of Araku Valley mandal (Green gram: Vigna radiata), 'Ulavalu' comes under Visakhapatnam district from

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