Zannatul Ferdous, back from Godagari (Rajshahi)
Food security is a key challenge facing many in the fur-flung corners of Bangladesh. The problem is especially acute for the rural landless poor, for whom the means to combat this challenge is precariously limited. To take on this challenge, a group of villagers looked to the power of the collective, and they did so with much success.
Six years ago, landless villagers from 22 adivasi villages came together to start the ‘Roxagola’ scheme, a traditional rice-bank system. Today, the success of the ‘Roxagola’ scheme has meant that the apprehension and insecurity of the past among these villagers have replaced by a new found food security and hope for a better future.
“We have been suffering from hunger for many years. In our village, around 55 Santal adivasi families are completely landless. We have lost our land to land grabbers and scams. But the ‘Roxagola’ rice-bank has given us food-security and solvency,” said Deben Basky(46), the leader of the village community (Morol) of Dyeingpara, on of the 22 villages.
He added, “Today our children are going to school and we have enough food for our meals, even though we are still landless labourers.”
Over the last six years, around 4000 inhabitants from 22 villages under Deopara and Gogram unions have become self-sufficient in terms of food. Although the majority of those under the rice-bank net are of the Santal minority, there are also families from Urao, Paharia, Rajuar, Sing and Hajra communities. Villages under the ‘Roxagola’ rice-bank programme are Chaitanyapur, Shahanapara, Edulpur, Kantapasha, Nimjuri, Patharghata, Beldanga, Golai, Jeolmari, Gardyeing, Mulkidyeing, Dyeingpara, Nimghutu, Srirampur Beroil, Baganpara, Gonoker Dyeing, Farsapara, Dadoir,Gunigram Rajapara, Agolpur, Udpur and Norsingor Adorshagram.
According to available statistics, there are 963 families in these 22 villages with 362 women, 1319 men, 962 female children and 993 male children totaling 4636 inhabitants. The path to food security for these villagers has been shown by a non-government organization: Centre for Capacity Building of Voluntary Organization (CCBVO). Another non-government organization namely, Bangladesh Freedom Foundation (BFF) has extended financial assistance to this project.
Shelina Tudu, a 22 year old Shantal house wife and an organiser of the ‘Roxagola’ programme said, “Before we started ‘Roxagola’, we were forced to take on loans during times of crises from local Mohajons(money lenders), who would charge exhorbitant interest. But now we have broken out from this ‘Mohajon’ loan system.’
She also said, “Now we can think of our future with optimism. Our plan is to sell some rice from ‘Roxagola’ and establish our own school and install a deep tubewell in our village.”
Olivia Biswas, a 30 year old home maker of the Paharia community said, “We do not have to worry about hunger anymore. Each and every adivasi families are united by the ‘Roxagola’ programme.”
Marcus Paharia, a 60 year old resident of one of the villages, said, “I have donated one and half katha land to the ‘Roxagola’ rice-bank programme. This kind of adivasi traditional systems will safe-guard our future. We also hope to open a bank account for our ‘Roxagola’ cash fund.”
Manik Ekka, of the Patharghata Uraw village said, “We learnt about the ‘Roxagola’ programme from the nearby Santal village. Every family donates one or two kg rice per week, depending on their ability. During lean times, needy families can take rice as loan without any interest.”
Shamoli Lakra (35), another Uraw organiser of ‘Roxagola’ said, ‘Now we can ensure that we will always meet our essential needs for meals, and sometimes even fish and meat.”
“Many housewives have now started their own poultry business,” she added.
Jharia Uraw (65), said, “Our woman now have the time to practice traditional dance and songs again.”
Sharwar-E-Kamal, General Secretary of CCBVO said, “Through a pilot survey we found that adivasi people had gradually lost their own land bit by bit. We also found that they become day laborers to subsist. So we tried to unite them and help them overcome their desperate situation.”
He also said, “In 2005 we started a pilot project named Roxagola, based on the traditional community rice-bank system, in the Godagari upozila. After three years, results were positive. Today, Roxagola is a successful food bank, helping 22 adivasi villages.”
Arif Ethar, field organizer of the CCBVO said, “Roxagola is a different kind of a project, a project that was made possible through the participation of all villagers. This kind of project can be models for ensuring food security and solvency.”
He added that the road communication infrastructure of his union is good, but people are suffering from shortage of pure drinking water, and they need many deep and shallow pumps. As a chairman of the Godagari Union Parishad, he is trying to collect some of these pumps from government and non-government organizations, which would help more than eight thousand people. Further he said, at last three more primary schools and a Madrasa is required to ensure a bright future for the region.
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