Working with Santal Villagers, West Bengal, India: Moringa and Kitchen Gardens to Combat Malnutrition, 2012-2017

The kitchen garden programme and the Moringa project in West Bengal are the 2 different aspects of the work by Anne and Rolf Bucher with the Santals, one of the largest groups of indigenous people (Adivasis) in the Indian subcontinent. Kitchen Garden Programme: In 2012, 25-30% of Santal families in 4 villages participated. So far, we have been to West Bengal 11 times. This amounts to more than a year altogether. In 2017, 450-500 families in 12 villages have their own kitchen gardens, participation ranging from 60 to 90%. This means that in the coming months about 2,500-3,000 people can provide themselves with homegrown vegetables. Seeds and seedlings cost about 50 cents per family. During all these years, there have been occasional setbacks, of course. There were families who could not participate all the time because of illness or death. Sometimes it was a well-paid job as day laborer or urgent tasks like the building of a home before the next monsoon season which prevented people from participating. The last 2 seasons were managed independently by Nilu Murmu and his assistants. When we arrived at the end of the growing seasons we could see that thanks to their excellent work, the kitchen garden programme was still a success story. Men, women, even youngsters participate and learn how to lay out their own vegetable patch. The kitchen garden programme by "Shining Eyes" has considerably increased food security in the rural Santal villages of West Bengal. There is great potential of reducing food insecurity by vegetable gardens. Moringa Programme: In 2012, "Shining Eyes" could use Moringa powder and Moringa cookies for the first time. Since then, they have become a regular feature of their nutrition programmes. Women as well as their children are fond of both Moringa varieties. We have acquainted Nilu Murmu and 2 young Santals with the harvesting and processing of Moringa. For the last 2 years, they have been working independently and have done a wonderful job.