Out in da' Field

Well, I'm willingly diverging from the theme of 4 am musings, in part because I can, and in greater part because after so many nights of 4 am "musings" since I've been here it's all become rather tedious. Some of you may be wondering what it's like where I live. What I eat, how the people act, how big the mangoes are and if there really is 4 heaping tablespoons of sugar in a tiny cup of chai (yes). Well, I promise more of that later, 'cause right now I'm feeling rather passionate about something I just saw, and something that I will most likely be spending some time working on in the coming months. ODAM (Organization for Development Action and Maintenance), where I volunteer, has been working on setting up a bio-diesel plant for some time now. Initially when I arrived here, this seemed a great idea in terms of a) diversifying income streams and b) creating renewable energies. After today, however, I see that the need for this is even more important than I had originally suspected.

Back in the late 1950's, a strange little bush/small tree from South Africa was introduced into Tamil Nadu. The government believed that it would provide a new source of fuel for local residents, and provide a new source of income. As with any number of development projects, little research was done on how the plant would affect the local landscape, and the government sent planes, full of seeds, and sowed the seeds across hundreds of miles. Today, the plant is found everywhere. It embodies all the awful characteristics of a weed. It has extremely thick, pointy thorns, tougher and uglier than those on a rose. It's roots reach incredibly far into the ground, and have sucked up an inordinate quantity of water, which weakens other local crops. And unlike other plants that can give shade, if you walk past this one, you can feel heat pounding off of it. It runs rampant here, and even the goats, of which there are many here, and who will eat anything (I've seen it. It's true), will not go near the bush. In recent years, poor farmers in the area (the average monthly salary here is $45.00) have started making charcoal from the plant. This is a very involved process, which I had the opportunity to see up close. First, hundreds of bundles of the thorny sticks are collected and brought to an open field area. They are then formed into a large dome, much like a very large sweat lodge. Only a tiny opening is left at the top, where the fire is made. It takes 2 weeks to collect the wood and make the dome, which in its final stage must be covered in clay, sand and water to trap the heat from the fire. During this time, farmers reinforce the bottoms of their sandals with pieces of tire so that the thorns won't pierce them.

The most dangerous stage then begins - "the burning." A small ladder is made that scales the dome, and a fire is lit inside of it. The dome must be watched for 7 days, 24 hours a day, so usually a small team of men and women will set up a small tent and wait. We visited a group of 4 men who were 4 days into the burning. We sat in the middle of a large field, covered with the nefarious weed, and they were happy to answer all of the questions I had. I call this part of the work dangerous because of its potential consequences. Sometimes, because farmers become so tired, someone will fall into the hole at the top of the dome, and burn to death, often without others knowing as they work in shifts. In addition, the charcoal smoke is wretched smelling, and is a leading cause of throat cancers in the area. It also can lead to eye problems, and it can disturb a woman's hormonal functions. Even after having breathed it in for 20 odd and ill-fated seconds when the wind shifted, I could see how over time it would take a toll on the body.

The most devastating part was finding out how farmers, against their better interests, continue this practice. One farmer, though he didn't know the term, described how global warming has so shifted the monsoon season (up to three months from when it's supposed to hit) that his agricultural yields and crop quality have vastly diminished. In addition, because of the water hungry weed, crops have further suffered. While at one point, he would only make charcoal in the drought season, he now pursues this all year long. For each ton of charcoal he makes, he will receive under $100, of which a large portion must be given to a middleman who will pay for its transportation. And this represents 3 tireless weeks of work.

So! The bio-diesel project represents a better, healthier way of life. It is made from the seed of a native tree that has shallow roots, and who's leaves, when fertilized, will help regenerate the soil. ODAM's hope is that it will bring a new form of economic viability to the region...

-Phoebe