Spider Web and Nutritious Rice - What damage we have made by adding pesticide in our rice fields

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Recently while travelling in the countryside of Niyamgiri foothills the Sarna Team got a chance to visit Vasudha Farm and interact with its manager Mr Dulal Bhattacharya. 



The interaction was an eye-opener for us. We realized what damage we have made to our innovative and thoughtful farmers and the indigenous rice fields. 



Spider webs are nature's wonderful creations. Spiders create webs to trap insects for their food need. Usually, in the month of June, Spiders create webs and lay eggs. At that time the farmers plant the new paddy saplings. Traditionally the paddy saplings are prone to enemy insects. However, the spiders eat them and help farmers to save their plants.  There is a symbiotic relationship between farmers and spiders. 




However, when fertilizer based agriculture replaced the traditional practices, to kill the enemy insects farmers were asked to add urea and pesticide, 40 days after the plantation. 

Yes, the pesticide would kill the enemy insects, but at the same time, it would kill spiders and their newborns. As a result, the entire food chain and ecosystem are lost. 



Sustainable tourism is all about experiencing and learning through interactions and observations. These help in the creation of new knowledge. We become more responsible and sensitive towards nature and indigenous communities. 



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