Gujarat’s tribals turn riverbeds into breadbaskets

When monsoon rains retreat from Central Gujarat's Orsang river valley, they leave behind vast stretches of silt-covered riverbed. The Orsang, flowing from Madhya Pradesh's Bhavra forest through Gujarat's Chota Udaipur district until it meets the Narmada at Chandod, becomes the lifeline for local tribal communities.

Near Chota Udaipur, tribals have mastered the art of cultivating the exposed riverbeds, a practice known as riverbed or sandbar farming. From November to February, landless tribals turn these temporary stretches into productive fields.

The monsoon's annual cycle deposits mineral-rich silt across the riverbed. As waters recede, they leave behind naturally fertilised, moisture-rich soil - perfect conditions for farming. While Gujarat’s Orsang Valley is a prime example of this method, riverbed farming stretches across India. In Himachal Pradesh’s Una district, the Rai community practices it along the Swan River, leasing land from October to June. Here farmers harness the natural flow of rivers, growing a range of vegetables as tenant farmers.

Come November, Gujarat's riverbed farmers use a simple pit-and-ditch system to prepare plots for their crops. Pumpkins, squashes, gourds, and cucumbers grow in abundance alongside long-taproot vegetables like tomatoes, okra, and cowpeas, making up 68% of all cucurbits grown in the region. Despite using basic seeds, these farmers manage to harvest two to three crops during the brief period the riverbeds are accessible. The efforts yield annual earnings of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000, crucial income for families with few other options for sustenance.

Ancient technique

Riverbed farming is believed to have originated in the Ganga river basin during the Mughal era. “I’m learning about Diara farming, or riverbed farming, in my sustainable agriculture course,” says Khushi Khan, a final-year agriculture student at a university in Baramati. “It’s the practice of growing vegetables on riverbanks or basins after the floodwaters have gone down, usually after the monsoon. This land isn’t used for anything else, so it’s a great way to make use of land that would otherwise be wasted.”

With a population of 1.4 billion and agricultural land shrinking due to urban expansion, the need to use available land efficiently has never been greater. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports a 20% drop in global cropland area per capita from 2001 to 2022, shrinking from 0.24 to 0.20 hectares. Amid climate unpredictability, techniques like riverbed farming offer a way to adapt and boost food security. The future of agriculture may well depend on reviving traditional practices that are attuned to nature’s cycles, making the most of limited resources.

As the world’s population grows, finding sustainable ways to meet food demands becomes crucial. Riverbed farming, an age-old technique, is emerging as a promising solution. Professor Arup Kumar Sarma from IIT Guwahati underscores the importance of riverine ecosystems for agricultural intensification.

“The rich, loamy soils of the riverbeds offer the perfect conditions for farming of these vegetables. However, determining an optimal cropping pattern to get the maximum output is challenging as at any given point in time, a part of the riverbed might be suitable for cultivation while another part of it might still be submerged,” he says.

“In such environments, there is a lot of water fluctuation and it affects the cropping pattern. It is also important to ensure that available land is not left barren so as to optimise farming,” he adds.

Riverbed farming may not be without its challenges. Farmers often deal with poor-quality seeds, unpredictable weather, and the intrusion of stray animals. Yet, studies suggest that the benefits far outweigh these hurdles. The naturally fertile, moist soil reduces the need for chemical fertilisers, irrigation, and frequent weeding, making it a low-maintenance option for farmers. More importantly, riverbed farming offers the potential for off-season cultivation, allowing for year-round harvests that can reduce food shortages and mitigate extreme price fluctuations.

Food security

India’s vast network of rivers and river plains holds immense potential for off-season farming on riverbeds. With climate change intensifying floods and encroaching on riverbeds, more silt is deposited, expanding the available farming areas. During the non-monsoon months, these lands provide an excellent window for cultivating crops in one to three cycles. This farming method could improve food security and provide a steady income for India’s landless and land-poor communities.

One particularly effective form of riverbed farming is Diara cultivation, which not only promotes food security but also addresses poverty. Diara farming offers a livelihood to those without land, enabling them to grow vegetables for sale.

“While innovative practices such as diara farming are showing promise, we need to ensure consistent technical support, training, and a reliable supply of inputs like seeds and fertilisers, along with market information, which is crucial for widespread adoption of this agricultural technique,” says Dr S Hebbar from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Riverbed farming stands as a powerful example of how ancient methods, when coupled with modern support, can provide solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in agriculture today. By optimising underutilised land and boosting local economies, this practice could help secure a more sustainable and prosperous future.

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