CUARTO GRADO DE SECUNDARIA
2.2. La escuela y los espacios de participación
The staple foods eaten daily included rice, ragi, wheat, com, semolina, and lentils. Families usually had two meals a day; most often they had ragi or rice and a lentil stew. The vegetables used included carrots, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, eggplant, and cabbage. These were the most common. The use of vegetables varied by households depending on availability and affordability. Very few households had vegetables daily; most reported eating vegetables weekly, or 2-3x a month. Fruits were consumed more often per month, depending on what was found in the forest. The fruits most commonly consumed were bananas and papayas; sometimes they also had guavas, apples and wild berries. Various types of greens were collected from the forest or purchased and consumed frequently, either everyday or several times a week. A few women grew greens. The various greens consumed included pumpkin, mustard, spinach and at least 2-3 more local varieties. (Greens were seasonal and not available from January to April). Meat, dairy and eggs were consumed rarely. Though meat was consumed more often than dairy or eggs, but not more than once a month. Only a couple of families reported having meat every 15 days or so, they also had regular incomes.
“We usually have ragi, rice and a lentil stew everyday. Sometimes we have beans and eggplant. We have meat or chicken maybe monthly once, but it is infrequent. We rarely have eggs and dairy. We all sit together and eat. ” BRISTl 1, 18 years, 4 years of schooling.
Only a few households reported any monthly food shortages.
^'We do have some days without food. But we almost always have food, if need be, we take credit for food in times o f shortage. We always manage for food. I will get weekly supplies if I have the money or else if I have less money, I will buy food daily, • buying a little at a time. In times of hardship, everyone has to eat less. ” BRIST35, 48 years, 1 year of schooling.
The poorest families faced food shortages up to twice a week. Some families reported that they could have 2-3 days every month without food. Those who were from Purani (the dry and arid village) reported that they had frequent food shortages and that it was extremely difficult for them to get enough food. Even getting various types of greens from the forest was difficult, as they had to go far into the forest. Seasonal variation was only reported in Purani. There they ran out of food by the end of the year, and between January to April they faced severe shortages. Women from homes with regular monthly incomes reported that they never had food shortages and there was generally no seasonal difference either. Most families however had unstable employment and irregular incomes; food shortages were more common for these families. When there was less work, there was less food.
“I f we have coolie work then we have food. I f not, we have no food. I f we have not had any work that day, my mother may give us some food to adjust for the shortage that night. When we have some days with no food then it is difficult. ” BRIST28, 24 years, 7 years of schooling.
Supplies were bought mainly weekly, a few bought monthly supplies; some bought daily supplies. This was also a function of distance to the district town (24km) at the foothills; the weekly market was on Sunday.
Even in times of shortage several women said that they could borrow food from their neighbours for that night. They also had the option of taking credit from the store. For the most part families always had something to eat. Other strategies in times of shortage included buying fewer expensive foods such as vegetables and having more staples, having fewer meals, eating less per meal, and having days without food. Some women reported that adults ate less at these times; some said women or men ate less. Most families ate all together; it was rare for men to be served first.
“I cook in advance so that when my husband gets home we can all eat together. We all eat less when there is no food. Some months out o f the year we have less food. Not specific months but it does happen with less money. I f we have money we buy weekly supplies or else we buy daily supplies. ”
BRISTl 7, 45 years, 8 years of formal schooling.
Scheduled Caste
The staple foods included rice, ragi, lentils, wheat, and semolina. Most people had 2-3 meals a day. For breakfast they were likely to have dosai, chittrana, chapathi or upitu. For the rest of the day they would have rice, ragi and lentil stew with or without vegetables. The vegetables they bought included beans, carrots, radish, tomato, eggplant, cabbage, and greens. They would have vegetables almost daily about 3-4 times a week, depending on their means. Families for the most part appeared to ensure calories and were more likely to forego variety if they could not afford it. Meats were consumed either weekly once or every 15-20 days, or monthly once. Overall meat consumption was infrequent. The poorer the family the less meat they consumed. However, none of the diet recalls within the same interviews revealed that women had meat the previous day; it is therefore probable that meat is in fact consumed rarely. Milk, dairy products and eggs were consumed rarely. Dairy, meat and eggs were also the most expensive foods. Fruits and green leafy vegetables were consumed rarely. Some categorised fruit as a “cold” food, and so would not consume any. Fruits were also expensive.
Women generally ate last. Men, the elderly and children ate first. Most families stated that food shortages were not common.
“Ifeed the men first, then! eat last. ” VISC7, 17 years, no formal education.
They tried to ensure that they would eat something everyday. The strategies they used included having fewer meals per day or having less per meal, and having less variety in their diet. Women admitted that they tended to eat less at these times to ensure that the men had enough to eat. But even so, families did report that they had periods of absolute shortage, some as frequently as several times a week. Others reported that they had shortages once a month or every 2-3 months. Some said they faced seasonal shortages. This was linked to wage labour and income. So for some this occurred
during the rain season, for others during the summer season. Supplies were bought weekly and daily mainly, and less frequently monthly - again this was dependent on family income.
“We have a day every week when we have no food. We have shortages because work is irregular. At these times we all have to eat less. We drink kanji (rice water) then. ” BISC2, 41 years, no formal schooling.
Backward Caste
The main staples are rice, ragi, lentils, semolina and wheat. Most families had 2-3 meals a day. Breakfast foods included idli/dosai, upitu, chittrana, and ana saru. For the main meals families had rice/ragi and sambhar/saru, with or without vegetables. The poorest families had the least diet variety and they survived on rice/ragi and lentils without vegetables. These families reported having vegetables, meat, dairy, eggs, infrequently or rarely. The vegetables most commonly used included: tomatoes, greens, eggplant, carrots, beetroot, beans, and cabbage. Vegetables were used daily only by a minority of families. The majority had vegetables 2-3 times a week, or weekly once in some cases. Some had meat weekly once or every 15 days. But most reported having meat infrequently or rarely. The use of dairy and eggs was rare unless the family had owned a buffalo or chickens. Fruits were rarely eaten; only two families mentioned eating bananas. Supplies were bought mainly daily or weekly, but rarely monthly. Most often the men and elders got the food supplies. For families, having enough to eat depended on the season and whether work and income were available.
“Everyday we have ragi, rice and a lentil stew. We have vegetables everyday whatever is available that day. We have meat about three times a month. We rarely have any milk or yogurt. We buy the supplies we need on a daily basis. ” KSIUS19, 18 years, no formal schooling.
Absolute food shortages were relatively uncommon. Only a few families reported having no food, up to two days per month. The maximum numbers of days of absolute shortage were 4-5 days per month. Strategies families used in times of shortage included women eating less, adults eating less, having fewer meals, and less diet variety to ensure that they had something to eat every day. This often meant reducing the consumption of more expensive foods (usually vegetables, other items were already eaten infrequently). Usually women ate last. Men, elders and children ate first. Women tried to ensure that men had enough to eat by themselves eating less.
“I serve the men first and I eat last. Sometimes we have food shortages, maybe once a month. We have less food in the summer season especially. I f we have problems for food that day, then I eat less. ” THIK3,40 years, no formal schooling.
Table 3.2 General dietary practices: scheduled tribe
Daily Every 3-4 days Weekly Monthly Rarely
Cereals Lentils and pulses Vegetables Fruit Meat Dairy products Eggs Green leafy vegetables
T a b le 3 .3 G e n e ra l d ie ta ry p ra c tic e s: s c h e d u le d c a s te
Daily Every 3-4 days Weekly Monthly Rarely
Cereals Lentils and pulses Vegetables Fruit • • • • Meat • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Dairy products • • • • • • Eggs • • • Green leafy vegetables • • • • • • • • • •
Table 3.4 Genera! dietary practices: backward castes
Daily Every 3*4 days Weekly Monthly Rarely
Cereals # Lentils and pulses # Vegetables • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Fruit • • • • Meat Dairy products • • • • • • Eggs • Green leafy vegetables • • • •
General dietary practices are similar over the three groups (boxes 3.6 and 3.7, and tables 3.2 to 3.4). Families mainly consume cereals and lentils/pulses, vegetables are usually eaten a few times a week. The use of dairy, eggs and meat is rare. Operational problems with the anganwadi centres were reported for all three groups. Table 3.5 presents a selection of children’s diet recalls, which appear to be consistent with the general dietary practices for the sample.
Table 3.5 Random selection of children’s 24-hr diet recalls
ST SC BC
C ase 1
Ragi/Ientil stew
Ragi/ lentil stew witti beans and vegetables
no milk 2 meals a day they always have food have e g g s 2-3x week sometimes dairy milk, yogurt monthly 2x
Savory semolina Rice and lentil broth Rice and lentil broth no milk
2 meals a day
som edays they have no food, 1 day maybe
no fruit, no vegetables
Rice dumpling
Rice dumpling with sugar Rice and lentil stew Coffee
2 meals a day they always have food no fruit
vegetables: eggplant and tomato C ase
2
rice dumplings nothing in the afternoon ragi/lentil stew and eggplant sometimes they have 1 day with no food
they have meat e g g s dairy infrequently
no fruit yesterday
sometimes they have papaya/ banana
Rice and lentil broth for breakfast, lunch and dinner
no dairy/coffee 3 meals a day
no food for a day per month no fruit or vegetables
Rice with lentil broth for breakfast, lunch, dinner
coffee 1 glass 3 meals a day have no food for Iday no fruit or vegetables
he d oes coolie work and earns 30rs/day
C ase 3
Mixed rice
Ragi/rice and lentil stew no veg
no milk 2 meals a day they always have food weekly meat
infrequent dairy/eggs
sometimes they have papaya and guava
Ragi and lentil broth Ragi and lentil stew Rice and lentil stew 3 meals a day
som edays no food 1 day no fruit
som e vegetables: beans eggplant tomato
Rice and lentil broth No food Only rice no milk 3 meals a day always food no fruit or vegetables C ase 4 Savory semolina Coffee
Ragi/rice and lentil stew with radish 2 meals a day
They have food everyday Vegetables and fruit they have include: beetroot carrot, guava, orange Weekly 1x meat/chicken once in a while Infrequent dairy e g g s rice rice
aft rice with lentil stew and beans milk
3 meals a day
has a day with no food 1 day he g o es to sleep hungry
bananas sometimes
Rice and lentil broth Rice and lentil broth Rice and lentil broth coffee
3 meals a day they always have food no fruit, vegetables, or milk
C ase 5
Ragi with eggplant, tomatoes, and potatoes
Rice with tomato pickles 2 meals a day
no food 1 day a week weekly dairy eggs monthly chlcken/meat
banana papaya, guava, yesterday
Rice and lentil broth Rice and lentil broth no vegetables or fruit they have food everyday
Rice and lentil stew Rice and lentil stew Rice and meat stew daily less food
no fruit, milk, or vegetables
C ase 6
Mixed rice Ragi and lentil stew no vegetables 2 meals a day som e days no food weekly meat /chicken dairy infrequent guava, no other fruit
Rive and lentil stew
Rice and lentil stew with lima beans no vegetables or milk
2 meals a day sometimes no food many days no food no fruit/vegetables
Rice pancake Rice and lentil broth Rice and lentil broth milk 1 glass
3 meals a day; always food no fruit
vegetables Include potatoes, beans, carrot, tomato