Effects of eating habits and foods on physical working capacity and interest level in agricultural activities of tribal farmers

DIMINISHING PHYSICAL WORKING CAPACITY OF TRIBALS

Abstract

A multidimensional field survey was conducted during the last four years from 2017-18 to 2020-21 to observe the physical working capacity and interest in agricultural activities as livelihood of tribal farmers. The physical working capability of tribal farmers is continually decreasing due to changes in food habits, residual effects of pesticides, environment of the works, well-being of farmers and socio-economical changes. The maximum tribal people are physically weakened, an impaired immune system, severely malnourished along with multiple nutrient deficiency disorders due to ignorance of their traditional diets. It has been reported that on an average 46.07 per cent reduction in physical working capacity with 40 per cent deviation in interest level from agricultural work in the last 60 years (1960 to 2020). At present time, only 14 per cent tribal youths are highly interested, 19 per cent moderately interested, whereas 27 per cent youths adopt agriculture as secondary business and 40 per cent of youths leave agriculture. The food habits of tribal farmers changed from nutrient affluent minor millets, traditional fruits and vegetables to energy burdened less nutritious rice, wheat and potatoes. The traditional wisdom for uses of these traditional foods is also decreasing significantly with respect to spending time. It is important on behalf of the tribal farmers' health to have balanced and adequate nutrition which will provide a healthy life to raise physical working capacity.