How to store rice? Tribal way of storage using locally available stuff

Successful grain storage without using any insecticide is a challenging task both for farming community as well as for researchers working exclusively on grain storage. Even under good scientific pest management, stored grains are damaged by insects and this results in quality (germination, eating, selling etc.) deterioration. The various types of storage structures fabricated by farmers vary depending upon the climatic conditions and rainfall. These structures are made using different materials. In some pockets of Maharashtra "Kanaja or Galagi", a bamboo structure is commonly used in paddy growing areas while in other areas "Sandaka" a wooden structure is used to store smaller quantities of grains especially pulses for household consumption. In Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and some other states of Northern India "Kothi", a small room made using bricks is common for storing large quantities of grains. Utranis are mud pots for storing small quantity of grains. "Hagevu" is an underground storage structure used to store large quantity of grains, common in the dry agro-climatic zone where moisture level is low. The use of natural products like neem leaves, ash, smearing of cooking oil, salt, Bengal gram leaves, turmeric, garlic, chilly seeds and castor seeds is also common among rural folk to save grains from storage grain pests. Rural folk have designed their own structures and methods for storing grains with locally available materials. These eco-friendly and safe storage structures are in use since a very long period that have withstood the test of time. Here, I will provide details of storage structure used by tribal farm families in India using indigenous technology (grain store bin) for storing grains using locally available materials and family labour. The grain store bin is locally called "Mora". The shape and size of indigenous storage bin depends on the quantity of grains to be stored. The tribal farm families report that 2 to 10 quintals of grains can be stored up to 5 years without insect damage.Once fabricated, the mora structure may be used 2-3 times for storage.

Raw Materials and Man Power

The grain storage container is solely made of rice straw. In addition to rice straw, two bamboo sticks or wooden log of 6 feet height, one iron or wood bar of 5 feet height and one wooden hammer are needed for tightening the Bandh and grain compaction. Three persons are required for tightening the ropes and Bandh. Materials and manpower requirement is listed below.

Material for 'Mora' fabrication

• 1 long Bandh (rope knitted like the lady choti (lock of hair) using rice straw). The Bandh is quite long and its length depends on the size of Mora to be fabricated.

• 4 long ropes made of straw (depends on the quantity of grain is to be stored) to tight the structure.

• 1 ring type rope made of straw to support straw and grain.

• two bamboo or wooden bars and one wooden hammer.

Manpower for Mora fabrication

• One male for making ropes and knit the Bandh.

• Three persons (male and female both) at the time of grain storage. They are needed to arrange the ropes, Bandh, bucketing grains in structure developed due to cylindrical shape made of straw and Bandh, compacting the Mora and to tight the ropes in the end of the storage processes.

Process of Mora fabrication

The components of Mora (ropes and Bandh) are prepared in advance before grain storage. The male member of farm families fabricate the Bandh as and when time from other farm activities permits but they keep the seed storage time in mind. The Bandh fabrication needs 10 to 15 man days depending on the seed quantity. The whole process of grain storage in More involves three major steps in addition to rope and Bandh making and arranging the bamboo/wooden logs, hammer and iron bar.

Step I

After arranging the Bandh, ropes, bamboo/wooden logs, hammer and iron bar, the process of grain storage begins. First of all the four ropes in pair are laid on the ground crossing each other's at a common point. In total eight loops are formed. During laying the ropes, the farmers remember the order of rope arrangement because the Mora is tightened with the help of these four ropes in the last to make the structure air tight. During the process of tightening the Mora, the first laid rope is tighten in the last and last laid rope is tighten first. Any disorder will keep the Mora loose and stored grain will be spoiled later. If first laid rope is tightened first, the other three ropes will be pressed under first rope and Mora will not be tightened properly. After laying the ropes, the Bandh is laid flatly in round shape. In the beginning, one fourth to half of the Bandh is laid in round shape. The noose like rope is spread on the Bandh followed by pressing the Bandh with leg to make it completely flat. Rice straw is spread on the round shaped Bandh. Thick layer of rice straw is placed to avoid the loss of grain. The straw is also compacted well with the help of legs .

Step II

After preparing the base of Mora following above process, the grain (rice, wheat, pulses etc.) are poured slowly and slowly followed by compaction with the legs. Pouring and compacting of grain formed heap like structure. The straw laid below the piled grain is lifted upward with the help of round rope placed below straw and above the Bandh. A bowl shape structure is formed with the help of straw and rope containing poured grain. The bowl shape structure made of straw and round rope is enclosed all side layer by layer by rotating the Bandh laid below the straw. The layer of Bandh is tighten in such a manner that there will not be any space between two layers of Bandh. This process makes structure cylindrical shape. The process of pouring grain, compacting grain with the help of iron/wooden bar, enclosing the structure by rotating the Bandh layer by layer and tightening the layer of Bandh is repeated again and again till the structure is fully filled with grain. In the last, grain is compressed with the help of iron/wooden bar to make the stored grain compact .

Step III

In the last, the Bandh is tighten and hammered to make the layer of Bandh more compact. The mouth of the Mora is covered with straw followed by Bandh. The knot is given using the loop of Bandh. Now the Mora is tighten with the help of paired roped laid below the Bandh in the beginning. In the process, two family members are pulling the last laid rope tightly with the help of bamboo or wooden bar and third member is beating over the Bandh with wooden hammer to compact the stored grain properly inside the Bandh. After hammering and tightening the knot is given using the two ends of the rope. The same process is repeated with the third, second and first laid ropes. The all four ropes are tighten properly. With these processes the grain is stored in locally fabricated device which is locally called Mora. The Mora is now placed in the storeroom. The grain storage room is in the center of house to avoid the contact of moisture and other grain damaging elements.

Advantages

• Prepared by farm family

• Raw materials are available in the farm.

• No extra labour is required.

• Grain can be stored four to five years without any damage.

• Whenever there is need of grain for eating, sale or sowing, the grain can be taken out by making small hole by removing the Bandh. Again Bandh can be pact by hand without any loss.

• The straw bin also protects grain from atmospheric moisture.