In Nectar In A Sieve, Kamala Markandaya depicts the lives of Indian tenant farmers who rent the land they farm. Rukmani and Nathan primarily cultivate rice, the main staple food of more than half the world.
While there are various ways to cultivate rice, the method shown in the novel is rice paddy farming, a process of growing rice in flooded fields, known as paddies. Before rice is planted, the field must be prepared by plowing and leveling the land. Farmers ensure the field has a gentle slope to facilitate proper water drainage and prevent water stagnation. In some regions, terraces are created on hilly terrain to create flat areas for rice cultivation. After land preparation, water is allowed to flow into the fields through irrigation channels or flooding. This initial flooding helps soften the soil and create the necessary wet conditions for rice planting. Rice is either sown directly into the soil or seedlings are cultivated in a nursery and transplanted to the field. This process is usually done manually, with farmers wading through the shallow water to plant the seedlings in neat rows.
During the months-long growing period, rice paddies need careful weed and pest management, as weeds can compete with rice plants for nutrients and water, reducing yields. Insects and rodents can also cause significant damage to a rice crop. Traditional methods of weed control include hand weeding, while modern practices involve the use of herbicides and integrated pest management strategies. As the rice plants grow, the water level in the paddies is carefully managed. Initially, the fields are flooded to provide the required moisture for seed germination and early growth. Once the rice plants are well-established, the water level is reduced to expose the base of the plants, promoting root growth and preventing excessive weed growth. The controlled flooding of rice paddies not only provides the conditions for rice growth but also offers an environment conducive to various aquatic species, creating a unique ecosystem with benefits beyond just rice production. As depicted in Nectar In A Sieve, some farmers introduce fish species to their rice paddies. Fish provide nutrients to rice plants via their excrement and can help the crop by eating pests and weeds.
Rice is typically harvested when the grain has matured and turned golden or amber in color. The timing of the harvest is critical to ensure maximum grain yield and quality. Harvesting is either done manually using sickles or with the help of mechanical harvesters, depending on the scale of cultivation and available technology. After harvesting, the rice is separated from the straw and chaff through threshing and winnowing. The rice is then dried to reduce its moisture content, making it suitable for storage and consumption.
Rice paddies operate on a cyclical basis, with fields being drained and re-flooded for each new planting season. Rice is cultivated primarily during the kharif season, which sees rice sown to coincide with monsoon rains in June and July. This crop is harvested in the fall. There is also a less significant summer-harvested crop called rabi rice.
India is among the largest producers and consumers of rice globally. Farmers in India cultivate many rice varieties, differing by region based on factors like climate, soil type, and culinary traditions. Some well-known varieties include Basmati rice, primarily grown in the northern states, and non-Basmati varieties like Sona Masoori, Ponni, and Swarna. These are just several of the approximately six thousand varieties of rice cultivated in the country.
