The Tribal Economy in Western Madhya Pradesh: Environmental Perspectives and Changes in Livelihood Patterns

Abstract

Economy is the base of all activities in human life. It provides food which is the foremost important need of any living organism on earth. Food and related activities to acquire food vary from region to region and community to community. Hence, tribals form the hunters, gatherers, primitive agriculturists and so many other categories on the basis of their economy. Forests have remained the usual abode of the tribals in most parts of the world, particularly in India. Hilly tracts with the forest covers have become permanent shelter grounds for them due to obvious and non-apparent politico-economic reasons. Forest provides a suitable hunting ground and definitely a gatherers’ paradise for most of the hunting and food-gathering tribes of India. It is the call of the time to have sensible exploitation of the forest resources along with substantial forestation in the same area for keeping the balance of means and consumption in the forest. About a couple of decades ago the population was less and the forests were plenteous in quantity and variety both. Now, the situation is almost reverse. Forest reserves have gone down, while the population has increasingly gone up. The tribals are still the greatest friends of the forests and coexistence of both is essential. The Bhilala and the Patelia of some areas of Western Madhya Pradesh are deemed to be the good cultivators in the region due to their hard work, adoption of new agricultural techniques and use of fertilisers.