Self-reliance & resilience in slum women's groups

Grain storage is an efficient method to maintain food insecurity, particularly by underprivileged communities for the periods of crisis. For urban slum families in Indore and Agra, previously stored grains came to aid during coronavirus induced lockdown when most families had lost their livelihoods and were on the brink of starvation. Urban Health Resource Centre (UHRC) conducted sessions to gain knowledge regarding grain storage, challenges faced in maintaining quality of grains and strategies adopted by families to preserve the quality of grains from positive deviant families.

These strategies were shared by weaker and vulnerable families who are unable to store grains owing to various constraints.

Some ways families procure grains in bulk include-

• Procuring grains from native villages in bulk and storing.
• Procuring grains from peri-urban farms during the periods of harvest.
• 2-3 families procuring grains from wholesale markets by negotiating a lower price.

Strategies to preserve the quality of grains –

• Keeping the grains on an elevated level to avoid grains getting damaged.
• Checking the quality of grains twice a year and sort out damaged grains.
• Regularly exposing the grains to sunlight will ensure good quality of grains.
• Using herbs such as dried neem leaves (Azadirachta indica), onions to prevent worm infestation.
• Using recommended preservatives e.g. EDCT (Ethylene dichloride-carbon tetrachloride), herbal pest control and disinfection products to keep wheat safe.