Jarain, known in English as buckwheat, is a wild plant used for food as well as medicine and the boost being given to traditional Khasi medicine is proving to be a boon for farmers of the pseudo-cereal.
Bellinda Kharsati, the founder of a self-help group (SHG) that promotes the use of organic products and a leader of many women’s organisations from Pomlahier, in Mawryngkneng block, told media persons that the common buckwheat, which commonly grows in the wild, are not just edible but can also be used for medicinal purposes, as she learnt from the mother before her.
Kharsati said that with the help of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), literally farm science centre, she was introduced to the western jarain. The KVK distributed buckwheat seeds to promote their agricultural use.
Buckwheat, despite its name, is not closely related to wheat, though its seeds are similar to grain. It is rich in protein, fibre, B vitamins and minerals. It is also gluten-free, making it attractive to people who cannot eat gluten.
The right soil to grow the crop needs to be soft and adequate space of around one metre between plants. The harvest of buckwheat is similar to that of paddy, Kharsati informed.
Buckwheat seeds can be turned into a wheat flour substitute and the leaves can be used to brew a kind of tea, she added. Buckwheat tea is made from the dried leaves of the plant. It is relatively costly, more so than regular tea, because it is believed to be able to help burn body fat.
After receiving training from the Agriculture Department in Shillong, Kharsati was invited for further training in Lakhimpur, Assam, where she was given instruction on the plantation of buckwheat.
She added that in the UK, Russia, Japan and China the demand for buckwheat is high since the supply is unable to keep up with demand. Russia has traditionally the centre of buckwheat production (though the plant is not native to the country) but, with the war in Ukraine and international sanctions on Russia, the price for the crop may well increase.
