Kerala is an Indian state on the southwest Malabar Coast. Among its population of 33 million, Kerala has one of the lowest poverty rates in the country which some attribute to its leftist and progressive social policymaking. However, despite this, many still live in poverty and are unable to feed themselves and their families. Yet, since 2017, many Keralans have participated in a novel food parcel scheme called the Pothichoru scheme that has helped those in desperate need. This is how the Pothichoru scheme is reducing poverty in Kerala.

The Problem

In recent years, Kerala has made admirable strides toward eliminating poverty. According to the latest data from the World Bank, only 8% of Kerala’s population now lives below the poverty line. Much of this success is due to progressive social policy-making that has driven egalitarian land reform, registered more children in schools and made health care more widely available. Across the rest of India, in 2017, the national poverty rate stood at 10.4%.

However, despite this success, as of 2016, 84,000 families still live in extreme poverty in Kerala. For many, they have no income, no home and are unable to eat at least twice a day (three determinants of extreme poverty). Some have the added burden of caring for sick and elderly family members. This means the effects of poverty will amplify as households stretch their resources and the time available to work reduces considerably. As a result, many families are struggling to pay medical bills and generate the extra income necessary to care for their relatives. Many people are now going hungry and sleeping in abject conditions, such as on hospital benches and floors to care for relatives because they cannot afford the local accommodation.

What is the Food Parcel Scheme?

The Pothichoru or food parcel scheme is a locally organized program that began in 2017. Participating families cook an extra portion of food in their homes to provide meals for those in need. They then wrap the extra portion in a banana leaf and tie it to form a small parcel or Pothichoru before local volunteers who distribute the freshly made Pothichoru to those who are facing hardship collect them.

One can attribute the success of the Pothichoru scheme to its unique way of providing much-needed support to the poor all while keeping operational costs at a minimum. For example, apart from petrol costs (many deliveries that volunteers make by bicycle are negating this), there is no requirement for a kitchen to prepare everything and therefore no utility bills nor staff costs. As volunteers make the meals in their homes, there is only the requirement of adding extra ingredients so any extra burden on the food preparer is minimal. The use of a rota also means that participating villages and volunteers who only make the Pothichoru three to five days a year divide the cooking tasks. This allows volunteers to prepare meals 365 days of the year with little inconvenience for them.

How it Addresses Poverty in Kerala

India Today tells the story of a local Keralan named Soumya who contributes to the Pothichoru scheme. It is early morning in Kattakkada and Soumya is busy cooking. Stirring the Sambar (lentil stew), she measures out two glasses of rice rather than the usual one-and-a-half normally sufficient to feed her family of four. The rice will accompany the already prepared sambar and thoran (vegetable dry fry) and shortly be collected by volunteers of The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) who will distribute the Pothichoru to 50 hospitals in 14 districts in the state. Assisting those struggling to feed themselves and their relatives, what started with just 300 cooked food packets in 2017 now feeds around 40,000 people every day. This has contributed significantly to aiding those living in extreme poverty.

One can also attribute the success of the Pothichoru scheme to the fact that to those receiving the food, there are no social indicators of who prepared the food. Due to India’s caste system and its history of religious conflict, this could be an issue. As a result, the discretion and impartiality associated with the Pothichoru mean that it traverses cultural and social divisions and reaches as many people as possible.

Looking Ahead

While the Keralan Government has made great strides in reducing instances of poverty within the state, additional action is required to reach those who are struggling, especially those who must sacrifice time and money to care for ill relatives. However, as has been shown where there is community in Kerala there is compassion through the unique Pothichoru scheme that is supporting some of the state’s most vulnerable members. This is an example of how the Pothichoru scheme is reducing poverty in Kerala.

– Cameron Mason
Photo: Flickr