I have learnt to write scientific reports. And I have read many such reports on livelihoods, the topic I was trying to venture into during the last few weeks. These reports have not had much of an impact for some villages in Kanakanala watershed. Not that this one will, but I do not mind being unscientific, because livelihoods are unscientific. They are as life itself: organic, ever evolving ways of making a living, interwoven in that natural and human mosaic of rural India. At first things seem irrational and complex, often crazy to a Swiss. The longer I have spent out here, the more sense things made, because slowly my perspective and sight became better adapted to local soil and society. The veil was being removed and a rational, reasonable culture was revealed. It was this culture which I hoped to capture and describe. A livelier portrait of this beautiful but overlooked part of the world, bypassed by main-stream development, is more valuable to me than a scientific report. A world where in the first instance "to eat or not to eat" decides what people do and why. The most frequent question, a greeting actually, is "oota aita?" which means "did you eat your lunch or dinner?" in the local language, Kannada. This is of immense importance to the people. It is polite to reply: "Aitu. Nimmado?" (yes I had food, what about you?). Only then things may proceed. A second observation is that you will always be offered water when you enter a house. In these parts of the world, greetings are about food, and so is life: Food and water first. Development here means identifying the inequality in resources and opportunities, promoting more balance, and ultimately working towards equalizing the scale between "haves" and "have-not's"…

I became part of the SAMUHA team during the last few months, simply because they kept the doors wide open for me. And without their support beyond expectations and obligations not much of my work would have been possible. The most gratitude though I feel for the villagers of the Kanakanala watershed. Their hospitality and readiness to share knowledge allowed me to glimpse into their lives. Some rightfully challenged my presence, challenged SAMUHA's presence also, felt left out and bypassed. This they are indeed, and every effort to change that should be attempted. Hopefully my effort to focus on their livelihoods will make it possible to share my new knowledge with others and maybe inspire readers to think about these villages a little more. They are the 350 Million who tend this land and they are connected with us, simply by sharing the same political or natural systems… Finally, thanks to all of you for support, discussions and inputs:

· PSMU has initiated this study and supported me throughout on all levels. Relevant inputs were contributed by J. Jangal and Jane Carter (but my gratitude goes to all PSMU staff!)

· Ruedi Baumgartner / NADEL

· Smita Premchander and SAMPARK / Rebecca Katticaren of NRMPA

· Anupama Tantri (Adolescent Health Project, UCSF / SAMUHA)

· Renuka Asundi for research assistance in the field and translations

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