Babu’s Story

Babu is a 46-year-old tribal farmer from Wayanad, Kerala who belongs to the Kurichiya tribe. He is part of a close-knit community of 23 families who work together and share their resources. In this communal setup, individual income is pooled, with earnings being collectively managed and spent. All earnings are given to the village chief, who manages the finances and ensures the community's well-being. Babu contributes to this system through MNREGA work and farming.

Babu has an individual account tor receive MNREGA payments, but he rarely visits bank branches due to the crowds. He instead, relies on SMS alerts to keep track of deposits and the ATM to withraw money.

Six of the families have even opted to pool in their land and create a farming society to be eligible for government schemes, Babu is the secretary of this society. The families realized that they won't get any benefits for individual lands but combined, they have a large land and they can avail benefits accordingly. Earnings from this venture all go to the joint account. To withdraw money from it, the president and Babu sign to withdraw money from the joint account, which is then distributed among the six families. The funds eventually return to the village chief. These in-person meetings, where the money is distributed, are valued by Babu a lot as they provide him with an opportunity to connect with the other families in the village.

With the allowance Babu receives from the chief, he primarily deals in cash, preferring this tangible form of transaction over anything digital. He feels that digital services are not for him, given his limited education and age, and he is reluctant to adapt to these new technologies. Though he owns a smartphone, he never takes it to the fields, fearing it might get damaged while working. In fact, he is considering canceling the internet at home, as their expenses surpass their income, and cutting the internet seems like a sensible cost-saving measure. He also feels that digitization has been detrimental to the state of agriculture which cause him to look at the digital realm with a level of distrust.

Babu recognizes that digitization can speed up tasks and offer convenience, but he intentionally chooses a slower, more personal way of life. Similar to the traditional farming methods he follows, which are time-consuming but yield positive results, he is not driven by the need for speed or convenience - a shared view between him and his wife.

“Nowadays, everyone seeks quick results; when you plant a seed, you want it to bloom instantly. However, traditional methods require patience, yet they yield high-quality produce. Even if it’s just one or two items, they are nutritious and beneficial. In contrast, many people today desire immediate gratification. For us, this isn't the case; we embrace a slower pace and find happiness in it.” - Babu’s Wife

Babu goes out of his way to prioritize this slow way of life, typically deprioritizing convenience. He finds joy and meaning in the connections that the slow way of life offers. For example, instead of using the more convenient online platform, he prefers to visit the Kerala State Electricity Board office in person to pay his bills, using the opportunity to engage with and build relationships with the staff there. While many value convenience, Babu is happy and content with the way life is, looking to preserve this pace as much as possible.