A celebration of indigenous seeds sows change in the farm landscape

• A popular movement to preserve indigenous seed varieties on the verge of extinction in the tribal-dominated regions of southern Rajasthan is helping to promote not just crop diversity but also climate resilience.

Keypoint

• Thousands of tribal people, from nearly 1,000 villages and hamlets in the tribal belt at the tri-junction of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, took part in a series of Beej Utsavs, or seed festivals.
• Some 90 such events were held, giving participants a chance to learn the techniques of preserving indigenous seeds for use in different crop seasons.
• At Sera Nagla village in Banswara district, members of the Bheel community gathered around a few tables on which indigenous millet seeds were displayed.
• The seeds, brought by some women farmers, were taken in small amounts by others who needed them.
• The participants were encouraged to tell other farmers in their villages about what they had learned at the event and also share a few seeds with them.
• At the end of the interactive assemblies, the farmers took a pledge to protect and save indigenous seeds by developing the habit of using them in their regular agricultural practice.
• Indigenous seeds are an important legacy preserved by tribal communities in the midst of the increasing influence of multinational companies in the agriculture sector.
• Beej Utsav forms part of the campaign to promote the use of seeds matching the local environment and presenting it as a practice that can be replicated elsewhere.
• Vaagdhara, which works on tribal livelihood issues, was the main organiser of the Beej Utsav events, which were facilitated by other tribal rights groups, such as Krishi Evum Adivasi Swaraj Sangathan, Gram Swaraj Samooh, Saksham Samooh, and Baal Swaraj.
• The indigenous seed varieties were “inherently compatible” with the local farming conditions and were economically practical and environmentally more sustainable.
• Over 50 indigenous seed varieties were displayed at the Beej Utsav events, catalogued as grains, pulses, vegetables, and others.
• Those farmers who have diligently worked to preserve seeds in their respective areas were honored as Beej Mitra and Beej Mata.

Prelims Takeaway:

• Seed Act
• National Seeds Policy