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| Farmers are looking to adopt drought resistant varieties of seeds that will help stem huge production losses on farms
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Every
day, members of Chinnikate—a small village in the semi-arid region of Harveri
district in India—follow each other to the local temple to submit their
contributions of indigenous seed varieties.
They
are being driven by a desire to adopt drought resistant varieties of seeds that
will help stem huge production losses in the farm in this dryland area.
Women
carry earthen pots from their homes, in which assortments of seeds, also from
their homes, are stored. A portion of the village temple has been set aside to
house the village seed bank.
Through
an initiative spearheaded by the Genetic Resource Energy Ecology Nutrition
Foundation (Green Foundation – commonly referred to as GF) in some villages,
local communities have so far established 50 seed banks.
Local
Varieties Better Than Imported Strains
It
was not until dodda jola (big grain), a sorghum variety, was traced and
revived, that the villagers of Chinnikate appreciated their own abilities in
sorting, sampling and storing indigenous seeds.
Dodda
jola, the communities say, gives a
unique taste to Indian delicacies, and is liked by all.
In
yet another Indian village known as Alappanadoddi, ambukai (an indigenous
creeper variety of groundnut) is being conserved and multiplied on a large
scale.
Ambukai,
locals believe, protects crops from attacks by wild bores and crows when
inter-planted with other crops and can cover large areas of land as compared to
the newer groundnut varieties.
The
communities had for a long time been duped that imported hybrid species yielded
high produce. They had gradually turned from growing local varieties in favor of
foreign species.
Since
the GF initiative rolled out to the villages, Indians have come to terms with
the challenges of over-relying on the foreign seeds, which they now claim are
less resistant to the vagaries of weather and pose more threat to the
environment.
Hombalammma, though illiterate, has built up the capacity to attend seminars and workshops where she speaks about seed conservation
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The
foreign breeds are believed to require high amounts of fertilizer and other
synthetic chemicals to achieve the required results. The continued use of these
products have affected soil fertility and posed a threat to the environment.
The
foreign varieties are also said to perform very poorly, especially during the
monsoon winds, sparking fears over the villages’ food security.
The
local communities are now shifting from the foreign varieties to indigenous
seeds that are known for their great tolerance to weather and environmental
stress.
The
local breeds also require minimum amounts of fertilizer and chemicals, and are
more responsive to organic manure.
The
formation of a Community Seed Bank (CSB) in Chinnikate has influenced a distinct
attitudinal change in the mindset of the people.
“They
now come together in activities of the village and take part in all the seed
bank activities. They participate in the developmental work of the village. They
join together to celebrate festivals and functions in the village,” GF’s
Vanaja Ramprusus points out.
But
while community involvement has set high standards in seed selection,
germination experimentation, and purification to remove mixes in successive
harvests so as to develop pure breeds, women are the key figures in realizing
the aims of the GF-funded program.
Women
Power
Gangamma,
a housewife and president of the Chinnikate project, is herself a Panchayat
(local governmental body) member. And like Gangamma, Hombalama, another woman
leading the seed conservation efforts in Alappanadoddi village, has been a
beacon of hope to her people.
Puteeramma,
another elderly woman from Chanmalla village in Dharampuri district, Tamil Nadu,
has influenced great achievements among her villagers.
These
women are at crossroads. They struggle to maintain their culture, biodiversity
and identity.
Gangamma
Leads in Seed Conservation
Gangamma
is a very ordinary person and was confined to her domestic work until GF made
its appearance in the village.
A
year and a half ago, and as part of the GF network project, a process of
formation of a CSB was initiated in Chinnikatte. When GF came to the village,
the people suggested an introductory meeting with Gangamma.
The
villagers harbored great respect for her, not only because of her dedication to
biodiversity conservation but also due to her exemplary show of commitment to
the indigenous varieties.
Gangamma
herself was an institution in seed conservation; she had a passion for it that
encouraged the villagers to tap her vast experience so as to get detailed
information on seed conservation.
Initially,
the meeting comprised Gangamma and 15 farmers (5 men and 10 women). The
villagers were skeptical whether they would succeed in reviving local varieties
and land races.
They
feared that tracing the indigenous varieties and land races would be difficult.
But with support from GF they came to realize how possible it was to identify,
trace, and revive local varieties.
Gangamma
led the process of tracing the varieties. She maintained a substantial number of
local plant species in her little farm. Her vast knowledge was harnessed to make
a positive break in the process.
The
villagers needed the native varieties for the cultural, social, nutritional, and
economic values attached to them. The local grains are widely used in artwork
for the making of ornaments and beads, for example.
They
are also used for the preparation of brews for special occasions or to perform
certain rituals. Others still value the local seeds for their spiritual
relevance, especially in offering feed for doves - a bird highly cherished by
the Indians.
Now
the villagers enjoy easy access to planting seeds and at no cost. The CSB in
Chinnikatte stocks numerous varieties including minor millet, bajra, sorghum,
field bean, red gram, and castor seeds.
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Red gram
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GF
supported the CSB with a small grant for the purchase of seed storage devices
and other seed treatment materials. Later, bilimaggin save (minor
millet), karimaggian save (minor millet), two varieties of ragi (finger
millet), red gram (pulse), chali (winter) red gram, and male (rain)
red gram were added to the stock of seeds.
To
address the nutritional needs of the village communities, GF facilitated the
establishment of backyard bio-intensive kitchen gardens. In
biointensive kitchen gardens, fruits, vegetables, medicinal and flowering plants
are grown. Gangamma played a key role in promoting this among the women.
The
communities felt concerned about the survival of their gardens during the summer
season. Gangamma became handy in creating awareness among the village folk on
how to use domestic wastewater for the irrigation and upkeep of their kitchen
gardens.
The
men of Chinnikate were also an integral part of the seed bank activities. They
assumed several responsibilities including distribution of seeds, formation of
kitchen gardens, digging vermicompost pits (pits dug for the preparation of
compost manure for the garden) and seed collection.
“Their
contribution is invaluable. The seed bank has grown due to the involvement of
both genders. After the formation of CSB in Chinnikatte, borrowing of seeds from
moneylenders has been scaled down. Dependency on moneylenders for seeds is
gradually decreasing,” says Vanaja.
Vanaja
is glad that farmers are becoming self-sufficient in fodder production from
growing local varieties. She says during the last drought season, farmers were
able to produce considerable amounts of grain and fodder.
“The
farmers are becoming convinced of the values of growing the local varieties of
crops. They have also reduced the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides,”
Vanaja offered.
“They
are using more vermicomposting now instead of chemical fertilizers and
pesticides. The seed bank has brought back several varieties, which were
abandoned years ago due to modern agriculture,” she adds.
Seed
Mother Puteeramma
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Puteeramma, a 70-year-old woman, has set an example for in-situ conservation of seeds
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At
a time when indigenous seed diversity is fast diminishing, Puteeramma, a
70-year-old woman who resides in Chanmalla village, Dharampuri district of rural
Tamil Nadu, has set an example for conservation of seeds.
While
the entire village has been enticed to grow imported hybrid seeds, which are
touted as high response varieties, Puteeramma can be seen growing 3 indigenous
varieties of finger millet (ragi), of paddy (Kari Munduga and bilimunduga) and 4
varieties of sorghum, as major crops.
In
addition, castor, little millet (same), kodo millet (navane), huchellu (niger),
thogari (green gram), field beans, horse gram, yellu (sesamum), cow pea, local
safflower (a thorny variety unique to the region) and sajje (bajra) are
cultivated on her 10 acre dryland farm, with the assistance of her husband, Sri
Gowda.
Puteeramma
was honored by GF as ‘Beeja Matha Puteeramma’ (Seed Mother Puteeramma,
this award is given to women-seed-savers who conserve large numbers of
traditional varieties of food crops, medicinal plants, vegetables and fruits
etc.) in May 1999 during the annual seed fair. In a seed fair, communities
gather in one village. They exhibit rare varieties of seeds. Seed fairs
facilitate the conservation and multiplication of traditional varieties of
seeds. Seeds are exchanged between the farmers. Puteeramma is promoting the
legacy of her late mother-in-law who was known for indigenous seed conservation.
“I
continued to conserve indigenous seeds for purposes of food consumption and
multiplication due to respect for my mother-in-law. She is no more alive. If I
fail to continue this practice her soul will not rest in peace,” she is
reported as saying in GF’s bulletins.
She
does not believe in selling seeds. She says, “The seed is our mother which
should be revered and not be sold as a marketable commodity.”
Puteeramma
uses traditional mud storage devices for storing grains and seeds. These include
the vaade, which is an artistically sculptured mud pot having a
capacity to store 100 kg of food grains. These pots are of different sizes and
vary in height from 2 to 6 feet.
From
Illiterate to Pro-active
The
landscape of Alappanadoddi village represents an undulating, dryland region
located on the Karnataka –Tamil Nadu borders.
Hombalamma,
a 50-year-old woman farmer comes from this remote place. She would have been an
unknown had GF not discovered her.
Hombalammma,
though illiterate, has built up the capacity to attend seminars and workshops
where she speaks about seed conservation.
She
creates awareness about indigenous varieties, and the negative impacts of using
chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
“When
GF discovered her, she was on the verge of converting her land to hybrid
cultivation, but with inputs from the foundation she drifted back to indigenous
varieties. Observing her interest in indigenous varieties, GF has boosted her
knowledge in seed conservation,” Vanaja says.
On
her farmland, Hombalamma conserves major crops including traditional finger
millet varieties such as the Mandya orissa and pichakaddi ragi, dryland paddy,
groundnut varieties and a wide range of vegetables such as tomatoes and beans.
Hombalamma
has made effective use of her five-acre plot. In this undulating land, different
crops are grown at different levels depending on the availability of water and
on soil conditions.
Millet
varieties are grown on eroded patches of land, while finger millet is grown in
the plains. Hombalamma practices mixed cropping in her farm, which must endure
extreme dry conditions. She must walk 2 km a day for water.
Her
enthusiasm in cultivating vegetables and crops has not slugged an inch. She has
initiated a seed bank in her village for better seed access to farmers from
surrounding villages.
With
enhanced knowledge in seed conservation, she has conserved about five varieties
of finger millet and about 25 varieties of vegetables.
Hombalamma
is a recipient of the ‘Shirsti Sanman’ Award (an award given by
the Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies
and Institutions, a non-governmental organization, to grassroot inventors,
innovators and ecopreneurs - people engaged in conserving biodiversity and
developing eco-friendly solutions to local problems); in recognition of her
enthusiasm for conservation and her innovative ideas in agriculture.
“She
has undoubtedly been a key figure in our diversity promotional efforts for the
past five years. By virtue of her contributions, women’s groups have honored
her as ‘Beeja Mathe’ (seed mother) during the annual seed fair,” Vanaja
says.
The
GF funded project in India signals an important milestone in biodiversity
conservation. The project has not only empowered local communities to produce
food in abundance during the dry and humid conditions but has also guaranteed
food security for the present populations and for posterity. It has also
enhanced the promotion of seed conservation technologies (both traditional and
modern) among the community members for present and future generations.
According to the author all italicisized names in the article are indigenous Indian names not scientific terminology. The names are popular among the local communities.
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Zablon Odhiambo in a freelance journalist based in Nairobi-Kenya covering the scientific areas of health, environment, Agriculture, biotechnology and human rights. You can reach him at
zedqbee@yahoo.com.
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