In photos: How Odisha’s Adivasi farmers preserve traditional seeds
· Scroll
Before sunrise reached the lower slopes of the Gonasika Hills in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, Parmedhenu Juang was already in his field. It was early monsoon in June as the 54-year-old farmer bent over a patch of soil and let ragi fall through his fingers, examining the colour, weight and shape of the grain.
Visit esporist.org for more information.
“Desi bihana are like living beings,” said Juang, referring to “traditional seeds” in Odia. “If they are cared for, they stay strong. If they are neglected, they slowly lose themselves.”
In Iruda village, at least three generations of Juang’s family, who are one of Odisha’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, have preserved traditional seeds such as finger millets, sorghum, little millet, pearl millet, black gram, cowpeas, green gram and paddy.
Once cultivated for food by the Adivasis in the region, many of these seeds are now disappearing.
The Green Revolution transformed India’s agricultural system, focusing on high-yielding hybrid seeds and chemical-intensive monocropping, such as wheat and rice. Diverse seeds, especially of crops grown outside government procurement, were sidelined.
The varieties Adivasi communities preserve have been shaped over generations by local rainfall, altitude, soil and food culture.
Some are like para dhan, a type of paddy suited for water scarcity since it is ready to harvest in 60 days....