A dimension within Ancestral Agriculture
Combines traditional farming, heritage crops, and the cultivation of pulse varieties with a focus on seed saving.
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AI-synthesised pieces woven from many community voices on this theme. They may contain errors or interpretation — they're a reflection of the stories, not a record of fact.

By cultivating a variety of crops, preserving ancestral seeds, and exploring animal husbandry, we build a resilient livelihood for our community.

By carefully collecting and preserving seeds from our first harvest, we ensure a second, nutritious crop and maintain our traditional farming methods for generations.

We carefully save seeds from our diverse crops like chickpeas, lentils, and mustard, ensuring we can grow them again next year and maintain our livelihood.

By preserving our traditional, rain-fed seeds and planting them with care, we ensure food for our families and fodder for our animals.
We cultivate seeds such as chickpea, lentil, mustard, and horse gram using traditional, possibly rain-fed, farming methods. We preserve these seeds and cultivate them using this traditional agricultural practice.
— Laxmi Sahu
Here, we cultivate Sawa, Medon, Mujhri, Kodo, and pulses using the 'Batririri' method. We also store the seeds at home for the following year and then re-sow them in the field; this practice is a legacy from our ancestors.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
We cultivated rainfed crops like pigeon pea, mung bean, and black gram, and will continue to cultivate and preserve them for the future.
— bachcha lal · Shahganj, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Previously, we used to cultivate all crops like moong, urad, and kulthi, and we want to continue doing so in the future.
— Jyoti Senapati
I cultivate pulse crops without irrigation. We save pulse seeds, among which horse gram, black gram, and pigeon pea are the oldest varieties. We save these seeds for cultivation every year. Our ancestors used to cultivate using manure and traditional ploughs.
— DASHARATH SINGH
Yes, pulses are cultivated in this. According to our ancestors, we also preserve seeds.
— Jagannath Baraik · Bayang, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand
We do farming. We save some seeds beforehand and then cultivate. This way, we get many crops, including green gram, black gram, and pigeon pea.
— Ulapi Sahu · Balangir, Odisha
We cultivate a second crop. The valuable seed of our family is Horse gram. Our ancestors have given us Green gram, Black gram, Horse gram, and Finger millet. We follow the farming methods of our ancestors.
— Basanti · Nayagarh, Odisha
Our ancestors have been cultivating Kodo, Barnyard, Foxtail, Finger millet, Horse gram, and Barley since ancient times, which are very nutritious. We always preserve their seeds and cultivate them every year.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Our ancestors used to cultivate pulses as a second crop without irrigation, adopting organic methods. And I also cultivate every year using this method, by preserving Urad and Kulthi seeds.
— Kumudini Chhanchan
Our ancestors were cultivating. They grew urad and moong. The soil gave them a different kind of produce, and they nurtured the seeds for it.
— Mukunda Majhi · Udulibeda, Malkangiri, Odisha
Our ancestors used to cultivate pulses as a second crop without irrigation, adopting organic methods. And I also cultivate every year using this method, by saving black gram and horse gram seeds.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
We preserve the pulse crops that we have received from our ancestors.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
Our ancestors used to cultivate pulse crops as a second crop without irrigation, adopting organic methods. I also store black gram and horse gram seeds and cultivate every year using this method.
— Kumudini Chhanchan
Our ancestors used to cultivate pulses as a second crop using organic methods without irrigation. I also cultivate every year using this method by storing black gram and horse gram seeds.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
Our ancestors used to cultivate pulses as a second crop without irrigation, adopting organic methods. I also cultivate every year using this method by saving black gram and horse gram seeds.
— DASHARATH SINGH · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha
We save and sow our traditional seeds. Such as chickpea, sorghum, Bhadi, pearl millet, etc.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
We cultivate zero-irrigation crops, including pulses and oilseeds, and also conserve them, as they are part of our heritage.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
Our ancestors used to cultivate Bhadi kodra, jowar, pulses, and oilseed crops.
— Kachala Choudhary
We cultivate paddy, wheat, and pulses in our village and want to preserve this as a heritage.
— bachcha lal · Shahganj, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
We used to cultivate various crops extensively. Additionally, I cultivated mustard, moong bean, guava, horse gram, etc. All these seeds are important for my family.
— RINA BEHERA · Sundargarh, Odisha
Yes, I cultivate pulses as a second crop with zero irrigation. Our ancestors used to cultivate these crops, and I also store black gram and horse gram seeds and cultivate them every year using this organic method.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha
Yes, I cultivate pulses as a second crop with zero irrigation. Previously, our ancestors used to cultivate this way, and I also save black gram and horse gram seeds and cultivate using this organic method every year.
— DASHARATH SINGH · Sambalpur, Odisha
We do traditional farming. We save rain-fed seeds and cultivate crops like sorghum and chickpea.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
Yes, I cultivate pulses as a second crop with zero irrigation. Our ancestors used to cultivate this before, and I also save black gram and horse gram seeds and cultivate every year using this organic method.
— DASHARATH SINGH · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha
We have traditional moong and urad dal. We cultivate them generation after generation. I will tell you what we have preserved.
— Gitanjali Bhoi · Karamdihi, Sundargarh, Odisha
Our ancestors used to cultivate pulses as a second crop using organic methods without irrigation, and I also follow this method every year by storing black gram and horse gram seeds.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
Yes, I cultivate pulses as a second crop with zero irrigation. Our ancestors used to cultivate this before, and I also store Urad dal and Horse gram seeds and cultivate every year using this organic method.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha
Sawa, Medo, Mijhri are our traditional crops, which our ancestors used to cultivate by plowing with bullocks and a plough. They consumed these crops throughout the year and saved seeds in their homes for the next year's sowing. We still practice farming today.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Our ancestors used to cultivate pulse crops as a second crop without irrigation, adopting organic methods. I also follow this method every year by storing black gram and horse gram seeds.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
In our region, we all cultivate rain-fed crops like pigeon pea and maize, and this is our heritage.
— bachcha lal · Shahganj, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
We farm at our home and manage our household with it. We cultivate pigeon pea and other pulses with low water, and also sow barley. These require less water, and we also save them for the next year. This way, we preserve the seeds.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
We are cultivating moong and urad beans. We have kept seeds and will cultivate again next year.
— Gitanjali Bhoi · Sundargarh, Odisha
Yes, we used to cultivate and are still cultivating moong, urad, chana, masoor, and other seeds with zero irrigation. And more profit.
— Naukeshi Sahu
We cultivated moong and urad dal this year and saved the seeds to cultivate again next year.
— Gitanjali Bhoi · Sundargarh, Odisha
I am saving it. Yes, I have been saving it from before. Yes, green gram, yes, chickpeas, yes, now it looks like peas. I am seeing all of it being cultivated. Your ancestors were indeed tied to the yoke (of farming) before. Yes, in the past, everyone used to plow and cultivate. Yes.
— Santosh Pradhan
Here, we cultivate paddy, sawa, medon, and mijhri. We store sawa, medon, and mijhri at home for sowing in the next year. Additionally, among pulses, we have kurthi and baturi, which we also store and sow the following year.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
We have cultivated moong and urad this rainy season. We will keep the seeds and cultivate again next rainy season.
— Gitanjali Bhoi
This year, we have cultivated green gram, black gram, and chickpeas. We will save the seeds to cultivate them again next year.
— Gitanjali Bhoi · Karamdihi, Sundargarh, Odisha
Our plows and bullocks till the fields, we sow millet, maize, make furrows, and plant small seeds, and also save seeds for the next year. This is a legacy from our ancestors, which we still have today and which we utilize.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh