A dimension within Traditional Dryland Farming
Highlighting the crucial role of traditional farming in preserving seeds and cultivating a variety of crops for future generations.
150 voices speak to this
Positive
Overall Community Sentiment
Yes, we practice traditional farming and also conserve indigenous seeds.
— Sukhdas Mandavi · Mohla, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Chhattisgarh
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
Yes, we cultivate and preserve traditional seeds.
— Selina Pangi
We do traditional farming. We save rain-fed seeds and cultivate crops like sorghum and chickpea.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
We will practice traditional farming and save seeds for next year.
— Sathimambalaka · Tado, Rayagada, Odisha
We save and sow our traditional seeds. Such as chickpea, sorghum, Bhadi, pearl millet, etc.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
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
Yes, we are cultivating for the second time. We are preserving those seeds using traditional methods.
— Selina Pangi
Yes, we grow Sun Na Shishai crops using traditional farming methods, so we practice seed conservation.
— Laxmanlal
We save our traditional seeds that we have inherited.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
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 also preserve seeds in a traditional way.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
We have been farming since the second year, following traditional and organic methods. We also save our own seeds and cultivate them every year.
— Padmalochan Majhi · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, 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
We are cultivating a second crop. In our second crop, we are farming by saving seeds of chickpeas, lentils, and mustard, and applying manure using our traditional farming methods.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
We have traditional seeds here like Saadia, paddy, pigeon pea, semi-native gourds, Karaiguta, Chipra, etc. We preserve these every year and cultivate them using old traditional methods without irrigation.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Yes, we do a second crop with zero irrigation and follow traditional farming as well as seed preservation.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
We farm using traditional methods.
— Sunil oraon · Bero, Ranchi, Jharkhand
We are cultivating a second crop in Dhanapur, and by keeping our own seeds safe, we are farming using traditional cultivation methods. This is our
— Padmalochan Majhi · Ratachua, Rayagada, Odisha
Yes, on zero-irrigation land, we grow a second crop, and the maintenance of traditional seeds and farming methods are still done using our old methods.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Yes, we grow zero-tillage crops like mustard, gram, barley, and also follow traditional farming methods and seed conservation.
— Laxmanlal
We traditionally keep the seeds and cultivate in the coming year.
— Gitanjali Bhoi · Karamdihi, Sundargarh, Odisha
We save seeds at our location and keep them for our family. And saving old seeds in a traditional way is our
— Anil Pargi
From the very beginning, we cultivate a second crop without irrigation using old methods and traditional seeds. The method of storing these seeds is also traditional, and our fields are ploughed using bullocks.
— Rupesh Maravi · Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh
Yes, pulses are cultivated in this. According to our ancestors, we also preserve seeds.
— Jagannath Baraik · Bayang, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand
Yes, we grow a second crop without irrigation and also maintain old traditional seeds according to customary methods.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Yes, we do second crop farming with zero irrigation, and we also practice traditional farming methods and seed conservation.
— AbhiLL Ipsa
We are a tribal community, we farm using ploughs and bullocks, and we sustain our lives. We clear forests and bushes to make fields, and we cultivate sawa, medo, mijhri, and maize, which were grown by our ancestors, and we also preserve their seeds.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Yes, we save old seeds.
— Kachala Choudhary
They practice traditional courtyard farming, having done so since their ancestors. They keep us committed to the conservation of seeds.
— Man Singh Bankira
We still have traditional seeds like Kodo, Kutki, Maize, Sorghum, Kulthi, Arhar, etc., which we sow using old methods even without irrigation facilities. Even then, our crops ripen.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Yes, we conserve traditional seeds using traditional methods and also farm using traditional methods, where, by God's grace, the crop grows even without irrigation.
— Rupesh Maravi · Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh
Yes, we are cultivating a second crop. We are growing lentils, moong, kalath, and their seeds are also in their traditional way.
— Trinath badanayak · Malakanagiri, Malkangiri, Odisha
Yes, we also grow other crops without irrigation using traditional methods, which we call 'unhari' crops. We also store their seeds using traditional methods.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
We sow with great effort without irrigation, and cultivate crops by plowing with oxen and a plow. We save seeds for many years, which come in handy.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Chickpeas and gumbra are our old seeds, which we preserve and then sow.
— Vinita Singh Yadav · Mukasim, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Even today, we farm with a plough and oxen and earn our livelihood. Since ancient times, our ancestors have ploughed fields with a plough and oxen, and sow only the seeds preserved at home, such as kurthi, sawa, medo, and mijhri.
— Ram Kumari
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
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
We preserve the pulse crops that we have received from our ancestors.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
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 carefully collecting and preserving seeds from our first harvest, we ensure a second, nutritious crop and maintain our traditional farming methods for generations.

By preserving our traditional, rain-fed seeds and planting them with care, we ensure food for our families and fodder for our animals.

By embracing traditional and organic farming methods and saving our own seeds, we ensure resilient harvests and preserve our heritage for future generations.

Our ancestors taught us to protect our traditional crop seeds using natural methods, ensuring food for the next year.