A dimension within Staple Crop Farming
This theme delves into the preservation and practice of traditional farming methods and the cultivation of heritage crops, especially pulses.
150 voices speak to this
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Overall Community Sentiment
The things we used to cultivate before were black gram, green gram, cowpea, horse gram, etc.
— Batakrushna Sahoo
In ancient times, we used to cultivate with ploughs. We used to cultivate black gram, horse gram, green gram, paddy, etc.
— RINA BEHERA · Sundargarh, Odisha
Our ancestors used to cultivate Bhadi kodra, jowar, pulses, and oilseed crops.
— Kachala Choudhary
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
The rice crop we cultivate, the valuable horse gram of our family; our ancestors have provided us with green gram, black gram, horse gram, and finger millet.
— Basanti · Nayagarh, 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 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
Previously, we ourselves used to cultivate moong, Didhan Lar Golandi, Mahipal paddy, red paddy, Kalachu paddy, and Sarai paddy.
— Padmini Bhoi
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 mustard, black gram, and horse gram.
— Puspanjali Nag
Previously, we used to cultivate all crops like moong, urad, and kulthi, and we want to continue doing so in the future.
— Jyoti Senapati
Our ancestors used to cultivate mung bean, urad, horse gram, ragi, and mustard. At that time, it used to rain, and there were forests.
— Anirudha Marai
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 royal forefathers used to cultivate Birahi, Kulut, Mukh, Deshoris, and Badam in their lands. And all these seeds are very important for us.
— RINA BEHERA · Sundargarh, Odisha
We keep green gram, black gram, and horse gram seeds, and cultivate them in the second crop.
— Puspanjali Nag
Our fathers and grandfathers used to cultivate traditional crops earlier, fertilizing them with cow dung, and grew pulses like moong, urad, kulthi, along with millets such as ragi and bajra.
— Parikshit Majhi
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
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
We do farming with ploughs and bullocks, cultivating crops like saawa, medo mijhri, and pulses such as arhar (pigeon pea), urad (black gram), and baturi. Nowadays, government seeds for pulses are also available. We also cultivate crops like chana (chickpea), matar (pea), and masoor (lentil).
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar 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
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 store black gram and horse gram seeds and cultivate every year using this method.
— Kumudini Chhanchan
We save and sow our traditional seeds. Such as chickpea, sorghum, Bhadi, pearl millet, etc.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya 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
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. And I also cultivate every year using this method, by saving 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 have inherited the seeds of Bhaadi, Kodra, Bati, Jowar.
— Kachala Choudhary
From the time of our ancestors, they used to cultivate with a plow. Immediately after paddy cultivation, they would grow mustard, groundnuts, horse gram, black gram, and green gram. Our subsequent generations have forgotten this practice.
— RINA BEHERA · Sundargarh, Odisha
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
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
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
We save stable seeds and kuluth seeds are valuable for our family. We have old seeds like millet, kuluth, moong. We sell them and use them as food.
— Basanti · Dashapalla, Nayagarh, Odisha
During the Kharif season, we cultivate maize, paddy, kodo kutki, jowar, soybean, and black gram here.
— Kekti Tekam
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
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
We preserve old seeds for sowing work, which explicitly includes Moong, Kili, and Mustard.
— Vijay Kumar bhardwaj · Baloda Bazar, Chhattisgarh
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
For the second crop, we also cultivate horse gram, black gram, pigeon pea, and chickpea.
— Jagannath Baraik · Ranchi, Jharkhand
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
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 preserving our traditional, rain-fed seeds and planting them with care, we ensure food for our families and fodder for our animals.
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.
