A dimension within Grains, Millets & Pulses
Highlights traditional agricultural practices centered around seed saving and the cultivation of millets.
150 voices speak to this
Positive
Overall Community Sentiment
We save our traditional seeds that we have inherited.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
We have received our traditional native seeds from our ancestors, which we conserve and protect for the coming generation.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
We preserve the pulse crops that we have received from our ancestors.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
We save and sow our traditional seeds. Such as chickpea, sorghum, Bhadi, pearl millet, etc.
— 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
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
These native seeds were inherited by us from our ancestors.
— Sunil oraon · Verno, Gumla, Jharkhand
This seed was received from our ancestors, which we save.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
These seeds are inherited, given by our ancestors.
— Kachala Choudhary
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
We save seeds at our location and keep them for our family. And saving old seeds in a traditional way is our
— Anil Pargi
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 have inherited the seeds of Bhaadi, Kodra, Bati, Jowar.
— Kachala Choudhary
These seeds have been inherited by us through many generations. We preserve them with the thought that they might not be available to us in the future or could become extinct.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
Yes, we cultivate and preserve traditional seeds.
— Selina Pangi
We also preserve seeds in a traditional way.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
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 cultivate zero-irrigation crops, including pulses and oilseeds, and also conserve them, as they are part of our heritage.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
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
We want to preserve rain-fed crops like maize and jute, which are part of our old heritage, for future generations.
— bachcha lal · Shahganj, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Yes, pulses are cultivated in this. According to our ancestors, we also preserve seeds.
— Jagannath Baraik · Bayang, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand
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
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
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 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
We preserve old seeds for sowing work, which explicitly includes Moong, Kili, and Mustard.
— Vijay Kumar bhardwaj · Baloda Bazar, Chhattisgarh
My family uses traditional sorghum seeds which I inherited, and we preserve them and sow them in rocky soil.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
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, we save old seeds.
— Kachala Choudhary
Some seeds only grow with rainwater. Just by sowing the seeds, they grow and provide food throughout the year. All these seeds have been preserved by our ancestors.
— Anirudha Marai
Chickpeas and gumbra are our old seeds, which we preserve and then sow.
— Vinita Singh Yadav · Mukasim, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
We traditionally keep the seeds and cultivate in the coming year.
— Gitanjali Bhoi · Karamdihi, Sundargarh, Odisha
In our region, we save and conserve our local seeds such as indigenous oilseed seeds, indigenous pulse seeds, and paddy seeds.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
We cultivate paddy, wheat, and pulses in our village and want to preserve this as a heritage.
— bachcha lal · Shahganj, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Yes, we practice traditional farming and also conserve indigenous seeds.
— Sukhdas Mandavi · Mohla, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Chhattisgarh
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 have the oldest seeds of pulses, oilseeds, and rice that we have preserved.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
For our family, the most cherished seed is the bean seed. Our ancestors also used to cultivate it. We have been continuing this tradition. Preserve it.
— Jogeshwar Naik · Kalahandi, 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 have preserved various items such as moong, beans, and gourds from ancient times.
— S Guruteli · Sindhiguda, Malkangiri, Odisha
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 preserving our traditional, rain-fed seeds and planting them with care, we ensure food for our families and fodder for our animals.

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

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

Even without irrigation, our traditional seeds and old farming methods ensure our crops ripen, providing food for our homes.