Seed Quality & Crop Failure

Yes, we save our traditional seeds, but now the seeds have run out.

— Kachala Choudhary

My name is Jayanti Pradhan. My village is Brenguda. The Panchayat is Badamunda. The block is Tikabali. In the old days, we used to cultivate millet, sorghum, and maize without fertilizer, and our health was not particularly bad. Now, we don't even get those seeds. And what is being cultivated, that requires fertilizer. That's why we are living with poor health.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

We cultivate the seeds that we ourselves have saved and kept. And sometimes, the seeds we get from the government, they turn out to be infertile seeds, as a result, they don't even sprout. And consequently, we won't cultivate, [and we just] get the [negative] result. This is a big problem.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

In this village, the forest has been damaged a bit more than before this time. Herbs cannot be collected, and because of that, we...

— Padmini Bhoi

Yes, we practice zero-irrigation farming, but it has reduced a lot, it's not like before.

— Kachala Choudhary

People of earlier times used to do this kind of farming for subsistence, and without water, without chemical fertilizers, and by eating that grain, there was also strength in the body. But nowadays, this urea and DAP fertilizer is causing a lot of harm.

— Kamleah Kumar · Kota, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Currently, in our forest, bamboo is not found, other wild produce is not found, mushrooms are not found. Also, our cashews are not doing well; the cashew cultivation that used to happen before is also not doing well.

— jitendra khila · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

My name is Sabita Pradhan. My village is Ghosaguda. The block is Tikabali. In earlier times, we used to cultivate in the forests. And we used to cultivate millets, corn, black gram, and horse gram. We used to cultivate all those. Fertilizer was not even needed there. And even if we want to cultivate now, we are not getting seeds. That's why we are requesting the government that if they provide us with seeds, we will be able to cultivate and sustain ourselves.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Our traditional seeds are exhausted, the old seeds are no longer available.

— Kachala Choudhary

My name is Chandrika Pradhan. My village is Panga Bidungia, block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to keep seeds in pots. We kept them because, in the olden days, we didn't use fertilizer. Nowadays, we are using fertilizer. That's why we can't keep our seeds for many days. We want to return to the previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

The environment was good before, now it doesn't rain on time, due to which farming is not good.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

Yes, damage has definitely occurred. Previously, people used to obtain two traditional food items by cutting trees from the forest. Now, these are not available. Furthermore, there has been extensive damage to medicinal plants, and those are also not available.

— gobardhan pangi

Our ancestors used to cultivate without fertilizer, and that was delicious and healthy. But now, that taste is not available.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

We have run out of old seeds.

— Kachala Choudhary

They do not practice traditional farming and traditional seed conservation.

— Gopal

My name is Jarunal Pradhan, and my village is Piparodi. And the GP (Gram Panchayat) is Piparodi block, Tikabali. In the past, we used to clear the forest there and plant millet, ragi, and corn. But today, we are not able to get those seeds. That's why we are requesting the government for seeds.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

If the agriculture department is not providing seeds this time, then there is a problem.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

We have a lack of irrigation resources, due to which we cultivate crops every year using traditional methods and traditional seeds, and even today we have old traditional seeds available.

— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

We used to add organic fertilizer to our fields to maintain soil fertility, but today's youth are using chemical fertilizers, and diseases are increasing day by day.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

We used to plant paddy according to the season in olden times. Now, due to lack of rain, we are cultivating cotton in the fields.

— Laba Kumar sabar · Bada Baridi, Rayagada, Odisha

My name is Mutiy Pradhan. My Gram Panchayat is Pikorodi. My Block is Tikabali. My District is Kandhamal. Our mothers used to store seeds in the olden days. They would keep seeds in pots near the fire in 'Putra Jakore'. Nothing would happen to them. Today, in today's date, farming is done with fertilizer and pesticides, which is why this year, the seeds cannot last even for a year. That's why we want to live like before.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Mohasti Pradhan. Village Bhikkarodi, Block Tikabali. Earlier, we used to cultivate Ragi, Guruji (a type of crop), Coir (a type of crop, possibly referring to a specific plant or practice), and Maize. In this area, we did not use fertilizer. That's why we were not getting sick (from crop diseases). Now, in today's time, as we are using fertilizer everywhere, we are suffering from diseases and are also unable to get these seeds. That is why we are requesting the government. Thank you.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

A second crop does not grow here due to water problems, which is rain-fed cultivation. We ourselves collect and store the old seeds.

— Padmini Bhoi

My name is Ashalata Pradhan. My village is Pikorodi, and the panchayat is Pikorodi, the block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to cultivate everything like corn, paddy, and all with only natural methods (without chemical fertilizers) and would eat it, and we didn't get any diseases. Now we are not getting these seeds, that's why we are not cultivating. Our people are suffering from many diseases. And if the government gives us seeds, we will be happy and able to cultivate.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Due to forests being destroyed day by day and the lack of proper rainfall, agriculture is not doing well.

— Suna Majhi

Due to deforestation, we are unable to cultivate properly. It is not raining.

— Karunakar Uthansing · Dhusarigan, Kandhamal, Odisha

Our ancestors used to farm with plows and bullocks. But nowadays, all those things are disappearing.

— NAGRIK VIKASH SANGATHAN · Kalahandi, Odisha

My name is Sukanti Pradhan. My village is Lambakupa. GP is Pikorodi. Block is Tikabali. District is Kandhamal. In our rural areas, the main food items that were cultivated, such as ragi, millet, maize, black gram, and green gram, did not require fertilizer. That's why our ancestors lived for a long time. Currently, because we are not cultivating our traditional food seeds, many kinds of diseases are occurring. So, if we can get traditional food and seeds from the government, then we can return to our previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Large trees have been cut down, due to which it is becoming difficult to find forest vegetables and herbs.

— Kachala Choudhary

My name is Sabjan Mitra Pradhan. My village is Dibaoala. My Panchayat is Godimunda, and my Block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to cultivate and live off queer, died, and mandia (millet). In today's time, we don't get those seeds. That's why we can't even cultivate. If we get seeds from the old times, we can cultivate and live.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Our farming activities are affected by a lack of water.

— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Adaba, Gajapati, Odisha

It seems Kuntula Pada village is Kutrabali. In Delhi, there is also Titrabali. In the past, we used to plant seeds like paddy, millet, maize, etc., in the hills. And no fertilizer was used in this cycle. That's why our health was good. And now we are unable to get these seeds. Therefore, we request the government. If you provide us with seeds, we will be able to cultivate. Thank you.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Zero-water farming used to be very common, but now it has reduced a bit.

— Kachala Choudhary

The situation we are in now is that the food we used to get to eat in the past has gradually disappeared.

— swornalata nayak · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha