A dimension within Traditional Food Security
This theme explores the importance of traditional farming methods, grain storage, and crop yield for environmental sustainability and livelihoods.
150 voices speak to this
Negative
Overall Community Sentiment
Our ancestors used to farm with plows and bullocks. But nowadays, all those things are disappearing.
— NAGRIK VIKASH SANGATHAN · Kalahandi, Odisha
Earlier, we used to keep seeds in earthen pots with neem leaves, but now those pots are not available. Their traditional profession is slowly coming to an end, and we are also forced to move towards modernity.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
I really miss the natural farming that used to happen 20 years ago, whether in my forest life or agricultural life.
— AbhiLL Ipsa
Now, old farming is not practiced.
— Kachala Choudhary
Earlier, our ancestors used to store grains in mud granaries at home, and there used to be good yields. But now, when we store them in steel granaries, the crops don't grow.
— Hariparkash kharadi · Katarwas Khurd, Udaipur, Rajasthan
I miss the kind of agriculture that used to happen 20 years ago in my devotional forest or agricultural life.
— AbhiLL Ipsa
Producing through traditional agriculture, farming without fertilizer. Various types of fruits, medicinal plants and creepers etc. found in forests are no longer available.
— KAPAL MARNDI · Bissamcuttack, Rayagada, Odisha
Earlier, we used to farm with plows and oxen. Today, it's the age of machines, and we farm using them. However, we often face economic problems, due to which we have to go to the city separately to earn a living.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar 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
Earlier, we used to store our grains in traditional bins. At that time, the crop used to grow well. But now, if we keep the seeds in steel bins, they are not sprouting. So, we want to return to our old ways.
— Hariparkash kharadi · Katarwas Khurd, Udaipur, Rajasthan
The environment was good before, now it doesn't rain on time, due to which farming is not good.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
In the past, farming was done with plows made of wood, but nowadays machines are being used.
— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
We used to do farming through the creeper/vine.
— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Traditional agriculture
— KRUSHNA KHILLO · Semiliguda, Koraput, Odisha
Death's auspicious and inauspicious beauty. Previously, we used to sustain our livelihoods by collecting various roots from the forest. Now, roots are not available, and animals...
— Sasmita Mallick · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
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
In the past, even when cows and cattle lived for two hundred years, there were no roads, and traditional farming was practiced. Now, all those things are gone. Now, even farming has AC.
— Kusha Mahakud
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
Our ancestors used to cultivate without fertilizer, and that was delicious and healthy. But now, that taste is not available.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
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
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
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
We farm using the old method.
— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Grain used to grow without fertilizer. Use cow dung for farming in the fields; that's where paddy, maize, and all crops grow. Eating all that grain keeps the body strong and vital. Nowadays, even though there is more crop yield, the body becomes weak.
— Kamleah Kumar · Ammatola, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
They do farming without water, but now it has decreased, it doesn't ripen.
— Kachala Choudhary
Previously, our ancestors used to farm with cow dung, and now urea and DAP have become common. The crops are growing well, but it's having a big impact on the body.
— Kamleah Kumar · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Yes, we practice zero-irrigation farming, but it has reduced a lot, it's not like before.
— Kachala Choudhary
Farming
— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
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
Zero-water farming used to be very common, but now it has reduced a bit.
— Kachala Choudhary
In the past, various types of forest products, fruits, and roots were available, but now it requires effort.
— Padmalochan Majhi · Ratachua, Rayagada, Odisha
Farming with ploughs is no longer seen in our village.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
People of the past used to cultivate saawa, kodo, menjhari, bajra, and maize, and their bodies were strong. But today, by eating grains grown with fertilizer...
— Kamleah Kumar · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Future generations will forget the traditional farming methods. For example, if I have a plough and a plowshare, I will cultivate according to my time and will, and I don't need capital for that. If I don't have all these, then I will take the help of machinery, for which I will have to invest capital.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
But we need to protect the traditional farming that was done before.
— Niranjan Bisi · Bissamcuttack, Rayagada, Odisha
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
Earlier, they used to farm with less water and without fertilizer. That crop was market maize; even after keeping it for about a year, the maize would get infested with weevils. But Kodo Millet remains very good for 2 years and does not spoil.
— Kamleah Kumar · Kota, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Farming and agriculture
— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Currently, eating food cultivated with chemical substances is harming our health, but our ancestors used to cultivate according to nature using organic methods and were free from diseases.
— Padmalochan Majhi · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
My ancestors used to emphasize farming using organic methods.
— Madan Hantal · Pujariguda, Malkangiri, Odisha
