Sustainable Rural Farming

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

In our village, earlier, people used to cultivate fields with ploughs and oxen and worked very hard. At that time, they would sow Kodo, Sawa, Medo, and Mizri, and grow them without fertilizer. They used to sustain themselves with that, from which individuals...

— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

We farm using the old method.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

Farming

— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Previously, crops would grow without fertilizer. Cow dung was spread in the fields, and then grains were sown, resulting in excellent crops. But now, it seems to grow better with urea.

— Kamleah Kumar · Ammatola, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

My ancestors used to emphasize farming using organic methods.

— Madan Hantal · Pujariguda, Malkangiri, Odisha

Our ancestors generally followed traditional farming methods using cow dung manure.

— Jogeshwar Naik · Kalahandi, Odisha

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

Earlier, you all used to farm, and you cultivated using fertilizer.

— Niranjan Lauria · Boudh, Odisha

Before, all of us tribals used to plow the fields with a plow and bullocks. We would sow medo mujri and also kurthi, which was very nutritious food. It was sown without fertilizer and would grow readily.

— Babulal Ayam · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

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

Old people used to do mixed farming, they used cow dung manure.

— Kachala Choudhary

I am a farmer. Our father, grandfather, and uncles used to cultivate using traditional methods. They used to farm without fertilizer and without chemicals. And that farming was good for crops like horse gram and ragi.

— Parikshit Majhi

We farm using traditional methods.

— Sunil oraon · Bero, Ranchi, Jharkhand

Our ancestors used to farm with cow dung. And now this urea and DAP fertilizer has become common. This improves crop yield, but it's having a significant impact on health.

— Kamleah Kumar

Farming and agriculture

— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Traditional agriculture and heritage

— KRUSHNA KHILLO · Semiliguda, Koraput, Odisha

They were cultivating paddy using organic methods or traditional soil methods.

— Gourang Adhikari · Udulibeda, Malkangiri, Odisha

Our ancestors used to cultivate millet without mixing any chemical pesticides; they used cow dung as fertilizer. And those foods were very good.

— Sastensh khura

Mona, your priest, and we will bring back the past related to farming. People used to do organic farming earlier, using manure or cow dung. Now, we are using chemical fertilizers.

— KRUSHNA KHILLO

Traditional farming, meaning Yudung, Pandala, Janana, maize, finger millet, and so on.

— James

In earlier times, what method did people use for farming? The answer is, they used to farm by applying fertilizer with a plough.

— Niranjan Lauria · Boudh, Odisha

Agriculture farming

— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, 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 farm with plows and bullocks. But nowadays, all those things are disappearing.

— NAGRIK VIKASH SANGATHAN · Kalahandi, Odisha

Our ancestors used to follow cow dung manure and clay soil farming methods and found them profitable.

— Premsila Naik · Kalahandi, 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

Our ancestors used to farm with plows.

— Batakrushna Sahoo

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

I used to farm without fertilizer and with less water. After keeping bajra, maize, and kodo for a year, the maize was running out, but the kodo was not.

— Kamleah Kumar · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Old seeds should be preserved using organic fertilizer, and traditional farming should be practiced following natural methods. This can benefit the agricultural sector.

— Mohan AHARI · Sarera, Udaipur, Rajasthan

Our ancestors used soil cultivation methods, farming with cow dung manure. They also used goat droppings as manure for cultivation.

— gobardhan pangi

Before, we all used to farm with plows and oxen, and we also threshed paddy with them. Even for irrigation, we used oxen via a Persian wheel.

— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

We used to do farming through the creeper/vine.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh