A dimension within Seed Preservation Practices
This theme explores the critical need for preserving traditional seeds and the challenges faced due to their scarcity.
150 voices speak to this
Negative
Overall Community Sentiment
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
Yes, we save our traditional seeds, but now the seeds have run out.
— Kachala Choudhary
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 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
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
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
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
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
Our traditional seeds are exhausted, the old seeds are no longer available.
— Kachala Choudhary
My name is Kanchana Pradhan, my village is Renguda, block is Tikabali. The Panchayat is Kuikorodi. In the olden days, we used to eat maize, millet, jona (a type of grain), and chickpeas. But nowadays, that seed is not available, nor do we get it. That's why our son gave us the seeds, and we cultivated them.
— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha
We have run out of old seeds.
— Kachala Choudhary
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
The traditional seeds have diminished. Therefore, the traditional seeds from earlier times, give them back to us again, as they have been decreasing.
— Suresh Miniaka
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
My name is Sanjukta Digal. My village is Kamba Naju, GP is Pikarudi, Block is Tikabali. Earlier, we used to get all these things like Mandia, Deddy, Arka, Chana, Makka. And nowadays, we don't get seeds. And our body, our body is also getting very bad. Because now we are only eating processed food. That's why, if we get the old traditional seeds, we want to cultivate and keep our body healthy.
— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha
No, the old traditional seeds are no longer available, so now we immediately buy them and use the seeds.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
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
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
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
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
Our old seeds will be collected back.
— Chandu,lal Katara
The oldest seeds have run out, let's bring seeds from the market.
— Kachala Choudhary
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 are gradually destroying the traditional seeds of ancient times. We should preserve those seeds. Otherwise, some medicines and plants are leading to their extinction.
— VEER SINGH SIJUI · Gitilāta, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand
We save and sow our traditional seeds. Such as chickpea, sorghum, Bhadi, pearl millet, etc.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
I have old paddy seeds.
— 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
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
We save seeds at our location and keep them for our family. And saving old seeds in a traditional way is our
— Anil Pargi
We can no longer store seeds using traditional methods; we are constantly being drawn towards modern approaches and have embraced alternatives for a busy lifestyle.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
We used to keep indigenous seeds in a mud storage. Then we would sow them.
— Hariparkash kharadi · Katarwas Khurd, Udaipur, Rajasthan
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
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
We save our traditional seeds that we have inherited.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
This time, we are not receiving seeds from the agriculture department, which is a problem. We need to get some seeds from the agriculture department.
— Amar Lal Dhurwey
I remember the olden days. Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers used to consume Kangu, Kueri, Kusala (types of millets). Because they consumed these, they lived for a very long time, up to 100 years. Presently, since these are not being consumed, all of us are in a difficult state. If the government would provide us with seeds of Kangu and Kueri, it would be even better. We would thank the government. Namaskar to everyone.
— Manu Digal · 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
Now we can no longer keep the seeds using traditional methods. We have brought medicine from the pharmacy, disinfected it, and kept it.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
Kodamal district Monakarna Court Dhansingh. In our current area, the Kohiri and Kangu that used to grow are not available now. We are trying to revive them, and we are definitely starting them.
— Sasmita Mallick · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
We save old seeds so that they do not become extinct or disappear in the future. We save them so that they remain available in the future and can be cultivated.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
