Seed saviours

Seed banks managed by communities and non-profits are repositories of hundreds of indigenous climate-resilient crop varieties but need help in storage, technical aid and policy support to thrive

- SHIMALI CHAUHAN AND VIBHA VARSHNEY

THERE WAS a time women farmers in Machnoor village of Telangana faced shortage of good quality seeds. They were forced to borrow seeds from landlords and would often get them too late, or find them to be of poor quality. Not anymore.

To break this cycle, they decided to save and share their own seeds with each other, leading to the birth of Sangham Seed Bank in 1995, formed with the help of Deccan Development Society, a Telangana-based non-profit. Women from nearly 75 villages are part of the initiative.

The bank stores 80 types of traditional food crops—mainly millets, pulses and oilseeds—that grow well in dry, tough conditions. It also has dryland rice and wheat varieties that need less water and can survive high temperatures.

Farmers with whom the seeds are shared, return double the amount after harvest. Some people even come from far to buy these seeds at a fair price. “The seeds are stored using traditional methods—in palm-leaf baskets, with neem leaves, ash and clay to protect them from moisture and pests. This keeps them safe for two-three years,” says R Santhoshi Srilaya, programme coordinator of the seed bank.