Seeds of Hope – Seeds of Future

In an inspiring tale of community-driven conservation and biodiversity preservation, the "Yaha Mogi Mata Sthanik Biyane Sanvardhan Samiti" in Dhadgaon, Nandurbar District, Maharashtra, has been honoured with the prestigious Plant Genome Savior Community Award 2020-2021.

This award, presented by the Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmer Rights Authority (PPV & FRA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Government of India, recognizes dedication to preserving crop diversity, fostering sustainable agriculture, and promoting indigenous knowledge, setting an exemplary model for biodiversity conservation efforts.

Evolution of the Programme

This remarkable journey began in 2008 when BAIF Development Research Foundation initiated a programme for community-led conservation and management of indigenous crop cultivars and forest wild food resources in Maharashtra. The initiative aimed to conserve and revive crop diversity, conduct scientific studies, establish community seed banks, promote community-level seed production, and upscale indigenous crop diversity in six tribal blocks of Maharashtra.

Efforts in Dhadgaon Block of Nandurbar district

Nandurbar district is located in the region of Satpuda Ranges of Maharashtra, with agriculture primarily rain-fed. Dhadgaon block, situated in this district, is inhabited by a predominantly tribal population. Blessed with unique geography, Dhadgaon has some unique crop cultivars.

In this block, the agrobiodiversity conservation programme started in 2010 across 15 villages. Two community seed banks were established, conserving 108 crop cultivars. Over 857 farmers participated in the conservation efforts, focusing on maize, sorghum, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, black gram, garlic, gram and more, covering more than 1000 hectares. Additionally, 30 wild edible plants were documented and significant efforts were taken to promote Mahua (Madhuca indica), Charoli (Buchanania lanzan) and other non-timber forest products (NTFP).

Yaha Mogi Mata Sthanik Biyane Sanvardhan Samiti and its Impact

The group actively shared their conservation efforts at various national and international conferences. They have registered several sorghum and maize varieties under PPV & FRA in New Delhi and deposited 30 crop cultivars of maize and sorghum to the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi making them officially recognised and protected. The "Yaha Mogi Mata Sthanik Biyane Sanvardhan Samiti" has conserved and maintained 108 landraces of various crops, including maize, sorghum, millets, pulses, oilseeds, and local vegetables.

Major Achievements

The efforts of this organisation have yielded impressive results, including the conservation of 108 landraces, involvement of 857 tribal farmers and cultivation of various indigenous crops. They have also produced 170 quintals of quality seeds, established community seed banks and documented traditional knowledge related to agrobiodiversity.

?

Way Forward

The Yaha Mogi Mata Sthanik Biyane Sanvardhan Samiti plans to focus on quality seed production, strengthening women-led enterprises for vegetable seed production, establishing semi-processing facilities, promoting organic farming practices, organizing seed exhibitions and participating in food festivals to market indigenous produce.

The dedication shown by this organisation in preserving crop diversity and indigenous knowledge is a shining example of how grassroots effort can make a significant impact on biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture.

#ministryofAgricultureandFarmerWelfare #biodiversity #GovernmentofIndia #BAIF #Award #Recognition #ICAR

Rajashree Joshi Bharat Kakade V B Dyasa SHIVARUDRAPPA BAREGAL Rakesh Warrier Dr Raviraj Jadhav