Save Indigenous Seeds

Traditional, indigenous and local seed varieties are on the verge of extinction as farmers these days are more attracted towards hybrid crop varieties due to higher yields and easier availability. There is declining interest in indigenous seed conservation as there are fewer younger generation people involved in farming. A growing number of youths have switched to the foreign labour market. This has apparently created a gap of knowledge required to preserve indigenous seeds that have been passed from generation to generation. Indigenous crops and seeds, however, are a part of our heritage and the key to food security. They are more climate-resilient and adaptive to soil variety, pests and soil conditions. Indigenous crops have more nutritional benefits and have distinctive local taste, aroma, and texture. As these crops have adapted to the local conditions for a long time, local communities have developed a strong preference for them. Over generations, farmers have selected and preserved the seed varieties that suited the diverse geographical and climatic conditions of the particular places. They are more resilient to soil type, drought, and other factors prevalent in that particular place.