Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, the Union Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, stressed the importance of promoting traditional agricultural and horticultural varieties while speaking at a Multi-Stakeholder Convention on “Reviving Agro-Biodiversity in Rainfed Areas through Traditional Varieties for Climate-Resilient Agriculture” in New Delhi. According to him, his Ministry is eager to promote traditional varieties through a number of horticultural and agricultural programs, including NFSM, Farmers’ Producer Organizations (FPOs), NMNF, and Seed Development projects
Dr Chaturvedi explained the value of traditional types by stating that they have special qualities including superior flavor, aroma, color, cooking quality, and nutritional content, among others. In addition to citing some examples, he recommended that these kinds be cultivated in clusters and marketed for high price realization because some purchasers adore such qualities.
The National Rainfed Areas Authority (NRAA), according to Dr. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, was created to assist rainfed areas by examining the various forms of investments made by various states and programs. In order to ensure that the quantity of investment is smaller than their needs and vulnerability, the goal is to encourage states to increase their investment in these areas.
A number of experts, including as Dr. K.S. Varaprasad, the former director of ICAR-IIOR, emphasized the importance of identifying traditional varieties. Approximately 50 per cent of the country is rainfed, and farmers rely on informal seed systems to meet 60 per cent of their seed needs. For the benefit of the farmers, released and traditional types can coexist. Gyanendra Singh, Director of ICAR-NBPGR, and Dr. KS Varaprasad talked about the value of in-situ conservation and called for more government policies to support the usage of these kinds for preservation.
State leaders, seed saviors, and champion farmers from ten states—including Tamil Nadu and Odisha—displayed the native seeds and discussed their successes and failures in preserving traditional cultivars. The significance of formalizing community-managed seed systems, the necessity of government assistance with infrastructure and MSP, and the participation of grassroots organizations in seed conservation initiatives were all underlined in the panel discussions.
Since traditional varieties are vanishing and agriculture is becoming more susceptible in the face of climate change, the workshop sought to spark conversations and policy discourse on rainfed areas. Every stakeholder acknowledges the significance of using traditional varieties to preserve them. Examples of how states are assisting in the revival and mainstreaming of variety come from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Odisha. It is necessary to create a plan of action and suggestions to present to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It is also feasible to promote traditional types in natural farming projects and connect them to the market. We can expand on the tactics the GoI has used to promote millets. With this objective, NRAA will carry on with its consultation process.
The Workshop emphasized the vital role that traditional varieties play in maintaining rainfed agriculture, which is used by 61 per cent of Indian farmers on 50 per cent of the country’s land. Informal seed networks, such as farmer-to-farmer exchanges and community-managed seed banks, are crucial in rainfed areas, which are characterized by difficult circumstances including low soil fertility and climate variability. These systems provide almost half of India’s seed needs, highlighting the importance of preserving and advancing them.
This Multi-Stakeholder Convention was held in New Delhi by the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) in association with the Revitalizing Rainfed Agriculture Network (RRAN) and Watershed Support Services & Activities Network (WASSAN).