India has seen over 100,000 different varieties of seed before the green revolution but with the influx of international seed corporations, the control of farmers over seed was shifted to the market and this diversity was replaced by monoculture.

It was observed that the farming families in Assam who were preserving and using indigenous seeds for growing paddy but for vegetables, except for few families, they were very much dependent on seeds available in the markets. Now the focus area of intervention was to sensitize the community on the importance of promotion and preservation of an indigenous variety of seeds not only for paddy but for seasonal vegetables as well. The community understood the situation they were in and were ready to take necessary action to address the problem. 

The intervention of Caritas India FARM N.E. Phase III programme in 13 villages under Guva, Nellie and Silchang Gaon Panchayat, Mayong Block, Morigaon District brought a lot of rapport building to initiate a process in an area that was completely new. Household visits and interaction with the farmers helped to understand the community and their cultural habits, especially farming practices.

But then they came across another challenge. The indigenous seeds that were preserved by the families were very limited and up to only 2-3 varieties per family. With that much quantity of seeds, it was very difficult to do seed collection and exchange seeds among the farmers. Therefore, to initiate the process hand-holding support was required. 

“FARM team of Guwahati Gana Seva Society (GGSS) also started looking for an indigenous variety of seeds within and beyond project villages and it was then we came across to some of the lead farmers from FARM Phase I and Phase II villages”, said Prabin Minz, Coordinator, GGSS.

As they were approached, they agreed to help the farmers and they took the responsibility for the collection of seeds from their respective villages. Within a week’s time, they collected 12-14 varieties of indigenous seeds of seasonal vegetables.

The seeds included Lady’s finger 2 kg, Cucumber 2 kg, Sponge gourd 2 kg, Coriander 5kg, Spinach 6 kg, Chilly 5 kg, Bitter Gourd 2 kg, Bean 2 kg, Pumpkin 2 kg, Brinjal 2.5 kg and Long bean 4 kg.

It was amazing to see that the farmers rejected the money offered to them for the seeds by saying that they could be able to do that little they could do because of the support provided through FARM programme that was implemented in their villages. The seeds were used by the farmers in the FARM III and now that they have increased the number of seeds through multiplication they were ready to contribute generously to help the farmers in need.  

“We remember we were in similar kind of situation and were very much depended on market seeds, we started with a handful of seeds and over the years have multiplied them, now we are in a position to help other farmers, we expect the same from you so that the quantity of the indigenous seed increases and many more farmers are benefited,” said Keshab Das, a farmer from Khaloibari Phase I village Dimoria block, during his address to the community of phase III villages.