Promotion of indigenous seeds in Meghalaya is gaining popularity among farmers. The farmers across the FARM Northeast III programme have already shown resilience amid food crisis by using wild edibles and vegetables grown out of indigenous seeds during the peak lockdown period.

Social Service Centre (SSC) has been successfully running the monthly Farmers Market in Shillong and with farmers coming from East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts respectively with quality chemical-free products. Currently, the market is temporarily closed due to the ongoing pandemic. However, SSC is promoting indigenous seed exchange programme by trying to identify Seed Leaders. As of now, SSC has identified 45 female and 15 male seed Leaders.

As part of the FARM NE phase III programme supported by Misereor, Germany, SSC has been promoting indigenous seed exchange in the two aforesaid districts. Until the pandemic happened, SSC has won many accolades for having promoted the smallholders in the monthly market.

SSC took this market as an opportunity to promote the cultivation of indigenous seeds by the farmers in the intervention areas. “We have been promoting people to come forward and go back to their roots by identifying various indigenous seeds and suing them in their fields,” said Ms Evansiewdor L. Mawlong, Team Member, SSC.

“In a recently concluded seed exchange programme, the team was surprised to see the kind of motivation as almost 60 farmers from Lamsain, Jongksha, Rapleng, Umkhoi, Madanthangsning, Mawiong, Mawryngkang, Nongtyrlaw, Umngei, Mawphrew project villages came forward for seeds exchange. Farmers’ learning from the lockdown has brought in a situation wherein they have started thinking seriously about their food security and given the situation, conservation and utilisation of indigenous seeds is going to go a long way in instilling the idea of food sovereignty among the smallholders,” said Fr Bernard Laloo, Director, SSC.

While being there for the programme, the SSC team across surprising tales of how farmers have been able to regenerate indigenous seeds made available with only in a very few numbers. Mr. Iolan Suting from Jongksha village received only five pieces of indigenous maize seeds which he planted, and it bore fruits. Suting has more seeds now to be used for the next season. Similarly, Ms. Elmina Nongspung during the seed exchange programme received only a piece of yam seed. The yam grew so well in her gardens and multiplied in no time. She has been able to use the yam for consumption for her family during this pandemic and she also shared the same with her neighbours during the peak lockdown period.

Through identification of seed leaders, SSC today has 60 out of 350 families cultivating indigenous seeds with purely organic inputs. The partner is working hard to take these numbers on the higher side as the programme goes on. Seed leaders have been instrumental in `promoting the idea of People Led Action’ in the programme.

“I have benefitted a lot from the seed exchange programme. The sharing among farmers on the different ways of seeds preservation gave us lots of new ideas. I have also tried out new seeds and they have grown well,” said Ms. Trisibon Nongspung from Jongskha village in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya.