On 29th April 2025, 62 seed keepers from 31 village sangams came together to display 90+ seed varieties that included monsoon crops, winter crops and vegetables. Most of these crop varieties included local landraces of millets, pulses, oilseeds and other food crops. Few rarer varieties like black pigeonpea, Atthkodandla Jonna (Jowar that has a growing period of three months) and white chickpea stood out as special attractions.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Gowrishankar, seed expert said “The world is now realizing the price it has paid by ignoring native seed diversity and focusing on hybrid seeds pushed by corporations and subsidies. It is a heavy price since once a seed variety is lost, it cannot be retrieved. I convey my gratitude to DDS sangham women for stubbornly keeping alive your local landraces for 4 decades. It is efforts like these that can ensure us food security in upcoming crises like climate change.”
Ms B.Chukkamma, sangham supervisor said “Everybody speaks about the importance of agriculture for the beginning of human civilizations. Control over seed made it possible for humans to practice agriculture. However, many people forget that it was in fact women who experimented with seeds and seed conservation techniques. By saving our own seeds, we are preserving a very important tradition where women had an important role in agriculture. Without this, women have become only weeding labourers on farms without any creative role in farms and are becoming dependent on men to bring food from market to households.”
Dr Divya Veluguri, executive director of DDS said “In a world where it is illegal for farmers in many countries to even save seed, it is very inspiring to see such a proud display of the great seed diversity you are conserving with so much difficulty. It is important for this tradition and knowledge to also pass through newer generations in our villages.”
Ms Chandramma, senior seed keeper said “Urban people might have many riches but we should be proud about conserving this seed wealth that is not found anywhere. We have inherited this wealth from many generations and hope that our younger generations also carry this forward.”
Bidakanne village sangham consecutively for the third time, displayed the highest seed diversity, boasting 58 seed varieties of annual crops. In second place, Gunjoti sangham displayed 56 varieties and Potpalle sangham displayed 55 varieties of annual crops. It was noted that no sangham brought less than 20 seed varieties, an affirmation of the seed sovereignty of sangham women amidst a landscape where hybrid monocultures loom large.
