The tribal seed guardians of Dindori

For the past decade, Phuljharia Bai has been carefully preserving millet seeds in her modest home. She is part of the Baiga community, an indigenous tribe deeply connected to the forests of central India. 

Once dismissed as coarse grains unsuitable for modern diets, millets have made a remarkable comeback. Their resilience to climate change has redefined their value. In fact, 2023 was celebrated as the International Year of Millets by the United Nations.

Seed guardians

Phuljharia's journey into seed conservation wasn’t by choice—it was born out of necessity. When the men in her village, Gaura Kanhari in Dindori district, were unable to continue the work due to struggles with alcohol addiction, the women stepped in to take charge.

“The community seed bank was started at the house of Lalsai Baiga. But after initial hiccups, women took up the responsibility of saving seeds. Today, the initiative is called the Samudayik Bewar Beej Bank, which conserves multiple varieties of millets. At one time, it preserved about 40 different types of seeds,” said Naresh Biswas, a local dedicated to preserving Baiga culture.

Seed preservation isn’t just about agriculture–it’s also about resilience and biodiversity. While agricultural institutes store seeds in controlled environments, community-led seed banks play a critical role in keeping traditional knowledge alive.

Forest and agricultural officials often assume that the Baigas don’t farm because Bewar is so different from conventional agriculture.

For the Baigas, these practices are interwoven with culture. For example, ragi flour mixed with turmeric is applied to the body before weddings–a tradition rooted in the millet’s calcium-rich properties.

In tribal regions across India, community seed banks have helped tackle nutritional challenges. Indigenous seeds, unlike hybrids, are naturally hardy, pest-resistant, and better suited to local conditions. Yet, government policies promoting hybrid seeds have sidelined these local varieties.

Yet, not all is lost. Among these resilient grains, millets have managed to survive, thanks to the quiet, persistent efforts of seed conservators in rural India. While paddy and wheat reigned supreme in markets due to government incentives, millets like ragi endured through grassroots practices.

In Odisha’s Koraput district, tribal women trade ragi millet for essentials like soap and oil, highlighting the lasting value of indigenous crops and the central role of women in household decisions.

Reviving Bewar

In Dindori, Biswas championed seed conservation to revive Bewar, an indigenous farming system practised by the Baigas in uplands. Bewar involves growing multiple crops simultaneously, which also helped streamline land rights claims under the Forest Rights Act (FRA). Passed in 2006, the FRA grants tribal communities and forest dwellers rights over forest resources.

“As Bewar is carried out on hilly slopes without tilling or ploughing, many officials unfamiliar with the process don’t recognise it as farming. This led to the rejection of many land rights claims in the early years. That’s when I encouraged the Baigas to conserve seeds to prove their agricultural practices,” Biswas explained. “This also revived Bewar, which many Baigas had abandoned while working as labourers.”

When our community ran out of seeds, we had to collect them from far-off places. Now, many homes store seeds, but a decade ago, this wasn’t the case.

When Biswas began working on land rights under the FRA, he encouraged many Baiga women to conserve seeds. “Forest and agricultural officials often assume that the Baigas don’t farm because Bewar is so different from conventional agriculture,” he said. He has also written a book called Bewar Swaraj, where he discusses the importance of agro-diversity.

Before seed conservation efforts began, many younger Baigas were unaware of the importance of saving seeds. “When our community ran out of seeds, we had to collect them from far-off places. Now, many homes store seeds, but a decade ago, this wasn’t the case,” said Budhprakash, son of Phuljharia.

Johnu Baiga, Phuljharia’s brother and a resident of Ajgar village, now conserves seeds of millets like sikiya, sanwa, kutki, and kang. Initially, many seed varieties had to be sourced from other districts, states, and remote villages, said Biswas. He credited Shikari Baiga, Johnu and Phuljharia’s father, with playing a pivotal role in conserving seeds 20 years ago.

Similar to the Baigas of central India who practice Bewar, the Kondhs of Odisha farm in upland areas, called Dongar plots, which are known for growing multiple crops. Jagat Barik of Pradan, a non-profit in Rayagada, noted that photographs of Dongar plots are now attached to FRA claims for verification, simplifying the process.

Tushar Dash, an independent researcher on the FRA based in Bhubaneshwar, said forest officials often prevent adivasi communities from practising agroecological farming on bewar and dongar lands–methods they have used for generations.

“This is a common issue that results in misunderstanding traditional land use and rights. The goal of the FRA is to recognise these rights, even if they aren’t officially recorded. Pre-agricultural practices are included under habitat rights in the FRA.” he added.

Conservation methods

In Dindori, people store seeds in unique ways. Johnu stores seeds in kothis–large mud containers kept indoors–or dried gourds."The large kothis can hold up to 60 quintals (6000 kg) of grains," said Biswas. "These are built when the Baigas construct their mud houses." 

The Baiga also store seeds in old mud handis that were once used for brewing country liquor. After several uses, a new layer of mud is applied to the outside, creating what are called marsa, which can hold 10-12 kg of grains. While tin storage boxes are becoming more common, Biswas believes seeds don't always stay fresh in them.

Seed exchange is also a common practice. When someone borrows seeds for planting, they must return 1.5 kg more than what they took after the harvest. This practice is called bijahi among the Baigas. If grains are borrowed for consumption, the borrower must return double the amount they took. This is known as barhi.

Phuljharia, along with Laheri Bai from Silipidi village in Dindori, gained recognition for their work in seed conservation. Their efforts attracted many visitors to see the seed banks, and a documentary was made about Phuljharia's work. 

Biswas highlighted that in regions where Bewar is not practiced, crops like ragi have become dominant. However, in Dindori, where the Baigas practice multiple cropping through Bewar, a variety of millet species thrive. "If Bewar is abandoned, both crop and seed diversity will be lost," he warned.

The older generation’s dedication to conservation remains a source of inspiration. Biswas recounted the story of Moharsingh Baiga, a tribal elder who saved 40 quintals of kodo millet, received as part of his dowry. Before his death, Moharsingh instructed that his stored millet be used for a communal feast–a testament to his belief in sharing and preserving resources for the community.

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