Batiaghata’s women farmers take lead in preserving indigenous seeds

The Maitree Farmers' Federation and LoCos organised the annual Rural Seed Fair on Thursday at the premises of Brittyshalua Government Primary School in Khulna's Batiaghata to showcase vanishing indigenous seed varieties.

Each stall at the fair displayed between 50 and 400 varieties of local fruit, forest, and vegetable seeds. It saw the participation of over a hundred women farmers who brought their carefully preserved seeds.

One of the main attractions of the fair was the showcase of seeds preserved by women farmers. A selection panel evaluated the participants based on the number of seeds, their diversity, quality, and presentation techniques.

Karuna Mondal from Sukdara village received this year's first prize, with Namita Sarker winning second and Laxmi Rani Mondal from Jhorbhanga village coming third.

By preserving over 250 local varieties of seeds and conducting organic farming, Karuna, a 54-year-old farmer, has become a role model to other women in the area. She grows vegetables without using chemical fertilisers and insecticides. Seeing Karuna, other women in the area have also started organic farming.

"The seed fair provides women with a platform to share their knowledge and experiences, which plays a crucial role in fostering sustainable local agriculture. To ensure farmer-led agriculture, we must promote and expand the preservation of indigenous seeds," said Karuna Mondal.

For the past 12 years, women in this region have been actively preserving seeds and organising the fair. They not only conserve seeds but also discuss their quality, production methods, and adaptability to climate change.

Palash Das, coordinator of LoCos, said that preserving indigenous seeds is not just about safeguarding our agricultural heritage, but also about mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change. Hybrid seeds often fail to withstand drought, sudden rainfall, or temperature fluctuations. However, local seed varieties have developed adaptive capacities over centuries, making them more resilient to environmental challenges.

"These fairs not only help conserve traditional seeds but also empower rural women economically and socially. Experts believe that such initiatives should be expanded further to build a sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural system,'' he added.