India moves to revive traditional crops and protect native seed diversity

The Central Arid Zone Research Institute leads work on traditional crops that thrive in dry and harsh lands. These include pearl millet, moth bean, cluster bean, arid fruits, grasses and medicinal species. Scientists document, preserve and improve native varieties so farmers can continue to grow crops that suit changing weather and low-water conditions.

ICAR and the National Gene Bank have stored and revived 100,086 crop varieties so far. These include more than 85,000 landraces grown over generations and about 14,500 traditional cultivars. Many of these seeds had vanished from fields due to shifts in farming choices, climate stress and migration.

Bringing back forgotten crops

Climate change pushes farmers toward uniform commercial crops. This shift threatens diversity and weakens local food security. The government now focuses on crops once common in many hill districts, including millets, pseudo-cereals and medicinal plants.

The global spotlight on millets in 2023 helped direct more research into seed revival, nutrition studies and large-scale promotion. Institutes and gene banks continue to multiply seeds and share them with farmers through training programmes and research plots.

Support for farmers

Government departments work with states to build seed banks, support farmer producer groups and create direct market routes. Special farmer groups focused on organic produce help growers sell niche and native crops to buyers seeking clean and traceable food.

Many mountain farmers use limited chemicals, which makes their produce naturally organic. Dedicated spaces in mandis and focused marketing help them reach steady buyers. The aim is to turn revived crops into viable sources of income, not just heritage items stored in vaults.

Why it matters

Traditional seeds carry traits shaped by decades of droughts, pests and cold spells. Farmers who plant these crops can rely on sturdier harvests and local taste preferences. As weather extremes grow, these crops may play a larger role in nutrition and income security for dry and mountain regions.

Saving old varieties is not only a scientific task. It is a return of control to farmers who depend on seeds that match their land.