United Nations, at its 75th session of the General Assembly, declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Immediately, the entire world shifted its attention towards preserving coarse grains and indigenous techniques. It started as a method to decrease the adverse effects of climate change where the diplomats were searching for an alternative species of crops that can resist erratic weather, harder yielding conditions, unpredicted rains, and unexpected environments. But the nutritional values that these crops retain, made them a subject of discussion among nutritional experts and developmentalists. Millet is an indigenous crop used in parts of Asia and Africa for ages. Especially in the tribal communities of India, it is being used as a staple food along with its sister crops like Kodo, Kutki, Kanguni, Sava, Pearl Millet, Ragi, Jowar or Sorghum etc. These crops are highly nutritious and can be grown easily on drylands having warm weather and poor soil conditions also.
The nutritional value of these indigenous seeds are also very high. They are rich in dietary fibers, Vitamin B, various proteins, and other metal icons. They are also gluten-free and based on a low glycaemic index that can further enhance bone health, increase energy levels, assist in weight loss, reduce bloating, and helps in relieving joint pain. These foods are also good for the health because they have no side effects, they are naturally resistant, anti – diabatic and relaxes from hypertension. They are all-natural seeds and hence maintain a cent percent avoidance of contamination. Apart from health benefits, they are economical for small farmers as the rate of germination of these seeds are very high and does not need any extra investment.
As per the report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, India is the largest producer of millets in the world with a sub-total of 12 metric tons of annual production. But the popularity of wheat, maize, and rice evidenced a drastic growth after the Green Revolution in 1965. Even in the tribal regions, almost 70% of the tribals have adopted non-tribal food preferences thus causing a gradual decrease in the uses of such crops making them vulnerable and indicating a steep need for the preservation of these indigenous seeds.
The traditional seed preservation methods are safe and have no use of chemicals, hence making them much healthier. But due to the substitution of these indigenous seeds with the HYV seeds, traditional food preservation methods are becoming vulnerable. To prevent the loss of indigenous seeds, many voluntary organizations are also coming in front. Recently, an NGO named Nirman Swayam Sewi Sanstha of Baiga community (Central India) has taken up an initiative to protect the mixed cultivation done by the Baiga tribe. They have now succeeded to revive many indigenous seeds like, three types of Salhar which vanished ten years back, five different types of Kaang, etc. They have also started exchanging indigenous seeds in the market for extension and revival of those seeds.
M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation of Chennai is also putting a commendable effort to promote, produce, and enhance the popularity of millet. In the same manner, many contemporary tribal icons are emerging as game changers in the field of seed preservation techniques.
One such icon is Lahari Bai. She belongs to Silpidi village in Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh. She provides millet seeds for free to farmers in exchange for some portion of the yield crop. She has also been praised in Mann ki Batt by the Prime Minister for her contribution in creating a seed bank to prevent millets from getting extinct.
Yuvraj Chhatria comes from the Chuktia Bhunjina tribe, which is one of the Particularly Vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs). He delivers a fresh harvest of strawberries, and the harvest has helped at least ten families of farmers who cultivate paddy from April to October and does strawberry cultivation in November.
Kishore Gavit and Krishna Gavit have gathered around 500 seeds of different food grains, the bulk of which are millets. Almost 350 different species of millets are among the 500 types of seeds that Krishna, from Visarwadi village of Maharashtra- Gujarat border owns. Kishore from Dang district has concentrated on encouraging farmers to practice organic farming as it can be preserved for a long time without preservatives and are insect-free.
In Konta of Chhattisgarh, 21 traditional food kinds are harvested. In the winter, this area could provide eight various kinds of tubers, at least seven different kinds of green vegetables, five different kinds of chillies, nine varieties of beans, and four varieties of nuts, the majority of which the Muria and Koya tribes would eat. Seven different species of mushrooms that naturally occur in bamboo farms are also grown there. These mushrooms are dried and preserved by the Murias because they believe they are highly nutritive. But these traditions are gradually forgotten due to the adaptability of non-tribal foods by the locals.
Similarly, Farmers of Kerala’s Idukki are encouraging the farming of coffee fruit which is organic in nature, and they sell it at a cost of Rupees 50 per KG. Per year their selling quantity is 50 tonnes, and the beans consist of many health benefits as well.
The traditional method of food preparation and food preservation among the tribals are very old. They mainly use the seeds as per the need of the seasonal food chart for a healthier lifestyle. Tribal communities like Baiga, Gond, Savara, Chenchu, Kolam, Kondareddi, Santhal, Munda, Khond, Kharia, Bhumij, Bonda of Malkhangiri etc. have their own method of preservation of foods. Due to their extensive knowledge of herbs, medicinal plants, and the techniques of preservation of food, Baigas are considered one of the most familiar communities of jungles. They preserve various seeds based on their water retention capacity. For example, they preserve the seeds of Kodo and Kutki much as they are dry in nature and can survive for a long time in a particular Cholagi (made up of bamboo), Kudri, Marsa etc. Because of their dry nature, they are also safe from germs and fungus as well as there are no changes in the taste of these seeds for a long time. They also have specialized utensils for the preservation of seeds. For instance, Baiga women make large rectangular utensils called Kothi with mud. These utensils have a coat of cow dung inside where they preserve the seeds with Neem leaves to avoid germs which are again coated by cow dung to make it airtight.
In the same manner, Kudri (A drum-shaped utensil made of bamboo mats. The outer layer is coated with cow dung, and limestone to fill the gaps to avoid the passing of air), Marsa (A big clay pitch to keep grams and lentils), Kudu Tuma (a type of bottle gourd which is bitter in taste and helps to protect seeds from germs), etc. are used for preservation of seeds. Further to grind it they have their own equipment like Jaata, Musar Bahna, etc.
The world is going through a rapid period of globalization which is also visible in the food culture. The hybridization of food has resulted in popularization of junk foods which are extremely adverse from health aspects. Encouraging indigenous food practices will help the mass to lead towards a healthy lifestyle as well as it will develop the economic conditions of local tribal cultivators, and indigenous food preservers of the country. Apart from, the country can establish its indigenous markets across the entire globe in future to show its soft power by developing its indigenous seeds production. Thus, the preservation of indigenous seeds is the only way through which the country can achieve the self – sufficiency in the agricultural market as well as fulfill the vision of “Fit India, Hit India”.
Professor T.V. Kattimani is vice-chancellor of Central University of Andhra Pradesh.