Beej Swaraj - Indigenous seed sovereignty for and by tribal women
Kanti Devi, a member of the Saksham Samooh formed and facilitated by Vaagdhara in Shera Nagla village, says,
“What do men know? We women are the ones who preserve the seeds—it is our responsibility. This has been part of our culture since the time of our ancestors. We know which seed to plant, where and in what quantity, how much to save for future use, and how much to keep for food. Men are not too concerned about these things.”
Shera Nagla, a village with a majority of tribal families in Banswara district of Rajasthan, is one of many such villages where this tradition is alive. Recognizing the deep connection between crop diversity and resilience, the Women Empowered Group of Farmers of Vaagdhara Sanstha is striving to ensure that the practice of conserving climate-tolerant traditional seeds continues.
‘According to the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011, more than 76.38% of households in the district belong to the Scheduled Tribes category. These tribal families are primarily dependent on agriculture, but many also migrate to Gujarat to work as daily wage laborers in house-building and construction to sustain another source of livelihood. As per the SECC 2011, about 60% of Banswara district’s land is un-irrigated. Most farmers practice rain-fed cultivation of paddy, maize, tur and other pulses, moong, and wheat.
Kankundevi Masar of Falwa village smiled as she said that her cultivation is at the mercy of the one above. She explained, “Apart from paddy and maize, we also grow leafy vegetables and other crops like okra, flat beans, tomato, brinjal, chilli, pumpkin, and turmeric in our courtyard, for which Vaagdhara provides us seeds. We also have cilantro, papaya, and mango trees, which meet our household needs.”
In this complex agricultural environment, with its deep connection to diversity and resilience, women play the most vital role—as custodians of this rich diversity of indigenous seeds.
Women and Seed Protection
Like many communities around the world, women belonging to the tribal Swaraj organizations and empowered women’s groups of this region play a vital role in passing on seed protection practices and knowledge from one generation to the next. When asked how they learned this, or how long they have been doing it, their expressions often turn thoughtful, followed by a simple response: “We have been doing this for as long as we can remember. Since childhood, our mothers told us to do it. We saw it being done and simply continued the practice.”
This knowledge is deeply rooted in the social role women hold within the agricultural system. Lali Amratlal Damor, a member of the Mahila Saksham group formed by Vaagdhara, explains: “While harvesting, we observe which part of the field has produced better crops. We assess the seeds on the basis of their weight and quality, and keep them aside while threshing. This is our Bap Dada’s (ancestors’) way of collecting seeds, which we continue to follow.”
To maintain crop diversity, women farmers from the Saksham groups of Vaagdhara carefully fill the selected seeds in sacks, seal them, and store them in a granary—locally called a kothi—for the next season. Kanta Damor, a member of the Saksham Mahila group, explains: “Similarly, for vegetable seeds, once the fruit is ripe, we allow it to dry, separate the seeds, and then store them. When the time for sowing comes, we take them out for use.”
Agreeing with her, Shilpa Ramanlal Damor, a woman from the Saksham Samooh of Nanabukhiya village, adds: “We know how much seed to sow in which part of the courtyard. Based on how much our family needs, we sow the seeds accordingly.”
Another woman farmer, Sushila Bhikha Damor from the Saksham Mahila group of Nanabhukhiya village, explained how this method is deeply connected to the knowledge of maintaining tolerance systems. She said: “We need different types of seeds. Each land is suitable for a different type of crop. Some grow well in waterlogged soils, while others thrive on sloping soils with little water. We decide accordingly.”
She further added: “Traditional rice seed varieties like Patharia, Cumin, Black Kamod, and Mota Paddy have a greater ability to withstand changes in rainfall patterns and can survive droughts during the mid-monsoon season.” In the current situation, where rural communities are facing the disproportionate effects of climate change and erratic rainfall, such tolerance to fluctuating micro-climate conditions is critical for survival.
Reduced Market Dependence through Traditional Seed Preservation
One of the immediate benefits of seed preservation is reduced dependence on the market—not only for purchasing seeds but also for food. With visible satisfaction, Kali Devi Hardar shares that for the past 40 years she has not bought agricultural seeds, thereby saving her money.
Similarly, by growing vegetables around their homes, women reduce their reliance on the market for vegetables.
She says: “Even if we are able to meet the needs of our house for a few months, it is enough for us. It helps us save money that we would otherwise spend on vegetables from the market.”
Radha Prakash Katara, a member of the Saksham Mahila group formed by Vaagdhara in Vanda village, emphasized: “The vegetables we get in the market are full of chemicals. The vegetables we grow in the land near our house for our organic nutrition garden are manured only with cow dung. They are healthier for us, and we can easily tell the difference in taste.”
In a district like Banswara, where more than 91% of households have a monthly income of less than ₹5,000 (as per the District Employment and Income Report), reducing dependence on cash income is critical for survival.
Exchange of Seeds
What happens if a family cannot preserve a seed but needs it? The practice of seed conservation is closely tied to another traditional system—seed exchange—which is deeply embedded in the social fabric of these communities.
Babli Katara, a woman farmer from Vanda village and member of a group formed by Vaagdhara, explains: “If I do not have a particular seed but my neighbor has it, I will take some seeds from her and, in return, give her what she doesn’t have. This year I took bhindi and bottle gourd seeds from her and gave her pumpkin seeds.” She adds, “This practice has been going on for as long as I can remember.”
The entire village follows this custom, which helps maintain crop diversity within families while also reducing the community’s dependence on the market for seeds. Moreover, the exchange system extends beyond seeds to include produce. Babli notes: “If the production of vegetables in someone’s field is abundant, any person in the village can take vegetables from them free of cost.”
Reviving Seed Systems through Women’s Groups
Rural institutions also play an important role in facilitating this exchange. With the steady entry of market forces, improved and hybrid seed varieties have slowly been introduced into local agriculture. Yet, women-led rural organizations are working to revive traditional systems of exchange and conservation.
For example, in Pat village of Anandpuri Block, the women’s empowerment group formed by Vaagdhara has facilitated the revival of traditional paddy seeds. Babli Katara from this group shared: “Seeds of traditional paddy varieties like Patharia, Kali Kamod, and Jeera were brought from Rupkheda village of Baju and distributed among the farmers of our village. Such exchanges happen on the condition that the recipient will share the harvested seeds with more farmers in the village.”
She further adds: “Women of the village also exchange vegetable seeds during our meetings. Earlier, I could only exchange seeds with one or two women, but now, through these meetings, I can exchange seeds with many more.”
Seed Exchange Festivals
Many villages have also begun celebrating community-led seed exchange festivals, giving greater momentum to this practice. The women of the region are determined to preserve and strengthen these systems of seed conservation and exchange, ensuring that the legacy of biodiversity, resilience, and self-reliance continues for future generations.
Going forward, it is essential to strengthen women’s leadership in seed conservation by supporting Saksham Samooh to evolve into community-managed seed banks and networks that ensure easy access to traditional varieties. Expanding nutrition gardens at household and village levels will not only enhance food security but also improve health through chemical-free produce. Celebrating community-led seed exchange festivals and institutionalizing such practices can further revive indigenous seed systems while reducing dependence on the market. At the same time, documenting and promoting climate-resilient traditional varieties like Patharia and Kali Kamod will help communities adapt to erratic rainfall and climate change. By linking women farmers’ indigenous knowledge with policy support and local institutions, these practices can be scaled to secure biodiversity, strengthen resilience, and sustain livelihoods for generations to come.