By Bhola Nagesh and Dhansaya Sori
On the 4th of June 2018 a meeting on traditional agricultural practices of the Kamars was held at the Kamar village of Dev Dongar, Mainpur Block, Gariaband District, Chhattisgarh. UD fellows Bhola Nagesh and Dhansaya Sori along with PRERAK (UD Partner) staff Bhuwan Patel facilitated discussing on traditional agricultural practices of the Kamars and the need to promote their protection and revival. The men and women of Dev Dongar participated in substantial numbers and a total of 53 participants were present. The status of mixed cropping agricultural practices of the Kamars like Bewar and Penda were discussed and the villagers shared that a number of traditional crops were no longer being cultivated in the region. The UD fellows explained that the focus of the current project was to promote revival of traditional crops and that they had set up a community seed bank at Kuladighat village through which farmers of neighbouring Kamar villages like Dev Dongar would be provided a variety of seeds like, kutki, kang and madia which had disappeared from their areas and would also be provide all necessary support in reviving these crops. The nutritional benefits of these traditional crops was also discussed and the villagers were informed that while the cultivation and consumtion of these millet and pulse crops are diminishing in rural areas there is an increased demand in cities and urban areas for them due to their proven health and nutritional benefits.
