Hiralal Sarote and Naresh Biswas
On the 10th of January 2023 the District Collector of Dindori, Shri Vikas Mishra, visited the community seed bank in Silpidi village. This seed bank is managed by the Sawa Salhar Sanghati Beej Bhandar Samiti Silpidi and is the first community seed bank committee formed by NIRMAN (UD network partner) in the region and has been instrumental in promoting the revival of Bewar, the traditional shifting cultivation based agricultural practice of the Baiga people, and the variety of traditional crops associated with this practice. This committee was formed in 2018 and comprises of 15 women with Gawalin Bai as the President and Lahari Bai as the Secretary.
In 2023 the year of the millet efforts to conserve and promote millets are attracting far more attention then ever before. Having heard about the efforts to conserve and promote a variety of traditional millets by Baiga community seed bank committees the District Collector decided to visit one of these seed banks himself. He was accompanied by a team that included officials from the Agriculture Department, Panchayat Department, Education Department. Media representatives were also present. The collector inspected the different varieties of seeds and panicles in the seed bank which included different varieties Mandia (Finger Millet), Salhar (a variety of Pearl Millet), Bajra (Pearl millet), Kang (Foxtail millet), Kutki (little millet), Salhar (a variety of Pearl Millet), Bajra (Pearl millet), Kodo (Kodo millet). The community seed bank had been established in a room donated by the family of Lahari Bai the secretary of the community seed bank committee and the Collector was particularly impressed by the efforts she has taken to protect and conserve traditional millets and manage the community seed bank.
The Collector’s team also visited Silpidi’s community forest are where the villagers have planted a variety of trees and plants. The Forest Department representatives promised to provide more saplings and fencing for the community forest.
The District Collector’s team was very impress with the work being carried out by Lahari Bai and the community seed bank committee and felt that their efforts need to be recognised and such initiatives need to be spread to other areas as well. Subsequently Lahari Bai was invited to the District Collector’s office on 16th January 2023 where the Collector Mr. Vikas Mishra honored her with the Star of the Month award and also made her the face of the posters celebrating International Year of the Millet in the region. On the occasion of Republic Day 26th January 2023 Lahri Bai was a special invitee of the District Collector at the parade at Dindori. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEsxIx3f5aI
Alongside Lahari Bai, Phuljaria Bai the President of the community seed bank committee of Gaura Kanhari village was also invited for the Republic Day Parade. Subsequently Lahari Bai continues to get considerable press coverage with her efforts to conserve and promote traditional millets being much appreciated. This comes and a welcome recognition for the tireless efforts of Lahari Bai and other Baiga women who have succeeded in bringing back a variety of traditional millets and other crops from the brink of local extinction and ensuring that the millets, pulses, oilseeds and vegetable crops of their ancestors are once again cultivated on a regular basis by Baiga farmers of Baigachak. We hope this recognition helps further strengthen the movement and enable the efforts to safeguard and promote traditional seeds and agriculture practices to other parts of the state and country.
