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Field Study
Gene
Campaign's work for Self Reliance in Food and Livelihood
Security in Jharkhand
Gene Campaign's Jharkhand project on food and livelihood
security is making good progress. The GC team attempts to work
in an inclusive way, its staff is diverse, incorporating
ethnic and religious minorities, backward communities and is
gender sensitive. Our literature is prepared in the local
regional languages and tribal dialects, enabling us to reach a
range of people.
Collaborations with research institutions are established and
field research is often being conducted jointly.
Gene Campaign appears to be emerging as a reference point for
agro biodiversity conservation and establishing Gene and Seed
Banks.
Conservation of rice in this region, important for being the
primary Center of Origin of Rice is becoming successful with
both ex situ and in situ conservation being well established
now.
Contents
Conservation and Use of
Agro biodiversity
Bringing underutilized food sources into
the food basket
Establishing Bioorganic Agriculture
Reviving Indigenous Healing Practices
Preparing Information Materials
Promoting Rights Awareness and Legal Literacy
Organising
Women in Self Help Groups
Training & Capacity Building
Conservation and Use of
Agro biodiversity
The activities included increasing the collection of
traditional varieties and ; their multiplication and in situ
conservation in Gene-Seed Banks with a community based system
for using and administering the material; characterization of
the varieties and germplasm evaluation to identify useful
genes. ‘Ultra Desiccation’ is being developed as a technique
for improved long-term storage at ambient temperature.
Underutilized and edible wild bio-resources are being revived
and promoted in the food chain for improved food and nutrition
The collection: Samples of traditional varieties of diverse
crop plants have been collected from 478 villages of 49
districts covering 9 states of the country. A total of 1990
samples of traditional varieties of rice, millets, legumes and
vegetables have been collected, characterized and processed
for storage in the Gene-Seed Banks. These consist of 1820
varieties of rice, 8 varieties of millets, 90 of legumes and
72 varieties of vegetables. Most of the legume varieties were
collected from Bihar, legume cultivation is not popular in
Jharkhand. Over 400 people have been trained in the
collection, characterization and documentation of agro
biodiversity.
Area of sample collection:
|
S. No. |
States |
Districts |
Blocks |
Villages |
-
|
Jharkhand |
16 |
124 |
314 |
-
|
Bihar |
13 |
76 |
118 |
-
|
Assam |
03 |
06 |
09 |
-
|
West Bengal |
05 |
03 |
08 |
-
|
Uttar Pradesh |
02 |
02 |
04 |
-
|
Madhya Pradesh |
02 |
01 |
02 |
-
|
Orissa |
04 |
03 |
18 |
-
|
Chhattisgarh |
03 |
02 |
04 |
-
|
Manipur |
01 |
01 |
01 |
|
Total |
49 |
218 |
478 |
Number
of traditional varieties collected:
|
State wise Collection |
Rice |
Millets |
Vegetables |
Legumes |
|
Jharkhand |
1048 |
08 |
22 |
10 |
|
Bihar |
370 |
-- |
50 |
80 |
|
Chhattisgarh |
180 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Orissa |
120 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Assam |
36 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Manipur |
07 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Uttar Pradesh |
30 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Madhya Pradesh |
10 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
West Bengal |
19 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Total |
1820 |
08 |
72 |
90 |
|
Total Collection |
1990 |
Curating the collection: The rice collections were curated by
examining the nomenclature, morphology and source of samples.
Rice varieties bearing the same or similar names are sometimes
collected from different regions. These are usually
morphologically distinct. For instance we have six varieties
called Kalamdani but they are also physically distinct. During
curating the collection, such variants are identified and
retained. When samples are collected that are clearly mixtures
of different varieties, the single lines are being separated
and maintained individually and the mixture is also
maintained. The composition of mixtures that farmers use has
risk management significance and constitutes a varietal
composite.
Identifying useful genes:
The Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) is testing 170
varieties from the GC Banks for tolerance to water stress.
Rice samples from the Gene Bank are being also being evaluated
by the Division of Genetics, Indian Agricultural Research
Institute, (IARI) Delhi, for resistance to Bacterial Leaf
Blight, a rice disease.
Starting with 17 traditional varieties that farmers
characterized as disease resistant, five varieties have been
identified as resistant to bacterial leaf blight.
MoU for using farmers’ material for Research
Materials have been shared with research stations for
germplasm evaluation following the conditions of the
Convention on Biological Diversity. An MoU has been signed by
Gene Campaign on behalf of the local communities, after taking
the consent of the representatives of communities. According
to the MoU, no patents can be taken on any material developed
from the research and evaluation and the germplasm will
continue to be the property of the local communities.
Ultra-Dltra-dcal yield loss.d tolerantwith students and civil
societyrity , Uttranchal esiccation:
A new technology called ultra-desiccation is being tested to
prolong the storage at ambient temperature. This will greatly
facilitate long term storage. This is a pilot project to test
whether the new technology of ultra desiccation works in the
field.
Sixty varieties of traditional seeds are being ultra
desiccated and will be tested for germination viability over a
five year period
Once the technology has been validated over five years or more
with small samples, important samples in the collection can be
subjected to ultra desiccation and the technology established
for wide use.
Community Gene-Seed Banks:

Eight Gene-Seed Banks have been set up in Kacchabari, Kulli,
Nayatoli, Ichak, Pannakhunti, Adampur, and Kerua and Birsa
Agriculture University,in Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Nalanda
districts of Jharkhand and Bihar.
In situ conservation
In 2005 over 1350 farmers have taken 600 traditional rice
varieties from the Gene-Seed Banks, in 2006, 1730 farmers have
taken 815 traditional rice varieties to cultivate in their
fields.
In-situ conservation & Seed Multiplication:
An increasing number of farmers are showing interest in
cultivating traditional rice at least in part of their land.
In 2005 over 1350 farmers have taken 600 traditional rice
varieties from
the Gene-Seed Banks, In 2006, 1730 farmers have taken 815
traditional rice varieties to cultivate in their fields. These
farmers also host seed multiplication renewal plots for Gene
Campaign to refresh and renew
the seed in the Banks. This kind of field level conservation
is greatly desired by conservation policy makers but is
difficult to achieve. Gene Campaign has begun to achieve a
breakthrough after three years of intensive fieldwork. This is
a good indicator for in-situ conservation.
Seed samples were multiplied to provide viable and healthy
seeds to a large number of farmers. The multiplication work
was carried out by farmers as well as by Gene Campaign. GC
multiplied 415 varieties in the demonstration plot of Birsa
Agricultural University with three purposes, first to increase
the seed quantity, second to conduct morpho-agronomic
characterization of the varieties and third to organize field
training programs for master trainers and other, as well as
awareness programs with students and civil society.
Multiplication
and in situ conservation of rice varieties:
|
Districts |
Ranchi |
Hazaribagh |
Nalanda |
Nawada |
|
No. of varieties |
560 |
210 |
30 |
15 |
|
Total varieties |
815 |
Legal recognition for Farmer Varieties:
Important samples from the collection have been characterized
according to the detailed format approved by FAO and IRRI.
This is an extremely time consuming and complex process which
is used by plant breeders to register a new variety. Gene
Campaign has given training to the village youths to
characterize the varieties by this method. This method was
used to characterize those special varieties, which have a
chance of being registered as Farmer Varieties by the National
Plant Variety Authority.
About 300 varieties are considered to have the potential to be
characterized according to the new format. So far 200
varieties have been characterized according to the detailed
protocol, at two stages. One, as a standing crop when
morphology, flowering, crop duration was characterized and
two, post harvest, when seed color, awning, 1000 seed weight,
grain color, length, breadth, aroma and quality were
characterized.
Important relevant information regarding the rice varieties
was documented from farmers’ long term experiences. This work
was done during the collection of seed samples. The
information provided by the farmers related to land type and
soil, requirement of water, crop duration, drought or flood
tolerance, pests or disease resistant, yield, aroma and
medicinal properties.
Successful in situ conservation:
Traditional varieties cultivated by farmers from community
Gene-Seed Banks:
|
Year |
No. of farmers |
No. of varieties |
|
2005 – 06 |
1350 |
600 |
|
2006 – 07 |
1730 |
815 |
Over 1730 farmers are cultivating 815 traditional rice
varieties taken from the Gene-Seed Bank.
Bringing underutilized food sources into the food basket
A total of 86 edible plants that are eaten as saag (leafy
greens), have been identified by village communities in the
region These have been collected and documented by GC. We are
trying to create seed sources for such leafy greens. The
problem is that since many have very small seeds the scatter
easily, making collection of seeds as planting material is
proving to be difficult.

Thirty-one tubers have been collected which the community uses
as famine foods. Many of these have medicinal properties. With
more and more people opting for cereals even in time of food
shortage, many of the tuber sources are getting lost. GC has
begun distributing these tubers in villages for multiplication
and to revive their use instead of going to the moneylender
for loans to buy rice for periods of food shortage.
Gene Campaign in collaboration with Food and Nutrition Board,
Govt. of India, has conducted training programs on value
addition, processing and preservation of leafy greens,
vegetables, fruits as well as pulses to prepare foods for
women and adolescent girls.
The difficulties we face in in situ conservation are from the
government, which pays no attention to conservation of rice
agro biodiversity even as it promotes hybrid and high yielding
rice. This lapse is particularly grave since Jharkhand is one
of the regions of maximum rice diversity and is considered a
Centre of Origin for rice. In this backdrop there is an even
greater need to continue and intensify the work on Gene and
Seed Banks in areas like Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Orissa.
Establishing Bioorganic Agriculture
Ten villages have been developed as models for organic
cultivation, six from Ranchi district and four from Hazaribagh
district. There are a total 1733 households in these villages.
These will serve as models for replication and dissemination
of bioorganic practices.
Bio-fertilizers were produced using vermicompost, Blue Green
Algae Rhizobium cultures ,green manure and compost.
Vermicompost is the most easily adaptable and popular. It was
used successfully in trials of paddy, ginger and vegetables.
602 farmers have adopted vermicomposting and 369 units have
been set up. 26 farmers are trying out Blue Green Algae
cultures. Farmers report enhancement in their crop yield and
quality with the use of bioorganic nutrients.
Plant based pesticides made from extracts of Azadirachta
indica ,Pongamia pinnata , Nicotiana tabacum, Vitex negundo ,
Calotropis procera and Allium sativum were found to be
effective against common pests in field trials of vegetables
and paddy.
277 farmers have adopted plant-based pesticides. A cost
–benefit exercise done with a wide variety of farmers revealed
that they were able to make considerable savings after moving
away from chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
The total cost of paddy cultivating using agrochemicals works
out to Rs. 3300/acre,
The cost of cultivation by bioorganic methods the works out
to Rs. 1700/acre, a saving of Rs. 1600 per acre.
Adoption of
bio organic farming practices:
|
Particulars |
2005–07 |
|
Farmers trained |
1248 |
|
Master trainers trained |
83 |
|
No. of vermicompost units |
369 |
|
Farmers using vermicompost |
602 |
|
Farmers using BGA |
26 |
|
Farmers using plant based pesticides |
277 |
|
No. of organic farmers |
584 |
Effective
Plant based Biopesticides:
|
Plant |
Plant part used |
Effective against |
|
Tobacco
Nicotiana tabacum |
Leaf |
Aphids, White flies, leafhopper, thrips.
|
|
Neem
Azadirachta indica |
Leaf, Seed |
Mildew Rusts, Thrips, Leaf minor and many other insects. |
|
Sindwar
Vitex negundo |
Leaf, Stem |
Diverse pests |
|
Akwand
Calotropis procera |
Leaf |
Diverse pests |
|
Karanj
Pongamia pinnata |
Leaf, Seed |
Diverse pests |
|
Garlic
Allium sativum |
Bulb |
Boring pests |
Plant based pesticides face very stiff competition from
chemical pesticides. The Agriculture Department of the state
aggressively promotes chemical pesticides, as does Birsa
University. This makes the adoption of organic pesticides
difficult. Bioorganic pesticides acts in a preventive manner
and need attention. They must be applied before the pest
attack.
Reviving Indigenous Healing Practices
Over two hundred types |