Community Based On-farm Conservation of Crop And Varietal Diversity for Sustaining Small Millets Cropping Systems in India

KARTHIKEYAN, M, PATIL, C. S. P, PALANISAMY, M, SEETHARAM, A, NANJA REDDY, NIRMALAKUMARI, A, BIJAY, K.N., VEDIAPPAN, V. & NADHIYA, M.

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Presented at the International Food Security Dialogue 2014

“Enhancing Food Production, Gender Equity and Nutritional Security in a Changing World.”

Topics covered

1. Need for the study2. Methodology3. Results and discussion4. Conclusion and next steps5. Policy support needed

Need for the study…

Rich crop and varietal diversity of SM, which has been one of the key

elements in sustaining them has been declining very fast

Lack of site specific improved varieties and lack of timely supply of quality seeds has led to low productivity and so replacement by other crops

Need for the study…

On-farm conservation and varietal selection can be an effective means for enhancing the resilience of SMCS and sustaining them

With this objective on-farm conservation and varietal selection of SMs is being attempted since 2011 in India under an action research project -'Revalorising Small millets in Rainfed Regions South Asia (RESMISA)‘

Methodology

Farmer-led research-for-development that builds on indigenous knowledge systems and complemented by gender sensitive scientific and participatory methods

Embed in the contextually relevant community organisations and public institutions

Conceptual framework

Study area covering Tamil Nadu (3), Jharkhand (1) and Odisha (1) in India

Results and discussion

Existing status of varietal diversity In all the sites CBR indicated that many SM

crops/varieties have vanished in the last two decades (Eg: FM-21& LM-10 in Odisha site)

Less varietal diversity at farm level (90 % farmers use one variety), at hamlet level and at location level

Some of the existing local varieties may disappear soon

Many of the local varieties show impurity

Status of varietal diversity at location level

Site

Finger millet Little millet Kodo millet Barnyard millet

Present Popular Present Popular Present Popular Present Popular

LV RV LV RV LV RV LV RV LV RV LV RV LV RV LV RV

SG 19 2 4 8 2 1  

Be 4 2  

Ac 2 2 2  

JH 2 1 9 3  

Pe 3 2 2 1  LV- Local variety; RV- Released variety

Status of varietal diversity at hamlet level

Site CropHamlets

studied

Share of hamlets with different number of varieties (%)

1 2 3 4 5

SemiliGuda

FM 40 40 28 20 10 3

LM 20 95 5 0 0 0

Bero FM 32 69 31 0 0 0

Jawadhu Hills

LM 36 31 47 14 8 0

FM 33 45 45 9 0 0Anchetty FM 29 62 24 14 0 0

Peraiyur BM 10 70 30 0 0 0

Creating awareness on local varieties and facilitating conservation in sites

Biodiversity blocks established in the sites and local farmers are systematically exposed to them

Interested farmers are being identified for conserving local varieties on-farm

Biodiversity fund was created in the women/ farmer federation/ associations for supporting conservation efforts, even beyond the project period

Biodiversity block in Semiliguda

Conservation through relevant institutions

The collected germplasm was shared to gene bank of All India Coordinated Small Millets Project of ICAR and TNAU for purification, characterization and nutrient analysis Morphological characterisation

completed and publication is in progress Nutrient-rich varieties identified

Conservation through Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS)

Promising varieties included in PVS for evaluation along with released/ pre-release varieties

In the three cycles of PVS trials 130 varieties were tested with the involvement of 1435 men and 773 women farmers were involved

Participatory Varietal Selection- Mother trial

Participatory Varietal Selection- Preference analysis

Participatory Varietal Selection- Baby trial

Results of PVS trials- 2011-2013

Site CropNo. of varieties

includedNo. of varieties selected

Local Rele Pre-R Local Rele Pre-R TotalSG 

F. Millet 18 6  1   1 1 2L. Millet 10 6      

Be Finger millet

4 6 1    3 1  4

JH L. Millet 8 5   2 2   4F. Millet 5 6 1  1 1 1  3

An F.Millet 7 14 1  1 2 1  4Pe BY. Millet 12 3 5 2 1   3

K.Millet 5 2 4   1 1Total 69 48 13 6 10 5

Conservation through Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS)…

Identified 1 to 4 additional varieties for each crop in each of the five sites based on many site specific parameters 15 to 20% increased productivity observed Increase choices to farmers Two local varieties have entered IVT in

AICSIMP

Reintroduction of small millet crops/ varieties

Proso and foxtail millets were reintroduced in three sites and little and kodo millets were reintroduced in one site based on demand.

In 3 sites, 2 declining traditional local varieties of finger millet were promoted and in one site 4 rare varieties of little millet were promoted. About 320 farmers involved Foxtail millet was introduced both as mixed crop

and as sole crop Proso and foxtail millets were well received in two

sites

Community based seed production

RESMISA Research Coordination Committee formed

Interested farmers from the local community organisations were identified for seed production and training was given

About 7000 kg of seed of identified farmer preferred varieties was procured from these farmers for dissemination through group network.

 

Conclusion and next steps

The integrated approach is effective and can be attempted to any NUS Next steps:1. Conservation of vanishing local varieties by

supporting custodian farmers2. On-site purification of potential local varieties3. Strengthening community-based seed systems

for promotion of the identified potential varieties as well as the existing popular ones at each site

1. Promotion of nutrient-rich varieties 2. Linking with the Govt. Schemes for seed production

4. Taking up reintroduction on a scale

Policy support needed

Support for establishing community-based integrated conservation initiatives

Recognising and supporting custodian farmers

Inclusion of potential local varieties in the State formal seed system and other production support schemes- Presently it is not the case (ASA-PB case in Brazil, Peterson et al, 2014)

Recognition of farmers’ rights and secure the same through various ways

Policy support needed…

NARS :1. Make PVS mandatory for regional

research stations (RRS)2. Exploit the potential local varieties in the

breeding efforts in RRS

Thank you