Tribal Farmer Revives Millets and Native Seeds in Odisha

In Sundargarh, Odisha, tribal farmer Surath Kisan has dedicated over a decade to organic farming and preserving local seed varieties. Over the past 11 years, he has collected and protected around 138 traditional seeds, including paddy, millets, oilseeds, and vegetables.

Kisan farms naturally on his five-acre land without using chemical fertilizers or pesticides. He grows a variety of crops and began focusing on conserving native seeds in 2014. His collection includes about 110 traditional paddy varieties, 18 types of millet seeds, and 10 vegetable seeds.

To maintain the seed stock, Kisan raises seedlings each year in a small nursery. He stores seeds in quantities from 1 kg to 100 kg and shares them with other farmers, often asking only that the same amount be returned after harvest.

Besides farming, Kisan has trained over 4,500 farmers from Sundargarh and nearby areas in organic practices over the past six years. He teaches chemical-free cultivation methods to help revive traditional farming and protect biodiversity, driven by passion rather than profit.

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