? The Gond tribes for thousands of years have been relying on their own harvest and identifying, selecting and storing the best seeds for their food security.
? Due to industrialization of agriculture and green revolution, the new improved seeds have been promoted. These seeds though have high yields and have shown positive results in the increase in food production but have degraded the biodiversity of the area.
? At present the hard crops like koddo, kutki as well as mecca have been replaced by wheat, paddy, and cereals, which require more external inputs and effect tremendously to adverse situations like drought, pest, diseases etc. This agricultural pattern leads to food insecurity and has adverse impacts on the regional bio-diversity.
? The project focus is towards promoting the self reliance through conservation collection, regeneration and multiplying of traditional seeds of these extinct varieties of millets and will work with 1,000 households in 10 villages and over an area of 2,000 hectares.
? The target communities will be from 10 villages located in Bargi Block of Jabalpur District, with tribal dominated population in which 10 farmers? groups and 40 Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) will be targeted.