By KN Kumar
The push for high-yielding varieties (HYVs) and hybrid seeds, driven by multinational corporations (MNCs) and our own National Agricultural Research System, poses a threat to the rich biodiversity of native (heirloom) seeds that have supported communities for centuries. This issue is particularly urgent in Northeast India, a biodiversity hot-spot that is home to unique land-races adapted to local micro-climates and soils. To protect this genetic wealth, ensure food security, and combat the risks of monoculture, there is a pressing need to establish community-led seed banks across the region. Through this article, I urge the state government to develop a plan to establish a network of community-driven seed banks in each of Meghalaya’s five agro-climatic zones.
Importance of Native Seeds
Native seeds, often referred to as land-races, are the result of many generations of both natural selection and adaptation. These seeds are suited to local environmental conditions, require fewer chemical inputs, and are resilient to stresses such as droughts, floods, and pests. Northeast India, recognized as one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hot-spots, is home to traditional crops such as rice, millets, spices, and pulses that thrive across various micro-climates, from Assam’s flood-prone plains to Arunachal’s hilly terrains. According to the 2022 ScienceDirect study, there are likely over 9,500 land-races of paddy alone in Northeast India. The evidence suggests high diversity, making Northeast India a key area for preserving agricultural heritage through community-led seed banks. These seeds are not just agrarian assets; they are cultural and nutritional treasures. Communities in the Northeast have cultivated unique varieties, such as Meghalaya’s red pumpkin and Assam’s flood-tolerant rice, which are integral to local diets and traditions. Navdanya (an NGO) has conserved 33 salt-tolerant and 54 flood-tolerant rice varieties in Odisha, highlighting land-races’ ability to withstand climate challenges. Unlike HYVs, which often prioritize yield over nutrition, native seeds offer diverse flavours, medicinal properties, and resilience.
The Trap of High-Yielding Varieties and MNCs
The Green Revolution of the 1960s shifted India’s focus toward HYVs, promising higher yields to support a growing population. While these varieties initially increased production, they also brought significant costs: a greater reliance on chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation, which harmed soil health and raised farming expenses. Now, the latest development: The Government of India’s National Mission on High-Yielding Seeds, launched in the 2025-26 Union Budget, aims to develop more than 100 new seed varieties, which could further reduce traditional seed diversity.
Multinational corporations (MNCs) have capitalized on this shift, dominating seed markets with patented hybrids that often come with licensing restrictions. In NER, where small and marginal farmers are predominant, this model is especially harmful. The high cost of commercial seeds, coupled with their dependence on chemical inputs, burdens farmers with debt and restricts their autonomy. Additionally, monoculture farming promoted by HYVs makes crops more vulnerable to pests and diseases, as seen in the 2022 dwarf virus outbreak in Punjab’s paddy fields. Vandana Shiva of Navdanya, a leading advocate for seed sovereignty, has highlighted how seed monopolies driven by MNCs threaten biodiversity and increase chemical usage. The key point is that community seed banks are vital tools for preserving agricultural diversity and empowering farmers. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) estimates that community seed banks across India hold over 887 climate-resilient varieties, but poor documentation and funding limit their impact. Community seed banks are grassroots efforts that enable farmers to conserve, exchange, and multiply native seeds. In Karnataka, the GREEN Foundation has partnered with small farmers to establish seed banks, recognizing women as essential custodians of seed knowledge. Similarly, Navdanya’s 150 seed banks across 22 states have preserved over 4,000 rice varieties, demonstrating the scalability of such models.
Northeast India: A Biodiversity Hotspot at Risk
Northeast India’s agro-ecological diversity is unmatched, hosting thousands of indigenous crop varieties. For instance, the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation’s Tribal Agro-biodiversity Centre in Jeypore, Odisha, preserves over 1,200 rice varieties, many of which share genetic traits with Northeastern land-races. I once did a bit of research of my own, to discover that there are at least seven different land-races of chillies in the NER. I am aware of an initiative by a woman farmer from the West Khasi Hills who preserved a native land-race of paddy. In the Northeast, community seed banks can serve multiple purposes: (1) conserving genetic diversity, (2) providing access to climate-resilient seeds, and (3) promoting seed sovereignty. By involving local farmers, these banks help preserve traditional knowledge and practices, as seen in the Kolli Hills, where women farmers have revived millet cultivation through seed festivals.
We must all note that many of these land-races are facing extinction due to the spread of commercial agriculture and insufficient conservation infrastructure. In the Northeast, where traditional seed-saving practices are still maintained, there is a unique opportunity to expand these efforts before the region’s genetic diversity is lost forever.
A State-Led Scheme
To harness the Northeast’s potential as a seed conservation hub for the country, I suggest that each state government develop a comprehensive plan to establish a network of community-led seed banks. Meghalaya stands out among the states in the region for its sensitivity toward farmers; therefore, it can take the lead in inspiring all Northeastern states for a national impact. Each state should set up a central traditional Seed Bank and create agro-climatic zone-specific seed banks within its jurisdiction. The proposed scheme could include the following components:
1. Establishment of community-led seed banks: Develop a network of community-managed seed banks in each agro-climatic zone of the state, connected to a central conservation centre. These banks should record and store land-races, with an emphasis on climate-resilient varieties.
2. Farmer Training and Incentives: Educate farmers, especially women, in seed selection, storage, and organic farming techniques. Provide incentives such as certification as “biodiversity custodians,” an approach pioneered by an NGO, ‘Sahaja Samrudha’.
3. Policy Support and Funding: Allocate funds to develop infrastructure, such as storage facilities, using traditional methods. Policies should also prioritize native seeds in public procurement programmes, ensuring market demand. The relentless pursuit of high-yielding varieties should be pushed back.
4. Collaboration with NGOs and Research Institutions: Partner with organizations like Navdanya, CSE, and MSSRF to leverage their expertise in seed conservation. Empower the farmers to undertake surveys for identifying new landraces. Organize regional workshops to address this issue and develop a detailed, comprehensive action plan.
5. Public Awareness Campaigns: Promote the nutritional and ecological benefits of native crops through seed festivals and ‘native cooking’ competitions to counter the urban preference for polished, high-yielding grains and pulses.
Challenges and the Way Forward
Community seed banks face challenges like funding shortages, declining interest in traditional seeds, and competition from HYVs. To tackle these issues, the state scheme must integrate seed conservation into broader agricultural policies, ensuring native seeds are not overshadowed by commercial interests. Successful models such as the Deccan Development Society’s work (Zaheerabad, Telangana) with 5,000 women farmers near Hyderabad can help the Northeast build a robust seed-saving movement.
The Northeast’s biodiversity is a national treasure, and protecting it is essential. A state-led plan to establish community seed banks will not only safeguard land-races but also empower farmers, decrease dependence on multinational corporations, and promote the development of a resilient food system. The time to act is now—before the region’s genetic heritage is lost forever. This is the kind of task that the BRDC should consider working along with the Agriculture Department. I hope someone out there reads articles like this one.
The writer is former member of the IAS