Five seed savers protecting plant biodiversity

They are architects, engineers, social workers, researchers and farmers with the common aim of plant biodiversity conservation

Sowmya Balasubramaniam

She quit IT giant TCS to start HOOGA Seed Keepers’ Collective. She has conserved over 250 varieties of native seeds including vegetables and many types of beans.

Sowmya Balasubramaniam

Sowmya works with local tribal communities, farmers, women groups and home gardeners across India to maintain the purity of seed genes by avoiding cross-pollination.

Dr Prabhakar Rao

An architect turned farmer, he travelled to remote and tribal regions to collect indigenous seeds, which he propagates at his Hariyalee Seed Farm near Bengaluru.

Dr Prabhakar Rao

Native seeds drastically cut costs for farmers as they flourish without chemicals, require less water, and maintain their germination strength for many years.

Neelam Dutta

He began organic farming when he was 18. Realising that organic seeds are crucial for farming, he started collecting them in 2008.

Neelam Dutta

His Assam-based venture Pabhoi Greens now sells native seeds and empowers farmers through free training in seed conservation.

Debal Deb

This ecologist has conserved 1,480 traditional rice varieties & shared them for free with over 7,600 farmers

A Parameswaran

An aeronautical engineer turned organic farmer, his vegetable seeds collection has 15 varieties of lady's finger, red corn, over 20 varieties of tomato and 50 types of eggplants and gourds each.

A Parameswaran

He has also saved the native gourd used to make sapera 'been' as it was on the verge of extinction some years back.

Native seeds are essential for food security

It's time to bring back native wisdom and ensure healthy food by using indigenous seeds that need less water, are naturally pest-resistant, and don't need chemicals.