Odisha man declines government job to conserve native paddy seeds; saves 1200 varieties

Sudam Sahu is an organic farmer, native seed conservator and consultant all rolled into one. Over the last 23 years, he has collected around 1200 indigenous paddy landraces, conserving biodiversity and reducing farmers’ dependence on harmful chemicals.

He grows native varieties like Kalabati (black rice), Kala Maliphula and Jhili on five acres of his ancestral land in village Katapali of Bargarh district, also known as the Bhata Handi or rice bowl of Odisha. The native paddy seeds, shared with other farmers, are locally adapted, climate-resilient, pest resistant and drastically cut costs, improving incomes. They do not harm the environment as well.

Sudam could not continue his studies after Intermediate due to financial stress in his family but his passion for seed conservation never diminished.

“He declined to join as a constable of Odisha Police in 2001 due to his inclination towards organic farming and native seed conservation,” recalls Sudam’s father Ishwara.

The organic farmer and seed conservator inherited his love for indigenous varieties from his late grandfather AnirudhaSahu, whom he considers his guru and guide. Anirudha would grow seven native varieties on the farm. However, after his demise, his son and Sudam’s father Ishwara Sahu opted for high-yielding rice varieties.

Under the influence of the Green Revolution, he stopped the cultivation of native paddy, and five of the seven landraces were wiped out. Only the Janhi Jari and Mula Manji varieties survived.

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Sowing the seeds of conservation

“I started my seed bank with Janhi Jari and Mula Manji in 2001. I named it Anubhav Seed Bank (ASB) in 2007 after I had collected about 80 varieties. Now it has nearly 1200,” says Sudam who has also developed nine varieties through crossbreeding. They are Sunaharini, and Dasamati, two types of Kusum Kali and five kinds of ‘Anubhab’ paddy.

He expanded the seed bank by visiting farmers within and outside Odisha.

“I travelled extensively to get samples of native varieties from other farmers. I have never paid for the seeds except once in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, in 2007 when I got some 80 varieties from a Shiva Temple for Rs4000,” he adds.

To expand his bank, he attended training programmes at the Gandhi Ashram in Wardha, Maharashtra and at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) South Asia Regional Centre. He also procured 34 seed varieties from IRRI.

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Sudam has categorised the native seeds as black rice, brown rice, medicinal variety rice, high-yielding variety and fine rice. For storing paddy seeds, he uses earthen containers which are lined with a mixture of turmeric paste and cow dung. They are sundried before seeds are put into them.

Subsequently, camphor or junglee basil seeds (locally called bhalua manji) are tied in a small cloth and put into the containers. The containers are covered with an earthen lid and sealed with clay to make them airtight.

His wife, Shantilata, helps him in the preservation and labelling of seed containers.

Consultation for organic farming of native paddy

For the propagation of organic farming and native seeds, he founded Desi Bihan Surakhya Samiti, which has over 1,200 farmer associates. Some of them grow native varieties and book the seeds in advance.

Every year, 150 farmers visit Sudam’s ASB to get seeds and advice from him. “I consult him on farming native varieties like Jhuli, Kalabati and Sunaharini on my seven-acre farm,” says Surendra Meher of Bargarh’s Sarakanda village.

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Similarly, several farmers like Sanjeet Nayak of Pipli of coastal district Puri procure seeds from Sudam. “Last year, I bought 10 kg of Jhili seeds at Rs 40 per kg and harvested nearly 13 quintals. I applied sorisha pidia (mustard oil cake) and some potash for higher yield on Sudam’s suggestion,” he says.

Scientists, research scholars and agriculture students also visit his field and ASB. Bargarh-based Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), a part of the National Agricultural Research System, procured six native varieties from Sudam about five years ago to grow them over 1000 sq ft.

“Sudam conservation work and organic farming to propagate indigenous landraces are helpful in my ongoing research,” says scholar Kautilya Krishnan of Sastra University in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.

Sudam has three rules for the procurement of seeds from his bank.

If a farmer residing within a 10 km radius of Sudam’s Katapali village borrows seeds, he has to return double the quantity next year after harvest. Any farmer outside this radius has to pay Rs40 to Rs70 per kg for his chosen varieties because seed conservation requires time, effort and money.

“And any farmer with at least one acre of land on the roadside is provided with 20 to 30 kg of native paddy seeds for free. He is also guided about sowing and other farming practices,” says Sudam.

The ASB seed bank has three subsidiary banks that have sprung up in phases in the last four years. While Sugan Seed Bank in Kutenpali of Bargarh has about 100 native varieties, Maheswari Seed Bank in Bargaon and Ramchandi Seed Bank in Kuibhal of bordering Subarnapur district have 200 and 400 varieties, respectively. 

Sudam now needs a special kind of cold storage and a well-equipped laboratory. “The cold storage can store native varieties for 20 to 25 years for future generations, and the laboratory is required to test nutritional and medicinal content of our newly collected varieties with the help of scientists,” he says.

For his work towards reviving and conserving native paddy varieties, he has been conferred with several awards at the state and national levels. They include the ‘Best Innovative Farmer’ conferred on him by the state, Bhubaneswar-based CIFA (Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture) and Kolkata Division of ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) on different occasions in 2018. He also received the prestigious national-level Jagjivan Ram Abhinav Kisan Puruskar in 2019.

He was one of 65 farmers whose life history featured during the Organic World Congress (OWC) in Noida in 2014. Farmers and scientists from 129 countries participated in the event organized by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, Bonn.

(Niroj Ranjan Misra a Cuttack-based freelance writer. He writes on rural and tribal life, social issues, art and culture, and sports)

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