Preserving Past For Future: How Shweta Bhatkar Built A 300-Seed Bank In Madhya Pradesh’s Pandhurna

By Mahendra Rai

Chhindwara: In Madhya Pradesh’s Pandhurna district, one of the daughters of the Bhatkar family has built a living bank of nearly 300 indigenous and heirloom seeds with the objective of protecting biodiversity, promoting healthy food, and giving rural women both livelihood and identity. And she is doing this through natural farming and community participation without having to plough the fields or use modern machinery.

After completing studies in Nagpur, Shweta Bhatkar decided to return home and took to farming her 16-acre land, using the no-till method, without ploughing or mechanised intervention. Explaining her approach, Shweta says ploughing disrupts the natural balance of the soil. “Ploughing requires machines or tools which destroy many beneficial plants and organisms in the soil. That is why I adopted no-till farming. It helps preserve soil life and allows us to conserve unique seeds,” she says.

Preserving Past For Future: How Shweta Bhatkar Built A 300-Seed Bank In Madhya Pradesh’s Pandhurna (ETV Bharat)

Shweta, with her siblings - has developed a seed bank of nearly 300 indigenous and heirloom varieties, which are sown year after year. These include traditional grains and wild varieties which were once a part of the local food systems but are now disappearing due to the dominance of hybrid seeds.

Contrary to the belief that un-ploughed fields lead to a lot of weed growth, the Bhatkar family found ways and means to productively use what is often treated as waste. “We cut all kinds of grass and weeds and use them to make paper or fodder for livestock. Some grasses are also used for decorative items,” Shweta explains. Alongside, they plant trees and perennial plants that continue to bear fruit for years and contribute directly to household nutrition.

Preserving Past For Future: How Bhatkar Sisters Built A 300-Seed Bank In Madhya Pradesh’s Pandhurna (ETV Bharat)

Agricultural scientist Dr Vijay Paradkar says seed preservation was once an integral part of traditional farming practices. “Before hybrid seeds became the easy option for farmers and widely available, farmers selected the best-quality seeds from their harvest, dried them naturally to reuse in the next season. This process continued for generations. But in the modern times and technology, hybrid seeds became popular due to higher yields, but they also reduced seed diversity,” he says.

The initiative has now grown beyond a single family. About 40 women from 15 villages are actively involved in collecting, preserving, and propagating seeds. Many of these are wild grains sourced from nearby forests like the varieties of mung bean and black gram which are found to be richer in nutrients than cultivated ones.

Preserving Past For Future: How Bhatkar Sisters Built A 300-Seed Bank In Madhya Pradesh’s Pandhurna (ETV Bharat)

The women involved aim to highlight that food security is not about field-grown crops. Forest-based produce and perennial trees also play a big role. Trees such as Chironji and Mahua bear fruit for decades and fetch good prices in the market, creating sustainable income opportunities for rural families.

By reviving traditional knowledge and combining it with ecological farming practices, Shweta and her family are challenging industrial agriculture and encouraging others to try their hands in age-old practices.

Also Read:

1. Voluptuous By Name, Tart In Taste, 'Rasbhari' Cultivation Is Now Big In Bihar
2. Farmers Embrace Stubble Mixing & Direct Seeding To Boost Yields and Cut Costs