Dear all
I am T.J James , working as Advisor , to Peermade Development Society , NGO based in Kerala, India
This is regarding the first query , I would like to share a successful attempt to revive and propagate local cow pea variety cultivated by the indigenous tribal groups
The basic objective of the project was to revive and propagate farmer developed/ indigenous varieties for food security and climate change mitigation and the project was supported by ITPGRFA (treaty nurtured by FAO) under its benefit sharing fund.
We have documented four different varieties of cowpea ( Vigna sp -local name Njanda, Peenius , Karimpayaru, Thatathi ). Though these varieties are known for its drought resistance, disease resistance, zero management and also for its nutritional qualities, majority of the farmers have abandon and shifted to other hybrid varieties. We started searching farmers who cultivating these varieties. We found just only 4 women farmers are cultivating these varieties in entire tribal colony. There are more than 500 families are residing in the colony.
The other farmers opined that, the availability of common pea (red colour ) in the market , which they get in subsidized and cheap rate is one of the major reason for abandon these varieties, For cultivation also they usually go for this variety , since they will get the seeds from market without difficulty.
We checked with other women farmers , their interest in cultivating these varieties. Most of them are very much interested, but enough seeds and planting materials are not available.
So we developed strategy for promoting these varieties. Initially we supported these four women farmers to expand cultivation for raising more seeds and we purchase these seeds from them and supplied to other farmers. In a span of two year, now more than 40 to 50 women farmers are actively cultivating these varieties and also demand for these varieties are increasing, especially among other non tribal farmers and we observed slowly increasing market value and demand for these crops. We also linked our micro finance programme for support the farmers for cultivating these varieties and response is very encouraging.
Here I would like to highlight two major issues
The importance of reviving indigenous varieties for climate change mitigation and nutritional security and developing methodologies and strategies for promoting them
Developing market and market value for these indigenous crops.
Regards
James
James TJ