BODO FARMERS AND THE CONSERVATION OF INDIGENOUS CROP SEEDS

Abstract

Seeds are vital for plant reproduction, human and animal sustenance and the overall economy of agriculture. They are the foundation of our food system, without them we could not grow the food. It also contributes to the preservation of the diversity of plant life on Earth, which is necessary for a healthy environment. Seed storage is an ancient practice that helps to preserve the genetic diversity of crops and ensure the availability of seeds for future generations in a traditional way. The Bodo or Boro Community is one to the largest scheduled Tribe in NorthEast-India. They are the earliest Inhabitants of Assam valley. They came to old Assam via Tibet just after the arrival of Austricts and established over the valley of Brahmaputra. According to the 2015 census there were 3.3 million Boros in Assam. The Boros are generally agriculturists and more than half of their total population lives in rural areas. Agriculture is the main occupation of this Community, They are generally cultivators. They mainly depend on paddy cultivation. They also cultivate various types of crops and vegetables in different seasons in the same plot of land. For cultivation, they conserve seeds in traditional method. There are many traditional methods of seed storage among the Bodos which are protecting seeds from damage and decay. This paper explores the traditional knowledge system of seed conservation of the Bodos.