Rajasthan farmers to get exclusive seed bank soon

Rajasthan will soon become the first state in the country to have an exclusive seed bank for protecting and prompting the cultivation of indigenous crops and medicinal plants in the state.

The step has come as a great respite to the farmers of the state who have been purchasing high yielding seeds for the multinational companies at high price.

“We will constitute a seed bank in the state in the interest of farmers and to save the indigenous crops and medicinal plants in the state. Officials have been instructed to study the local plantation in each district of the state,” said Prabhu Lal Saini, agriculture minister of the state.

“We will proceed with the idea once the species of local plants are identified,” he added and said that Chief minister Vasundhara Raje is taking personal interest in this project.

Officials informed that in old days farmers used to separate the good quality of seed from the harvested crop itself.

These seeds were stored in mud pots for cultivation in next session. Government will work on same model and will provide the seed to farmers at a very nominal price.

According to department officials high yielding seeds of multinational companies have definitely increased the productivity in the fields but nutrient value of the crop is continuously degrading.

 Initially, seed bank will start with all cereal crops, grains, spices and medicinal plants which includes Millet, Maze, Wheat, Fenugreek, Fennel Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Mustard, Coriander seeds, Carom seeds, Liquorice, Nutmeg, Thymol Seeds, Indian Gooseberry, Brahmi and other variety.

‘Big boost’

“Besides cash crops and species, there are 15000 variety of medicinal plants in Rajasthan. These plants are on verge of extinction due to lack of knowledge and non availability of good quality of seeds. The  seed bank will be a big boost to agriculture sector promoting production, quality and variety simultaneously,” said a senior official of the department.

 In each district officials have been asked to collect sample of indigenous plants and crops  which are in use since 1960 or in stage of extinction, he added.

A special research cell will also be constituted which will work for improving the quality of seeds.

Renowned agriculture scientists will be invited from all across the world for this research project. 

“A research cell will also be constituted with the seed bank. In the later stage Rajasthan government will also apply for the patent of some seeds,” said Prabhu Lal Saini, agriculture minister.

Separate infrastructure will be created for the seed bank and all information about seeds and its quality will be available online, he added.