Manifesto: Suman Sahai - Grassroots Innovations in Agriculture

Grassroots Innovations in Agriculture SUMAN SAHAI STEPS Centre Symposium 2009, “Innovation, Sustainability, Development – A New Manifesto” University of Sussex, 24 September, 2009, London

Genetic Diversity in field
Gene-Seed Banks
Located in the village,
Owned by the community
Administered by village youth
committees supervised by village
elders
Farmers take seed & return three
times after harvest

Seeds of traditional varieties of crops
sp. rice, collected from farmer’s fields
Farmer’s knowledge of properties
documented
-drought- flood tolerant
- maturity period
- resistance to pest& disease
- scientists can use this to identify
traits for breeding

Zero Energy Gene-Seed Bank
- Ambient temp storage
No cooling- no energy cost- no carbon
footprint
- Replaces energy with labor
Seed viability maintained by growing
out every season

Zero Energy Gene-Seed Bank

Zero Energy Gene -Seed Bank

Seed processed to reduce moisture below 10 %

Agrobiodiversity in the Gene Bank

…… .. Gene Bank

…… ..Gene Bank

…… .Gene Bank

Seed Bank

Evaluating Genetic Traits
Collaboration with research institutes
5 drought tolerant rice varieties
2 new genes conferring resistance to
Bacterial Leaf Blight

- Plants that animals don’t eat - Plants known in indigenous medicine - Plants used in tribal rituals Plant based pesticides from -

Preparing a ‘Pesticide’
Making extracts of plant parts in cold water, hot water, diluted with alcohol
Standardising dilutions & package of practices
Testing pesticidal properties on crops

Crop trials Karanj extract on Cabbage

Crop trials… Karanj on Rice

Traditional Panchgavya – 5 products of (native) cow: mixture of cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd & ghee - known to have valuable properties - varied applications in crop % livestock management

Current Panchgavya shown to - Increase milk yield in cows - Increase egg laying in chickens - Improve health of farm animals & control disease

Enhance soil fertility
Promote plant growth ( growth hormone)
Control fungal disease
Curent Panchgavya applications….

T-Cell blastogenesis in chicken administered cow urine

B-Cell Blastogenesis in chicken administered cow urine

Manifesto: Suman Sahai - Grassroots Innovations in Agriculture

by STEPS Centre on Sep 29, 2009

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Manifesto: Suman Sahai - Grassroots Innovations in Agriculture — Presentation Transcript