When farmers in distress are given tempting offers to use chemicals that can give them bumper crops, many farmers fall prey to such offers.
But these are the farmers of Tehri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. They have been following their traditional method of rain fed farming called Baranaja (twelve grains) which not only gives them a sufficient harvest but helps them carry forward the amazing seeds.
Baranaja enables the farmers to grow 12 different kinds of crops at the same time. The crops include grains, lentils, vegetables and even spices. Such mixed farming on a land area of two or less acres can feed a family of five for a year.
Thanks to Vijay Jadhari's Beej Bachao Andolan ('Save the Seeds' movement), this method ensures food and nutrition security as there is a good chance that at least some of the crops will survive the vagaries of nature, and helps the farmers reduce their risk of falling into the traps of poverty and debt.
Watch the inspiring video that talks about the thoughtful method -
[embedvideo id="126110309" website="vimeo"] This video was originally published here.