Vijay Jardhari
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Contributions in agriculture
12 Grain System: "Baranaja"
M.J. Prabu, Reviving an ancient practice, January 21, 2015: The Hindu
Vijay Jardhari’s 12-grain system is a hit in Uttarakhand
It’s a story of a crusader — Vijay Jardhari from Tehri Garhwal region in Uttarakhand. He was part of the Chipko movement of the 1970s, where a group of people of Uttarakhand, hugged trees to prevent them from being cut by the State Forest Department.
The government agreed to impose a ban on tree cutting on mountains. Jardhari, along with some of his Chipko friends, started fighting against the mining lobby in Hemvalghati and Dhoongahati regions in 1984-87 and won again.
After two successful campaigns, Jardhari began to work in his farm. It was a time, when hybrid seeds and fertilizers had just been introduced. The varieties seemed to give good yield initially, but soon Jardhari realised it was not the case. The soil fertility began to degrade and the input cost shot up.
Jardhari decided to stop chemical farming and go back to the traditional methods. He started collecting traditional seeds. The fact that he has saved as many as 600 varieties speaks volume about his relentless efforts. His deeds and unique seed saving movement became a big hit in this region, that people named it Beej Bachao Andolan (Seed Saving Movement). BBA is doing much to reclaim the Himalaya’s diversity.
The 12-grain system
He came up with the idea of reviving the old system called the Bara naja (or bara anaaj) meaning 12 grains.
It involves growing of 12 different seeds, which include that of grains, dhal, fibre, millet, oil, amaranth, buck wheat and a traditional variety of soya called bhaat.
Such wide bio-diversity also means, only one or two will effectively fall for pest or disease. In case of flood or drought, the resistant ones among these varieties survive and so people won’t go without a harvest.
A down-to-earth Jardhari not only changed the mindset of people in Tehri Garhwal area but also of the Government. Today the Uttarakhand State Agriculture Department promotes his bara naaja (12 grain/seeds) system. The system is widely practised all over the region.
