By Sarada Lahangir
Under the scorching sun, Ananta Majhi stood on the dangar (hill slopes) of his village, Kodiguda, gazing at the patches of millet swaying gently in the breeze. “This land used to feed us year-round,” he said, his voice carrying both nostalgia and determination. For years, the lush diversity of crops that once thrived here had been replaced by monoculture, leaving families like his vulnerable to food shortages and economic struggles.
But Ananta, 48, a marginal farmer in Odisha’s Rayagada District, is changing that narrative. Through his efforts to revive indigenous crops and traditional farming practices, he is securing his family’s future and inspiring a quiet revolution in his tribal village.
The Struggle to Survive
For Ananta, farming had always been a way of life, but the challenges of modern agriculture made survival extremely difficult. With two young children and a wife depending on him, his income from farming was no longer enough. Erratic rainfall, rising costs, and the depletion of forest resources had reduced yields and strained his family’s resources.
The promotion of cash crops by different agencies exacerbated the situation. The loss of mixed cropping practices, once a hallmark of the region, left farmers vulnerable to crop failures and rising input costs. Ananta vividly remembers a time when the land provided year-round sustenance, even in difficult times.
“Things became so bad that I had to work as a daily laborer just to feed my family, we had to borrow money to cover health expenses and even basic needs like our children’s education.” He recalled.
The root of the problem, as Ananta saw it, was the loss of traditional mixed farming practices. “We used to harvest multiple types of crops—finger millet, foxtail millet, maize, and pulses,” he said. Each crop had its own growing season, and if one failed, another would sustain us. But with monoculture, we became dependent on a single crop, and if that failed, there was nothing to fall back on. “He explained.
Ananta’s deep connection to his heritage and the wisdom of his ancestors drove him to explore solutions. The memories of his childhood, when fields were alive with diverse crops and the forest was a reliable source of sustenance, stayed with him. “Our elders knew how to make the most of what nature gave us,” he said. “They didn’t rely on chemicals or monocropping. Their methods worked because they respected the land.”
Inspired by these memories, Ananta began seeking ways to bring back the traditional farming practices that had sustained his family for generations.
A Turning Point
Ananta started working with Living Farms in 2022, an organization that promotes sustainable agriculture and food security in indigenous communities. Through training sessions, he learned about agroecological farming, seed conservation, and organic manure preparation. Living Farms also encouraged farmers to critically reflect on the challenges they faced and helped them reconnect with traditional knowledge.
With renewed hope, Ananta started experimenting. He collected seeds for barnyard millet, proso millet, and foxtail millet from the village seed bank and planted them on his dangar (hill slopes). His goal was to bring back the diversity that had once made farming resilient and sustainable.
“I promised to return the seeds after harvest, adding even more to the bank,” he said. “This is how we rebuild what we’ve lost.”
Ananta wasn’t alone in his efforts. This year, 35 farmers from Kodiguda joined him in reviving 11–12 crop varieties, including cereals, pulses, oil seeds, and tubers. The results have been encouraging, with families seeing improved yields and greater food security.
The Power of Organic Farming
One of the most transformative aspects of Ananta’s journey has been his adoption of organic farming practices. With guidance from Living Farms, he began preparing natural fertilizers like handi khata and liquid manure. The results were almost immediate.
“This manure is better than anything I’ve ever used,” Ananta said. “It’s cheaper, healthier for the soil, and the crops are thriving. I’ve stopped using chemical fertilizers altogether, and I’ve convinced other farmers to do the same.”
The switch to organic farming has had ripple effects across Kodiguda. Farmers who were previously skeptical are now adopting the methods after seeing Ananta’s success. The soil, once depleted by chemical use, is gradually regaining its fertility.
A Flourishing Nutrition Garden
In addition to his fields, Ananta and his wife established a nutrition garden, planting 14 varieties of vegetables. Using organic manure, they have already begun harvesting leafy greens and other produce.
“Having fresh, healthy vegetables for our children is the best reward,” Ananta’s wife said. “We don’t need to buy vegetables anymore, and we’re confident we can provide adequate nutrition for our family.”
The garden is a source of pride and hope for the family, showcasing the tangible benefits of sustainable farming.
Ananta’s efforts have inspired a larger movement in Kodiguda. Seed banks, managed by women’s groups, are now conserving indigenous varieties that were on the verge of disappearing. These groups also revive traditional practices like labor-sharing, which reduce the burden on individual farmers and foster community solidarity.
The village’s youth have become active participants in discussions about sustainable farming and environmental conservation. Ananta sees this as one of the most promising outcomes of his work.
“What we’re doing now isn’t just for us,” he said. “It’s for the next generation. If they take this forward, our village will be stronger and more resilient.”
A Model for the Future
Ananta’s story is an example of the power of traditional knowledge, community action, and sustainable practices. The revival of mixed cropping has brought food security, economic stability, and ecological health back to Kodiguda.
The lessons from Kodiguda have broader implications as policymakers and agricultural stakeholders search for solutions to global challenges like climate change and food insecurity. Mixed cropping, indigenous seeds, and organic farming offer a viable path toward sustainable agriculture.
For Ananta Majhi, the journey has only just begun. “We will revive all the seeds we lost,” he said with determination. “This is our heritage, our culture—and it’s what the world needs right now.”
As the village continues to rebuild its food system, Ananta’s vision of a resilient, self-sustaining community is coming to life, offering hope and inspiration far beyond the hills of Kodiguda.
