Climate Change and the Seeds

As the lady in pure blue introduced her one hour program, many seemed weird and ennui on the topic -SEEDS! Moreover, she started with listing four important elements of life –water, air, soil and sun. She claimed that the fifth important is the "seed". I am very sure many of us have never realized the importance of seed although climate change is a very common topic and issue happening across the world.

However, as she rolled deeper into the contents of her lecture-cum-demonstration, it started to become better and lively. And she could finally grab the attention of the floor. She didn't let anyone sleep nor hang-up with their phones. Looking at the degree of explanation and the presentation, she seemed very passionate about both the issues -"Climate and Seeds". Interestingly, she was quite knowledgeable in  nurturing healthy seeds, which she termed as "Native Seeds".  

But to me, this lady was great and inspiring, meaningful and applicable in everyday lives. We must always remember that every day the food that comes on our table is not only the sheer hard-work of the farmers and the money you pocket but also due to continuity of seeds raring culture. 

As she took deeper, she introduces more on the types of seeds and its growing trends, habits and benefits –sunflower, Soybean, groundnut, cabbage, pop-corn, etc…are on high list that she locally produced for the continuity of life not only at her community level but also to different provinces and countries. She explained the importance of each variety of seeds and living. However, she feels that the climate change is posing a great threat to the very survival of all kinds of seeds and even life below water and life on land. On the other hand, she was a bit skeptical that the agriculture trend is greatly shrinking due to many factors like climate change and youth not taking up farming jobs. However, climate change is everywhere and it's a collective man-made disaster. Despite the population and the size of the country, everyone of us are equally involved and responsible for the cause. Nevertheless, there is always a solution if we respond timely –we must join our hands and work together to educate everyone around on the impact and means to prevent climate change from happening further.

To make the heterogeneous discussion she opened a floor for question-and-answer session – "I took a chance to share my opinion on coriander seed experience. So, I have shared the difference between locally made seed and imported seed that I use to grow in my kitchen garden". 

Groundnut seed

Rat-teeth Corn

Duck-egged Bean

Single-stem Sun Flower

She was of the view that locally produced seeds of any kinds are always better, healthy and lasting although imported gives good yield. 

Let me share my concern!
We need to focus on such good education culture rather than mining our forest and debating on unnecessary vehicle quota and pay commissioning. Is there a need to hype dual vehicle quota system for our elected women parliamentarian, when thousands of farmers don't have good working conditions and tools. We must educate our farmers, youth and anyone timely on good farming habits and its long term benefit. We must develop good culture for everything we undertake now, the time is now when the population is still manageable, we need some doable and applicable policy system for farmers who work day and night under the sun and the rain. They need our continued support and not necessarily a big vehicle quota or pay them for what they work; we need system that encourages them to work more, they need to be protected well. I am quite hopeful that they may not be interested for such gruesome human greed of vehicle quota or Nu.5000/- mobile allowances or Nu. 8000/- fuel allowances for their farming work. Let us invest our Vehicle Quota money system and Pathang fees to develop better education system, better community, better road construction, building of quality government infrastructures, doable facilities that can make our country stable for generations. Honestly, some of our policies are damn useless and boring. Looking at the present scenario and the habits and the attitude and the policy, we are burying ourselves. That's the end of everything! Say No to loanable Hydro Power contract and unmindful developmental activities to bad partners. Let's us invest wisely and make every development doable and lasting. Let us not compromise on the quality of our work, let's not fail to monitor for better assurance in work done –be it government or private work, after all it belongs to us. There is no harm in being slow. Nevertheless, let us do it in our own style but more mindfully.

Government shouldn't feel proud just because they have imported bags of different seeds. Imported seeds are genetically not good for next season. Thus, sustainability is at high risk. Therefore, education and continued support for native seeds raring is must and important. Electric fencing and some machinery aren't enough; it makes not sense in most of the past projects. Perhaps, I find it inappropriate and unsustainable. Therefore, we need something better and reliable. Instead of signing a new contact of 10% Loanable Hydro Power project, we must start to build new agriculture relationship or Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture Help, Sharing and Expert (MoUAHSE) with better countries in attitude and work ethics. Let us think beyond Japan and India, way –beyond are Korea, Austria, Netherlands, China, USA, etc. They have good and quality work ethics and better farming system. We don't need counterpart poor in manners like Hydro Power Project Partners (HPPP) and Roads Partners (RP). 

Even though, the session was short but it was informative, engaging, encouraging, productive, and lively. I liked the way she had expressed her concern about the seeds and climate change. I finally realize the importance of seeds. The manner was very clear. Thank You!

I am going home rich and let's see the fate for the seeds I am taking home on my soil. She claimed that the seeds she has given to us can easily survive any harsh climatic conditions like drought and flood. It's not like the seeds bought from the international cooperation or vegetable markets. However, she feels sad to see handful of old grandma harvest the seeds and pass it to new generation. At the same time she is worried about the extinction of some of the native seeds and important some plants. Nevertheless, before this disaster occurs, she requested us to educate our people immediately. Please, when you are back to your own country, tell everyone about the seeds and ask your government to pay more attention to native seeds and care farmers. 

"She strongly felt that the owner of the seeds should be the seller and not the international cooperation". 

I strongly feel the need of seed education to be part of our formal curriculum.  

                                                                                                           to be continued...