Odisha government has launched a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to integrate traditional seed varieties called landraces into formal seed systems.
The SOP aims to conserve agrobiodiversity and empower smallholder farmers by prioritising farmers’ knowledge and community seed systems.
Landraces are genetically diverse traditional crop varieties adapted to local agro-climatic conditions and offer traits like climate resilience, pest tolerance and nutritional richness.
The initiative expands previous millet-focused efforts to include pulses, tubers, cereals and other traditional crops.