BAIF had initiated Community led Conservation & Management of Indigenous Crop Cultivars & Forest Food resources in Maharashtra with an objectives to conserve and revive crop diversity and associated Knowledge, Scientific studies for Morphological and nutritional aspects ,Community seed banks and community level seed production and upscaling of worthy indigenous crop diversity in 2008 from Jawahar,Tribal Block of Palghar District and then from 2014 Programme supported by Rajiv Gandhi science and Technology Commission(RGSTC),Govt of Maharashtra in Five blocks in (Palghar,Ahmednagar,Pune,Nandurbar,Gadchiroli district. Maharashtra Gene Bank project conceptualized and being implemented in Various Agro climatic zones of Maharashtra focusing Conservation and management of Bio resources with community participation. Under This Project BAIF Programme Focuses on participatory in situ and ex situ conservation, management of local bio resources i.e. Crop cultivars, Livestock breeds and forestry species and habitat eco restoration in 8 clusters with diverse Argo climatic zones covering 94 villages of Maharashtra.

Jawhar (Palghar), Akole (Ahmednagar), Junner(Pune), Dhadgaon(Nandurbar), Etapalli(Gadchiroli), Kudal(Sindudurg) districts of Maharashtra

Local cultivars of Paddy, Millets (Foxtail, Finger, Little and Barnyard millet), Beans, Pulses, Maize, Sorghum and Wild vegetables and tuber crops

1. Documentation and germplasm collection of 595 accessions of different crops and established Five Community seed banks and documented 173 wild edible plants and steps for its conservation initiated.
2. Established Ex situ gene Bank at BAIF Central Research Station, CRS Urulikanchan, Pune with a storage capacity of 2 MT
3. Morphological characterization 259 crop cultivars, Nutritional & Molecular studies of 112 crop cultivars undertaken
4. Community level seed production 56 MT of 40 cultivars of six crops which includes Paddy, Little millet, Finger Millet, Maize, sorghum, Hyacinth bean and Promoted improved crop cultivation practices like SRI method in Rice, Ridge and furrow method in Millet crops, Line sowing practice. And use of organic input production techniques
5. Deposited 105 landraces of Paddy, Finger Millet and Little millet to National Bureau Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi and 53 applications sent for registration to PPV & FRA, New Delhi.
6. Developed Network of 2500 seed savers in five tribal blocks and Reach up to 4000 farmers through exhibitions, fairs and awareness programmes
7. Promotion of indigenous crop cultivars of vegetable crops through nutrition gardens in which 8538 families participated
8. Initiated marketing of Produce from Indigenous crop cultivars under “Farming Monk” Brand for Creating Livelihood opportunities
9. Seed Saver Farmer group in Jawhar, Palghar district, Maharashtra awarded by Plant Genome Saviour Community Award 2011-12. Two farmers from community awarded Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Recognition award by Ministry of Agriculture and cooperation, Govt of India
10. Seed Saver Farmer group in Jawhar, Palghar district, Maharashtra awarded by Plant Genome Saviour Community Award 2011-12. Two farmers from community awarded Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Recognition award
11. Shrimati.Rahibai Popere, Seed saver from Akole Tribal block of Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra felicitated by Nari Shakti Award 2018 from President of India on 8th March 2019 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi also she had been selected as Most Influencing and Inspiring women in BBC 2018 world ranking and Now declared Padmshree Award 2020 by Government of India.

1. Promotion of preferred and well adapted genotypes of different crops through large scale field demonstrations
2. Nutritional evaluation of purified genotypes which have some specific claims regarding nutritional, medicinal uses.
3. Marketing of grains produced with special focus on landraces which have specific end use, market value and nutritionally rich
4. Promotion of climate resilient crops and varieties for food security and livelihood of farming communities in adverse situations
5. Large scale promotion of selected wild food resources through developing nurseries and plantation on farm bunds, kitchen gardens for easy availability of nutritionally rich food source
6. Promotion of women seed savers organizations for preparation of kitchen garden kits which has good market value in terrace gardens, back yard and nutrition gardens
7. Establishing seed savers network at regional level for long term sustainability of work and Promotion of experiences at field level through field resource persons and seed savers

Maharashtra has rich cultivar diversity in field crops such as paddy, sorghum, maize, bajra, small millets, beans, pulses and oilseeds. It is remarkable that farmers still maintain some unique cultivars of staple crops like paddy despite the intense extension efforts to introduce improved varieties and hybrids. Farming communities have preserved and reused their diverse indigenous seed varieties over generations. It is with this art of preserving and reusing that all the agricultural biodiversity that is our heritage has been maintained and developed. The presence of this diversity is more pronounced in tribal areas. Through BAIF Programme on Agrobiodiversity conservation and management collected more than 645 accessions of different crops, scientifically evaluated and now some of them are under large scale promotion because of its unique Traits like Climate resilient, Nutritionally rich, Good fodder quality, Good Yield and specific end use and market value.

Javyachi Gundi	This is Indigenous Rice cultivar from Jawhar block (Palghar District) having Short bold, white, non-scented grains with 110-115 days to maturity. It is cultivated in dry upland. In the local language "Javai" means "son in law" and "Gundi" means "Bundle". In tribal communities when son in law comes into the house , they prepare rice of this particular variety. It has good swelling ability and can with stand in adverse situation like Stress ,high rainfall and non lodging with good yield(45-50 qtle/ha)
Chikani Lal Juwar	This is Indigenous sorghum cultivar with gray orange coloured circular and lustrous grains.it has semi compact panicle Due to more stickiness and sweetness it is mainly used for making papad.It is also used for liquid gruel preparation which is instant enery supplier.
Pivala Makka	This is Indigenous Maize cultivar from Dhadgaon, Nan durbar district with Yellowish orange, flint type round and toothed grains. Cob is of Conical, long, cultivated in Kharif&Rabbi seasons an matures in 100-110 days. It is used formaking ofbhakariandalso used forpreparation of sweets.
Kadu Wal	This is hyacinth bean crop cultivar from Akole Block, Ahmednagar District. Bushy growth habit with Slightly curved, pod beak orientation- downward, Green colored pod with downward peak and Rusty brown colored Round shape grains, It is stress tolerant and can grow on residual moisture.
Shitoli Nagli	This is finger Millet crop cultivar from Jawhar block of Palghar district, light brown colored seed covered by glume with ovoid shape and compact ear shape, spicklets are longer and late maturing. Liquid gruel used for weakness recovery. Matures in 135-140 days

Padma shree Mrs. Rahibai Soma

Mrs. Rahibai Soma Poper(Seed mother)

1. Rahibai Soma Popere is a tribal women farmer from Mahadeo koli Tribal community from Kombhalne village of Akole block in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. She could not take education due to poor financial condition of the family, but gained knowledge about agro biodiversity, wild food resources and traditional culture through practice and experience. Whole family is dependent on agriculture in their 3-acre land, majorly under rain fed crop cultivation. BAIF initiated agrobiodiversity conservation and revival work in 10 remote villages in Akole tribal block in April 2014 and during survey BAIF officials came across Mrs. Rahibai Popere who had been conserving 25 indigenous crop cultivars alone and had deep knowledge of the same.
2. Rahibai conserved and multiplied about 48 indigenous landraces of 17 different crops (Paddy, Hyacinth bean, finger millet, Pulses, Oil seeds etc.), unique crop diversity for food and nutritional security in climate change context and Project established small seed bank at Rahibai’s House and Initiated scientific studies by developing in-situ conservation centres in her small field. Rahibai working as Field resource person for Capacity building of Self-help group members, farmers and students on seed selection, organic techniques, Kitchen garden etc. (153 trainings-2500 farmers). She participated and facilitated farmers during seed melas, exhibitions and awareness programs in different parts of Maharashtra. She has been also promoting improved crop cultivation practices like SRI method in Rice, and use of organic input production techniques.BAIF team has collected about 114 indigenous crop cultivars from Akole cluster and established “Kalsubai Parisar Biyane Savardhan and Vikas Santha” a registered organization with the active involvement of seed savers like Rahibai Popere from Akole block, Ahmednagar District (1000 farmers) for promotion of worthy landraces of different crops (Paddy, Hyacinth bean, Millets, Pulses and local vegetables)
3. BAIF developed women-led enterprise for production and sale of vegetable crop cultivars for kitchen gardens. (10000 packets prepared, each includes 12 vegetable crops) and also sale of indigenous Rice varieties like Kalbhat, Raibhog by developing Tribal Community Brand – “FARMING MONK” through Vasundhara Agri Horti producer company Ltd (VAPCOL)
4. Rahibai soma Popere was felicitated with “Nari Shakti Award 2018” by President of India on 8th March 2019. She was selected as “Most Influencing and Inspiring Women” by BBC 2018 world ranking. A Documentary Film on Rahibai’s pioneering efforts for seed conservation which was awarded in Kaans Film Festival. Also Number of Awards and recognition received from State government, Media and others

Seeds bank of Mrs. Rahibai Soma

House of Mrs. Rahibai Soma

BAIF Programme on Agrobiodiversity conservation has number of achievements and learning which has given new directions on community led conservation of valuable genetic diversity .Seed saver farmer group ,Jawhar had been awarded by prestigious “National plant genome savior award 2011-12 for conservation and revival of Paddy,Millet,Puleses,Beans diversity in Jawhar,Tribal Block of Mharahstra.Also through this programme two of Grass root innovators had selelcted and developed new crop varieties which are proved to be suitable for adverse climatic situations and having better Yield.

Mavanji Ganpat Pawar, aged 29 years, is a Tribal youth hailing from Chowk village, Jawhar block of palghar district, Maharashtra). He is a high school dropout and worked as an operator in a chemical factory for 2 years. However, due to ill health he could not continue and was back to his native village. At home, he started helping out his father in cultivating their 3-acre rain fed land. Mavanji then focused on conservation of seeds of local landraces from April 2008 with the help of BAIF, with support from seed savers established Community Seed Bank’. He has learnt expertise in participatory seed and varietal selection and conservation of landraces of paddy (28), finger millet (2), Little millet (1), sorghum (1), pigeon pea (2), black gram (1) and Niger etc. Mavanji has developed three paddy landraces namely Sadhana, Kirti and Kamal through selection method and has applied for Registration under PPV & FR act, through BAIF’s support Mavanji is doing exceptional work in the area of conservation of Agriculture Biodiversity. His efforts should provide inspiration to young farmers engaged in sustainable agriculture and agrobiodiversity conservation. The efforts of Mavanji have been recognized by Protection of Plant varieties and Farmers Rights Authority (PPV & FRA), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India by conferring ‘Plant Genome Savior Farmer Recognition Award’ for the year 2011-12.

Mavanji Ganpat Pawar

Plant Genome Savior Farmer Recognition Award

Sunil Kamadi, is a young farmer aged 35 yrs., from Kamadipada village of Jawhar block of palghar district. In the year, 2010, Sunil got involved in BAIF’s ‘Crop Germplasm Conservation Programme’ and conserved about 21 landraces of paddy through in situ conservation of the germplasm and became an expert in ‘participatory seed selection’ in paddy, finger millet and little millet.
Sunil, while inspecting his paddy crop, observed an unusual panicle of paddy in the field having more number of grains, good tillering ability, He removed the panicle carefully and then planted seeds from this panicle in three successive seasons i.e. summer 2010, Kharif 2011, summer 2012, kharif 2013.After three years of successive purification and upgradation under the guidance of BAIF experts, he was successful in developing new selection variety. Farmers in the area have favoured this variety because of grain yield, short slender grains, non-lodging nature and resistance to pests and diseases. The efforts of Sunil in developing the paddy variety through selection method has been appreciated and conferred ‘Plant Genome Savior Farmer Recognition Award’ for the year 2011-12, at New Delhi. Sunil has named the paddy variety as ‘Ashiwini’ which is name of his daughter

Sunil Kamadi

Crop Germplasm Conservation Programme