Millet is an ancient and climate change-resistant crop. It is a practical solution for climate crisis because it requires minimal watering, grows well in less fertile soils and can tolerate extreme heat. It has the ability to replace resource-consuming crops, reduce emissions, counter food insecurity and promote sustainable farming.

Today, climate change has become a global crisis. The weather is no longer reliable. Sometimes, the heat is intense, sometimes there is unseasonal rains, and along with these complexities, there is rapid depletion of the groundwater level. Somewhere, the rivers are drying up, somewhere, they are flooding. Due to this, the soil fertility is also decreasing. The most direct and worst impact of all these phenomenon is on agriculture and farmers.

Somewhere along the way, we have abandoned cultivation of our old and traditional ‘coarse grains’ (now referred to as ‘Shree Anna’ or ‘Millets’) and are engaged in the cultivation of wheat and paddy (rice). But the truth is that these crops need a lot of water, good fertiliser and plenty of care. When there is less rain or drought, these crops are ruined. As water-intensive crops like paddy and wheat succumb to the ravages of the weather, an old and traditional alternative has emerged as a new hope – ‘millets’.

Coarse grains like jowar, bajra, ragi, kodo and kutki not only nourish our plate but are also an infallible natural solution to save the deteriorating environment. Let us understand how millets are proving to be a game-changer in this era of climate crisis. After the Green Revolution, our agricultural system became mainly dependent on wheat and paddy. These crops ensured our food security, but also came at a heavy environmental cost.

Growing a crop like paddy requires a lot of water. According to an estimate, it takes about 3,000 to 5,000 litres of water to produce a kilo of rice. Today, when many parts of the country are facing severe drought and shrinking groundwater level, relying on such crops is a warning bell. This is where the importance of millets comes into play.

What are Millets?

Millets are small-grained coarse grains called ‘Shree Anna’ in India.

Major Millets: Bajra, Jowar, Ragi, Kodo, Kutki, Sawa, Chena, Kangni

Major Millet-Producing States in India: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

Why are millets ‘climate-smart’?

Millets  are called the ‘food of the future’, and there are solid scientific and environmental reasons behind it:

•  Very low water consumption: While crops like rice and sugarcane require water in the fields, jowar, bajra and ragi are rain-fed crops. It takes only 250 to 300  litres of water to grow one kilo of coarse grain which is almost 10 times less than paddy! This is no less than a boon for areas with less rainfall or drought.
• Amazing ability to withstand temperature: Heatwave due to global warming are now common. Wheat grains shrink in rising temperatures, but millets can easily withstand temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. They  are called ‘hard crops’ which do not deceive the farmer even in bad weather.
• Low carbon footprint: Paddy fields emit huge amounts of dangerous greenhouse gases like methane which increases global warming. In contrast, the emission of greenhouse gases in the cultivation of millets is negligible.
• Freedom from chemical fertilisers: Millets require neither expensive chemical fertilisers like urea nor toxic pesticides for their growth. They are naturally insect-resistant. This not only saves the fertility of the soil, but also prevents poisonous chemicals in the environment.

A Safety Net for Farmers’ Livelihoods

Climate change has made farming a risky deal. Sometimes floods and sometimes droughts  destroy the entire crop of the farmer. Millets reduce this risk.

These crops ripen in a short time (about 60 to 90 days). They give good production even in barren and less fertile soils. Since these are low costs (saving on seeds, fertilisers and water), the farmer does not fall into a huge debt trap even in the event of crop failure. Millets act  as a kind of ‘natural insurance’  for small and marginal farmers.

Steps towards change

The Government of India has given millets  a new identity on the  global stage by naming it  ‘Shree Anna‘. Today, the health conscious section living in the cities is adopting ragi biscuits, jowar roti and bajra noodles. But this demand should not be limited to just ‘diet trends’. It should be seen as a movement for environmental protection.

Food, forests, water, and livelihoods were once woven together. The story of how three clusters in Maharashtra are restoring that connection, carries lessons far beyond the Western Ghats.

When a Connected System Begins to Fall Apart

For generations, farming families in Akole lived in rhythm with the forests, slopes, and seasonal rains of the Western Ghats.

Fields were small but diverse. Millets, pulses, oilseeds, dozens of rice varieties, and fruit trees shaped what was grown and what was eaten. Forests offered wild foods, fodder, and medicine. Communities held knowledge of seeds, soils, seasons, and wild plants refined over centuries.

Over time, economic pressures and climate stress shifted the balance. Paddy replaced diversity. Forests thinned. Soils eroded on the steep slopes. Once the cropping season ended, 42% of households sought casual labour opportunities, and 28% moved to nearby towns for daily wages. Soil, water, biodiversity, energy, and nutrition, once held together as a system, had gradually come apart.

The story unfolds across three clusters in Maharashtra, each with its own character: Akole’s hilly agroforestry terrain, Igatpuri’s forest-fringe farming systems, and Shahada’s tribal, water-stressed landscapes. Together, they reflect challenges that smallholder communities face across the world, which is what makes this work significant beyond the Western Ghats.

What the landscape held

Beneath the visible strain, three things remained intact: deep indigenous knowledge held by women and elders, strong community institutions, and remarkable biological richness in seeds, soils, and forests. These became the foundation the recovery was built on.

Science and communities, working at the scale of a landscape

The CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL) Programme is built on the principle that agriculture, biodiversity, water, livelihoods, and climate resilience are most effectively addressed together, across an entire landscape, rather than sector by sector. In Maharashtra, this programme builds on the earlier Nature-Positive Solutions (NPS) initiative operated from 2022 to 2024, integrating it with the learnings from Agroecology Initiative.

The three Maharashtra clusters were chosen thoughtfully, each representing a distinct agroecological reality, together forming a living laboratory for integrated, nature-positive approaches that can inform practice well beyond this region.

The partnership runs deep, from global research centres to village institutions. CGIAR centres, including the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), anchor the global research framework. National institutions including ICAR-NIASM, MPKV, and NBPGR bring domain expertise. State agencies, civil society organisations, and communities themselves shape what that science looks like on the ground.

Where Research Meets the Field: BAIF’s Role in the Programme

Founded in 1967, BAIF Development Research Foundation has built its work on a single, enduring idea: that sustainable livelihoods grow from communities, rooted in the land and knowledge they already possess. Today, BAIF reaches 4 million families in more than 100,000 villages of 18 states, with a multidisciplinary team of more than 7500 people.

In the MFL programme, BAIF functions as the key implementation partner, co-creating interventions with communities, generating field-based evidence, and connecting indigenous knowledge with scientific tools. BAIF’s approach is participatory at every stage: communities co-design what is tested on their land, evaluate what works on their own terms, and own what continues. Farmers are researchers. Women are conservationists. Elders are the knowledge archive.

Three threads, one landscape

The work spans three interconnected areas: agrobiodiversity, landscape restoration, and circular bioeconomy, each reinforcing the other.

Agrobiodiversity

Three community seed banks now conserve 125 indigenous crop landraces and 288 local cultivars across 1,550 farming households, held as living repositories of centuries of farmer selection. Through participatory varietal selection, 377 farmers evaluated 138 traditional varieties across 500 plots, ranking them by yield, climate resilience, fodder value, and taste. Eleven wild food and biodiversity festivals brought together 650 participants, reviving knowledge of more than 150 wild food crops and recipes that had faded from daily practice. Seeds of nutrient-rich vegetables reached 50 women-led self-help groups, bringing dietary diversity closer.

Landscape Restoration

Micro-watersheds became the entry point. In two pilot watersheds in Akole, covering 200 hectares, soil and water conservation planning was co-designed with farmers and research partners. Within a year of intervention, the pilot watersheds recorded an 18% reduction in soil loss, a 21% decline in carbon loss, and improved water infiltration even under higher rainfall. Farm ponds extended water availability through dry months. On community lands in Shahada, 18,200 saplings and 6,000 seeds were planted across 19 hectares through convergence. Agroforestry systems combining fruit trees, fodder grasses, and bamboo stabilised slopes and reduced pressure on forests. Twenty-four farming families introduced bee hives, flower strips, and nectar-rich crops, rebuilding pollinator habitats and natural pest control, restoring local ecosystem services.

Circular Bioeconomy

Firewood dependence had long connected energy, forest pressure, and women’s drudgery in a single knot. Household biogas units now provide clean cooking energy equivalent to 12 LPG cylinders or 2.6 tonnes of firewood per year, while producing organic manure for fields. A school-level unit at an Adivasi residential school in Akole converts 30 kg of food waste daily into cooking fuel. In Shahada, a community biochar unit managed by a Farmer Producer Company converts cotton stalk residues into soil-enhancing inputs and biochar-based value-added products, with 32 farmers trained in production, value addition and enterprise management. The Circular Bioeconomy Innovation Hub platform, inaugurated in 2023 with its physical secretariat at BAIF’s Central Research Station, brings together partners to scale circular bio economy-based innovations and builds enterprise skills among women and youth. The Circular Bio Economy Innovation Challenge organised for startups, provided a platform for innovators to present their ideas and upscale their innovations to business models.

2
Innovation challenges conducted
475+
people trained
10+
Innovation Hub partners

When Everything Connects: Farms, Forests and Families Rebuild Together

Mandabai, Akole cluster

Smallholder farmer: 7.5 acres

When farm pond development and solar irrigation improved water availability on her land, Mandabai moved beyond a single cropping season for the first time. Vegetables joined the staple crops. Then followed strawberries, which she independently expanded the following season, because the economics worked. A household biogas unit replaced firewood collection. The organic slurry feeds her fields. The kitchen is cleaner. The workload has shifted. Her farm now offers work through the year, and the family stayed together. Mandabai’s is one of many stories across the clusters where water, nutrition, energy, and markets have come together in a single family’s life, each intervention reinforcing the next.

Across the clusters, the gains are visible across every dimension the programme set out to strengthen. Fields are more diverse, with farmer-to-farmer seed exchange active again at the grassroots level. Diets are richer, as wild foods return to kitchen tables and kitchen gardens supply vegetables through lean seasons. Households that once spent hours collecting firewood now cook on clean energy, with the slurry from biogas units feeding back into their soils. Watersheds hold soil longer. Pollinators are returning. Young farmers talk about experimentation, not exit.

Women have been central to this rebuilding, leading seed systems, documenting wild foods, managing community nurseries, and driving biodiversity festivals that have become spaces for intergenerational knowledge exchange. Youth have engaged in mango variety documentation, participated in crowdsourced varietal trials, and taken up biochar enterprise development. Market linkages have strengthened alongside this community action. At Bhimthadi Jatra and similar platforms, Farmer Producer Organisation members have showcased and sold native rice and millet varieties directly to urban consumers, testing demand, refining branding and packaging, and building evidence that traditional grains have a market well beyond the village

Building landscapes that hold

Across Akole, Igatpuri, and Shahada, the shift is sustained and runs deep. What has taken root here grew from cocreation — communities and researchers designing, testing, and evaluating solutions together, with ownership resting where it belongs: with the people on the land.

The gains span all three dimensions the programme set out to strengthen. Ecologically, soils are healthier, watersheds more resilient, and biodiversity more actively conserved. Socially, women lead, youth innovate, and indigenous knowledge is being documented and passed on. Economically, diversified farms, clean energy, and emerging market pathways for traditional crops are reducing dependence on a single season and a single income source.

From Maharashtra to a global evidence base

The evidence generated in these three clusters, on soil health, participatory varietal selection, watershed management, and circular bioeconomy models, feeds directly into CGIAR’s broader MFL Programme. Maharashtra’s clusters inform integrated landscape approaches in rainfed smallholder contexts across South Asia and beyond..

Challenges of climate variability, market access, and livelihood security are real and ongoing. And the programme continues to generate the evidence, build the institutions, and strengthen the community capacity to meet them, season by season, village by village.

Read the full Impact Report

The BAIF Impact Report on Advancing Multifunctional Landscapes documents the evidence, methods, and people behind this work in detail.

Access the Impact Report

A practical guide to habitat creation, artificial nesting, and conservation management

When most people hear the word “bee”, the picture that comes to their mind is honeybees in wooden boxes arranged neatly along bunds and boundaries. While this is a familiar sight, this image represents only a small fraction of bee diversity. A much larger and often unnoticed community lives quietly below the surface of the soil. These are solitary and efficient ground–nesting bees who are deeply connected to the health ecosystem.

Across farms, orchards, forest boundaries and village landscapes in India, these ground-nesting bees play a crucial role in pollination. Yet, they remain largely unrecognised because their nests are underground. Unlike honeybees or bumblebees, they do not form colonies or produce honey. Each female works independently, constructing her own nest, gathering food, and ensuring the survival of her offspring. Their lives are simple, but their ecological contribution is far-reaching.

Recognising these bees begins with observing some minute details. Tiny holes in the soil, often surrounded by loose particles, mark the entrances to their nests. Bees may be seen flying low over the ground, pausing and hovering as they assess suitable nesting sites. In undisturbed, sunlight areas, multiple nests may occur together, forming quiet aggregations that signal a healthy habitat.

Ground-nesting bees include diverse groups such as mining bees and sweat bees, among others. Their nesting process is remarkably systematic. A female excavates a narrow tunnel that branches into small chambers. Each chamber is provisioned with pollen and nectar, forming a food reserve for the developing larva. After laying a single egg, she seals the chamber and repeats the process. There is no cooperation or division of labour, just consistent individual effort driven by instinct.

In some species however, males are often seen guarding the entrance of the nest, while the female forages for nectar and pollen for the developing young. The male usually remains inside near the entrance, camouflaged as a small stone or soil particle in the soil. If he senses danger or disturbance near the nest, he may temporarily prevent the female from entering until the surroundings are safe. Once the threat passes, the female is allowed to enter the nest and continue provisioning activities.

Despite their ecological importance, these bees are often misunderstood. In reality, they are gentle, as they have no hive to defend. Their activity is closely linked to seasonal flowering and soil conditions, making them sensitive indicators of environmental change. In places where they thrive, the soil is usually well-drained, biologically active, and relatively undisturbed.

Their contribution to ecosystems and agriculture is significant. Many ground–nesting bees are highly effective pollinators, sometimes outperforming managed species for certain crops due to their foraging behaviour and body structure. They support fruit set and seed production in crops such as pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, and fruit trees. At a broader level, their presence enhances biodiversity and strengthens ecosystem resilience (Klein et al. 2007; Ollerton et al., 2011).

One of the most encouraging aspects of these bees is that their conservation does not require expensive infrastructure. A simple and effective method involves creating artificial nesting habitats using soil-filled pots. This approach is practical, low-cost, and adaptable to farms, institutions, and even small home gardens.

This process begins with preparing a suitable soil mixture. A combination of 70% of red soil, 20% of well-decomposed compost and 10% of sand provides the right balance of structure and organic content. The soil should be firm enough to hold tunnels but loose enough for bees to excavate easily. Wide shallow posts work well, as they provide sufficient surface area for nesting.

Placement is equally important. Pots should be kept in the shade preferably semi-sunny areas as most ground-nesting bees prefer warmth and direct sunlight. Heavily shaded or waterlogged locations should be avoided. The surrounding area should remain relatively undisturbed to facilitate nesting activity.

Moisture management requires special care. The soil should be slightly moist but never wet. A gentle sprinkling of water is enough to maintain suitable conditions. Excess water can collapse tunnels and destroy brood development, making overwatering one of the most common and damaging mistakes. The key lies in moderation – small amounts applied carefully.

Nesting habitat alone is not sufficient; bees also need reliable food sources. Planting nectar- and pollen-rich species near the nesting area ensures continuous foraging opportunities. Crops such as mustard, sunflower, sesame, and pulses are excellent choices. An integrated approach works best. By combining nesting substrates with flowering plants in proximity, it is possible to create a self-sustaining microhabitat where bees can both nest and forage efficiently. Over time, such spaces can support a diverse and stable pollinator community.

Once established, the habitat begins to attract bees naturally. The process starts with exploration, followed by excavation, provisioning of chambers, egg laying, and sealing. As more bees adopt the site, multiple nests may develop within a single pot, forming small aggregations that indicate successful colonisation.

Long-term success depends on simple but consistent management. Disturbance should be minimised – soil should not be dug or frequently moved. Watering should remain gentle and controlled. The use of pesticides and herbicides near nesting areas must be avoided, as even low levels can harm bees. Occasional seasonal maintenance, such as refreshing soil, can be done carefully when nests are inactive.

These habitats can be easily integrated into different landscapes. On farms, they can be placed along field margins; in orchards, near flowering trees; and in home gardens, even a few pots can make a difference. They are also valuable in educational and research settings, offering opportunities to study pollinator behaviour and biodiversity.

It is important to avoid common mistakes such as overwatering, using compared or clay-heavy soil, or neglecting nearby floral resources. Small adjustment in these factors can significantly influence the success of the system. Beyond their ecological function, these habitats offer a chance to observe to connect with nature. Watching a bee emerge from a tiny hole, carry pollen, or hover over soil reveals a hidden world that often goes unnoticed. Documenting such observations can contribute to local biodiversity knowledge and inspire conservation efforts. Ground-nesting bees remind us that not every important ecological work is visible. They operate quietly, beneath our feet, sustaining pollination processes that support both natural ecosystems and agriculture. Their conservation does not require complex interactions – only awareness, a suitable habitat and a willingness to accommodate their needs.

Each pot prepared, is more than just soil. It is a living system, a refuge for pollinators, and a small but meaningful step toward ecological balance. In today’s times when natural habitat is under pressure, such simple actions can make a lasting difference.

Note: Students and Researchers with an aptitude for field work and with a keen interest in studying ground-nesting bees, are welcome to contact BAIF Central Research Station, Uruli Kanchan, Pune, Maharashtra, India by E-mail at crsbaif.baif.org.in.

References

2007. Klein, A.M., Vaissiere, B.E., Cane, J.H., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Cunningham, S.A., Kremen, C. and Tscharntke, T. Importance of Pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 274, pp.303-313.

2011. Ollerton, J., Winfree, R. and Tarrant, S. How many flowering plants are pollinated by animals? Oikos, 120, pp.321-326.

 Vinod Borse, Dhananjay Jadhav, Deepak Patil and Sadashiv Nimbalkar

The legacy of BAIF’s work with rural women is not merely recorded in fiscal ledgers or annual reports. To recognise the achievement of a woman at BAIF is to acknowledge the profound silence she has finally managed to break.

For generations, the rural woman was someone who worked behind the scenes. She rose before the sun to fetch water several kilometres away, her spine curving under the weight of brass pots. She cooked over smoky fires that stung her eyes, and she tended to cattle that belonged to the household. She was the primary worker, yet she owned nothing—not the land she tilled, not the cow she milked, and often, not even the right to speak and utter her name in a village gathering.

The achievement of BAIF is the systematic dismantling of this invisibility. It began with the Wadi Programme. When BAIF insisted that the fruit orchards be registered in the names of both husband and wife, they weren’t just ensuring the sharing of property; they were restoring their dignity. This approach changed how her husband saw her, how her children saw her, and most importantly, how she saw herself.

There is a specific kind of music in a BAIF-transformed village. It is the sound of a woman’s voice—once a whisper—now leading a Self-Help Group (SHG) meeting. These women, who were once told they couldn’t understand “money matters,” now manage lakhs of rupees. They have become the bankers of their own destinies.

The emotional weight of this achievement is best seen in the “Digital Sakhis”, “eDosts” and the “Pashu Sakhis.” Picture a woman who was once confined to her courtyard, now walking through the village with a computer tablet in her hand or a veterinary kit slung over her shoulder. She is the one the village turns to when a cow is sick or when a pension needs to be withdrawn. She has moved from being a “dependent” to being a provider of solutions. The pride in her stride is an achievement that no graph can truly capture.

Perhaps the greatest achievement is the gift of time. By bringing water to the doorstep and smokeless stoves to the kitchen, BAIF didn’t just reduce “drudgery”—they gave women a priceless gift – their lives.

With couple of hours saved from fetching wood or water, a mother can finally sit with her children while they study. She can dream of a future where her children aren’t labourers, but doctors or teachers. The cycle of poverty is being broken not by charity, but by the resilience of women who finally have the tools to match their ambition.

The true achievement isn’t just the millions of trees planted or the thousands of crossbred cows reared. It is the demolition of fear. It is the sight of a woman standing tall in a Gram Sabha, looking into the eyes of village elders and speaking for the well-being of her community.

Today, the rural woman in BAIF is a “Change Agent”. She speaks with authority, leads with competence, and serves as the primary leader of rural progress. She is the soul of the village. When she earns, the money doesn’t go waste; it goes into milk for the toddler, books for the teenager, and medicine for the elder. She is the multiplier. The narrative has shifted from one of survival to one of aspiration. Starting with a few women, after four decades, more than 18 lakh rural women are associated with BAIF’s programmes spanning 10 states in the country. The numbers are growing.

This transition outlines the strategic shift from marginalisation to leadership, while highlighting BAIF’s role in fostering sustainable empowerment.

In the forests and countryside of India, Lantana, locally known as Jarmari, is an extremely dangerous shrub, which has become a major concern for the people living in these rural areas. This plant grows on its own;It absorbs soil nutrients and moisture, making the land toxic to cattle, destroying crops, and causing economic damage to agriculture by harbouring wild animals and pests. It is a fast-spreading shrub that completely destroys the native vegetation and poses a major threat to biodiversity. However, now with the help of technology, this wild shrub can be turned into a great source of energy by turning it into biomass pellets. This article delves into the industrial use of lantana and the entire process of pellet manufacturing.

Why Lantana? (Raw Material Advantage)

Lantana is an ideal choice as a biomass because of its following characteristics:

1. High Calorific Value

The energy value of lantana wood is very high.
• Its calorific value is around 3800 to 4200 kcal/kg .
• It competes with many common woods and even inferior quality coal (lignite).

2. Abundance of Lignin (Natural Binder)

While making pellets, a ‘binder’ or glue is needed to hold the pellets together.
• The amount of lignin in lantanas is very good.
• When it is pressed (compression) in the machine, the heat melts the lignin and acts as a natural glue. With this, you do not need to add any chemical on top and the pellet becomes as strong as stone.

3. Low Ash Content

When coal is burned, up to 20-30% ash is released, which corrodes the boiler.
• The ash content of Lantana pellets is only 2% to 5%.
• This increases the lifespan of the machines and also reduces pollution.

4. Free and Unlimited Raw Material Cost

Lantana is an ‘invasive weed’.
• The farmer does not have to provide seeds, fertilizers or water to grow it.
• It is spread free of charge over forests and barren land. The government and the forest department also encourage its removal, so that raw material can be obtained very cheaply or only at the price of wages.

5. Ecosystem Restoration

If Lantana Camara is burnt, there is pollution. But if pellets of lantana are prepared, then:
• The forests will be freed of this poisonous bush.
• This will improve the ground water level and provide space for other native grasses/plants to grow.

6. Low Moisture Retention

Lantana wood dries quickly. For pellets, 10-12% moisture is needed, which is easily obtained by exposing lantana to the sun.
Comparing fuel sources, Lantana pellets are a superior and environmentally friendly alternative to coal. Coal causes high pollution, emits carbon dioxide and releases 20-30% ash, while Lantana pellets are carbon-neutral and release only 2-5% ash.
From an economic perspective, coal is often expensive and has to be imported, while Lantana offers an affordable and local solution. Most importantly, while coal mining damages the earth, clearing the invasive lantana for fuel actually helps restore wasteland and improves soil health.

The Detailed Process of Pellet Manufacturing

A systematic process is followed to prepare pellets from lantana:

1. Collection and Harvesting: Lantana from forests or wasteland is harvested from the top of the root. This can include both dry and green woods.
2. Drying: The moisture level should be 10% to 12% for making pellets. The cut lantana is dried in the sun or by using a ‘dryer machine’.
3. Crushing and Chipping: Large bushes are put into a ‘wood chipper’ machine and turned into smaller pieces. It is then converted into fine powder or sawdust through the ‘Hammer Mill’.
4. Pelletisation: This is the most important step. The pellet is passed through the moulds (dyes) of the ‘pellet mill’ at high pressure. Due to high temperature and pressure, the pellet  compresses and takes the form of a hard, shiny and cylindrical pellet.
5. Cooling & Packing: Pellets are heated when leaving the machine. These  are cooled in a ‘pellet cooler’ and then packed in sacks to protect them from moisture.

Technical Specifications

The characteristics of a standard lantana pellet are the following:

• Size: 6 – 10mm Diameter
• Humidity: < 10%
• Ash Content: 2 – 5% (much less than coal)
• Density: > 600 kg/m³ (easy to transport)

Environmental and Economic Benefits

 Coal Substitution:  The use of pellet in place of coal in industries (such as textiles, brick kilns, and power plants) reduces carbon emissions.

• Forest Conservation: Removing lantanas allows native plants and grasses to regrow in forests.
• Employment Generation:  Local people obtain employment through harvesting in rural areas.
• Cheaper energy: These pellets are economical and more efficient than coal.

Economic Benefits via Soil

• Reclamation of Wasteland: Land covered with lantana is of zero value to the farmer. After clearing it, the land is ready for cultivation of fodder  again, which increases the market price of the land.
• Compost saving: As removal of lantana returns the natural fertility  of the soil,  the cost of chemical fertiliser  is reduced in the crops grown later on.
• Benefits in animal husbandry: When lantana is removed, nutritious grass starts growing. This provides free and good fodder to the animals, which increases milk production and increases the income of the farmer.
•  Carbon Credits: If lantana is removed on a large scale and trees are planted instead,  in the future, one can also earn money from ‘carbon credits’ through Soil Carbon Sequestration.

Industrial Uses – Largest Market

In factories that require a large amount of heat, pellets are used instead of coal:

• Thermal Power Plant: Co-firing 5-10% biomass pellets with coal is now becoming mandatory to generate electricity.
• Textile and Textile Mills: Here it is used to operate boilers and in the manufacture of steam.
• Brick Kilns: As an alternative to coal for baking bricks.
• Food Processing Industry:  For manufacturing of steam in milk dairies, biscuit factories and sugar mills.
• Chemical and Pharma Company: For heating drugs and chemicals.

Commercial Uses

In cities and towns where larger machines are needed:

• Hotels and Dhabas: To operate tandoors, furnaces and large water heaters.
• Hospitals:  In large boilers for heating water and drying clothes (laundry).
• Community kitchens: Kitchen of a gurdwara or mid-day meal for cooking in large pots.

Domestic Uses

• Pellet stoves: There are special types of stoves for cooking in which very little smoke from pellets is emitted.
• Room Heaters: Pellets are burnt instead of wood to keep homes warm in colder areas.

Conclusion

The creation of biomass pellets from  Lantana  is an excellent example of ‘Waste to Wealth’ and  ‘Problem to Solution’. While this invasive weed was swallowing our forests, bio-diversity, and fertile land,  it has now become an inexhaustible source of clean energy through technology and innovation.

The project not only provides industries with a cheaper and greener alternative to coal but  also plays a revolutionary role in generating employment in rural areas, rejuvenating pastures for animal husbandry, and enhancing soil fertility.

Women’s health is not just a personal matter—it is a cornerstone of the well-being of families, communities, and nations. A healthy woman nurtures not only herself but also the people around her. As caregivers, decision-makers, and community builders, women shape families and influence the next generation. Investing in women’s health therefore goes far beyond individual well-being; it strengthens societies and contributes to healthier economies. A healthy woman is truly an asset to the nation.

Whether in a rural village or an urban city, the core responsibilities women carry are often similar. Women support families, nurture relationships, contribute to their communities, and balance multiple roles all at one time. Yet while caring for others, many women overlook their own well-being. Uplifting women’s health must therefore become the starting point of true empowerment.

A key aspect of this empowerment is preventive health, both at the individual and community level. At the individual level, preventive health means adopting healthy habits—regular physical activity such as yoga, walking, or sports; maintaining balanced nutrition; prioritizing menstrual hygiene; and undergoing timely health check-ups and screenings. Early detection of conditions such as anaemia, cervical cancer, or breast cancer can save lives and prevent long-term health complications.

At the community level, preventive health focuses on spreading awareness, improving health literacy, and creating support systems that encourage healthy lifestyles. When communities collectively prioritise prevention, they reduce disease burden, improve quality of life, and lower healthcare costs for families.

Organisations such as BAIF Development Research Foundation are actively strengthening preventive healthcare among rural and tribal women. Their work focuses on prevention and health promotion through initiatives that address anaemia, promote nutritional security, encourage sustainable menstrual hygiene practices, and facilitate cervical and breast cancer screenings for early detection. By increasing health literacy and access to basic healthcare services, these programs empower women to take charge of their health.

For many rural and tribal women, limited access to healthcare often leads to alarmingly high medical expenses which are beyond their capacity. Community-based preventive health programmes help reduce this financial burden while building healthier and more informed villages.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain,” reminds us that investing in women’s well-being today leads to stronger communities tomorrow. International Women’s Day can be more than a celebration—it can be a moment for reflection and self-growth. Each year should add something valuable to our lives. It is worth asking ourselves: What new strength, skill, or perspective have I gained this year?

Physical health grows when we keep our bodies active, while mental well-being strengthens when we nurture hobbies, build meaningful friendships, and engage in activities that bring joy and peace to the mind. Learning to celebrate small achievements, acknowledging personal progress, and setting new goals can transform this day into a milestone for personal growth.

The true spirit of women’s empowerment lies in growth, self-belief, and collective progress. When women measure their journey not against others, but against who they were yesterday, they build real confidence—and confidence turns aspirations into reality.

So let us not only celebrate International Women’s Day. Let us celebrate the journey of learning, growing, caring for ourselves, and supporting one another. Because when we give importance to women’s health—through prevention, awareness, and collective action—we truly gain stronger families, healthier communities, and a more resilient nation.

The United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to spotlight the essential goals women play across agri-food systems from production to trade, while often going unrecognised. Women farmers are central to food security, nutrition, and economic resilience . It calls for collective action, increased investment, and mainstream gender equitable policies in agriculture. As farmers, agricultural workers, food processors, traders, entrepreneurs and community leaders, women play a central role in rural economies, natural resource management and food production – they make significant contributions to food security, nutrition and the well-being of families and communities . Globally, women are reported to make up around 43% of agricultural labour, yet they control only a small fraction of land and resources, and are often excluded from credit, technology, and markets. The International Year aims to shift this imbalance by making women’s contributions visible, amplifying their voices in policy, and strengthening women centred programmes.

The Indian context

In India, women are the backbone of agriculture, albeit they are seldom recognised as farmers in their own right. Official records often treat them as “dependents,” “family helpers,” or “casual labourers” because the legal and institutional framework links the identity of a “farmer” mainly to land ownership, which remains male dominated. This invisibility means women’s labour is undervalued, under paid, and excluded from many schemes and benefits. Farm women are also heavily concentrated in the most labour intensive, drudgerous tasks, whereas control of mechanisation and decision making around crops remains in the hands of men. They rarely own land or hold titles to farm assets, which limits their access to credit, insurance, and government schemes, even when they are the ones managing day to day cultivation. Therefore, priority action areas include: increasing women’s access to and control over productive resources; developing gender-sensitive value chains; investing in labour-saving technologies; and addressing gender issues in climate change adaptation and resilience building. For India, this year presents an opportunity to confront the structural gaps that keep farm women at the margins of decision making, land ownership, and income security.

Increasing Feminisation of agriculture in India

In India, agriculture employs about 80% of rural women , with higher shares in some states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. However, land ownership remains the most glaring inequality. As per the agricultural census, 2015-16, at the national level, only 14% of operational land holdings are owned by women, which amounts to 11% of the total land in the country. This gap reflects patriarchal inheritance practices and limited success of land reforms. The phenomenon of “feminisation of agriculture” is also evident with men migrating to cities or to non farm work. However, this feminisation is not inherently empowering; it often means women manage more work without greater control over income, technology, or policy space.

• Home | International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) 2026 | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• https://www.fao.org/woman-farmer-2026/en

Although the majority of women are full time agricultural workers, yet they appear in records as “casual labourers” or “family helpers.” This invisibility directly translates into lower wages and weaker entitlements. Women are often paid less than men for the same tasks, and their work is not counted in household income. Their contributions—as seed savers, animal caretakers, and market linked producers—are treated as “natural” or “unskilled” rather than as skilled labour, which further entrenches economic dependence.

Women are disproportionately concentrated in the most physically demanding and time consuming tasks: transplanting paddy, weeding, harvesting, threshing, fetching water and fodder, and tending livestock and kitchen gardens. These activities are often back breaking, poorly compensated, and tied to seasonal spikes, yet they are rarely mechanised or supported by ergonomic tools. Women often work 10–12 hours a day in the fields, then perform household chores late into the night, with little rest or recognition. Mechanisation has largely favoured male dominated tasks like ploughing and sowing, while “women’s tasks” remain labour intensive, reinforcing patterns of drudgery instead of shared farm work.

Women’s exclusion as farmers and decision-makers limits their role in household and community decisions about cropping patterns, technology adoption, and market linkages. Men often control income from crops, while women bear responsibility for household food sufficiency and livestock, yet their insights are rarely considered into practice and policy dialogues.

In response to these challenges, the Government of India has introduced several schemes that explicitly target women farmers. Some of the schemes include Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) under DAY NRLM, which is aimed at improving the productivity and income of women farmers by promoting agriculture-based livelihood options. It provides women with technical training, financial support, and a better understanding of sustainable agriculture. Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM), a component of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, provides benefits for women, such as subsidised hiring or purchase of equipment that reduces drudgery. Another key initiative is the Namo Drone Didi scheme aiming to empower women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by equipping them with drone technology to provide agricultural services. This initiative is expected to generate an additional income of at least Rs. 1 lakh per year for each SHG, contributing to economic empowerment and sustainable livelihood generation.

BAIF’s Initiatives for Farm Women

Alongside government schemes, several NGOs and farmer movements have emerged as strong advocates for farm women empowerment. BAIF Development Research Foundation which has a long history and avowed commitment towards women as equal partners in fostering sustainable rural development. To this end, some of our programmes implemented in partnership with corporates have focussed exclusively on women farmers, like ‘Prerna: Empower Women Farmers as Change Makers in Agriculture’ wherein women farmers were given knowledge support through package of practices, access to mechanisation, and tractor driving. A similar initiative, ‘Sathi’ was also designed for women farmers in tribal areas, specific to their needs. BAIF also has a women-led farmer producer organisation (FPO) in Maharashtra is developing milk value chain. On-farm women entrepreneurs are also being nurtured through expert guidance, training, market linkages and finance, as required.
Through its initiatives, BAIF recognises women farmers as custodians of traditional seeds and indigenous knowledge, helping conserve agrobiodiversity. Women participants are also championed as catalysts for digital and financial inclusion, enabling them to access banking services, government schemes, and digital platforms with confidence. BAIF also advances gender and technology inclusion, by means of programmes, such as, Drone Didis, eDost, and Sanvadini, bridging the digital divide and creating new livelihood opportunities while positioning rural women as leaders in sustainable and technology-driven development.

• NITI AAYOG, India | Rural Women: Key to New India’s Agrarian Revolution
• National Commission for Women

Conclusion

In summary, the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer provides a powerful frame to highlight both the scale of women’s contributions in Indian agriculture and the persistent gaps in recognition, assets, and agency. It provides an opportunity to acknowledge their vital role as well as the challenges they continue to face. Government policies such as Namo Drone Didi and MKSP, along with NGO supported initiatives, are beginning to shift the landscape, but much more is needed to ensure that farm women are not only seen but also empowered as equal partners in India’s food future.

India has achieved remarkable progress in space technology, digital public platforms, geospatial systems, and artificial intelligence. These breakthroughs are reshaping how the country plans, delivers services, and solves its problems. But while senior officials and major institutions already benefit from these advances, the real opportunity lies in extending their power to those who need them the most—farmers, local entrepreneurs, frontline workers, Panchayati Raj Institutions, and vulnerable families.

That is where India’s next great story of inclusion can unfold—by ensuring that the best of science and technology reaches every community, not just a select few.

Bridging the Gap between Innovation and Impact

Two stakeholders, in particular, need better engagement with national S&T systems:

1. Grassroots beneficiaries – farmers, women’s self-help groups, micro-entrepreneurs, local service providers, disaster-prone communities.
2. Elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj system – the leaders who make everyday decisions shaping rural development.

To ensure truly inclusive development, India must empower the grassroots by making geospatial and frontier technologies accessible, affordable, and actionable for all.

Why Geospatial Technologies Matter for Local Development

Geospatial systems—Earth observation satellites, GIS platforms, drone mapping, and location intelligence—are no longer “high-tech tools” meant only for scientists. They have become everyday problem-solving instruments capable of transforming local governance and community development.

1.  Agriculture and Water Management: They help farmers anticipate crop stress, water scarcity, or pest outbreaks. Panchayats can plan watershed works using terrain, soil, and hydrological data, enabling more effective restoration of natural resources.
2. Climate Resilience and Disaster Preparedness: Real-time flood forecasts, drought maps, and climate-risk zones can help district officials and village councils understand what is coming and prepare better for local conditions.
3. Land, Property, and Governance: High-resolution mapping supports accurate property records, reduces disputes, and facilitates transparent village-level planning. Panchayats can optimise investments in roads, housing, schools, and public assets.
4. Social Sector Delivery: Frontline workers using location-enabled tools can track service delivery—immunisation, nutrition, school attendance, water supply—helping local authorities identify gaps and improve last-mile coverage.

Technology realises its true value only when it reaches the ground, strengthens local institutions, and enables communities to make informed decisions.

Real change happens when maps and satellite data work together with new technologies like sensors, AI, and large digital systems. Sensors on pumps, soil, weather stations, and village infrastructure give real-time information that helps farmers and officials make better everyday decisions. AI can study satellite images and local data to predict risks and suggest the best actions for each area. India’s digital systems—such as Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, and ONDC— make it possible to deliver these technology-based services to every village and every farmer. When combined with geospatial and real-time information, they become powerful tools for better and more inclusive governance.

Way forward to take Technology to the Ground

At EarthSight Foundation, we are grounded to the following principles:

1. Democratising access to geospatial, space, and frontier technologies.
2. Empowering Panchayati Raj Institutions and district governance structures with real-time spatial intelligence.
3. Co-creating solutions with communities so that technology is intuitive and contextual.
4. Integrating earth observation, GIS, IoT, and AI to solve real problems on climate, agriculture, planning, and service delivery.
5. Ensuring ethical, transparent, and sustainable use of technology for long-term impact.

It is essential to shift focus to translating complex technologies into actionable tools in local languages that can genuinely improve the lives of people on the ground.

Making Technology Touch Lives

The future of India’s development will be shaped not just by advanced technologies, but by how widely and meaningfully they are used. When a panchayat leader can view satellite-based watershed insights on a mobile app, when a farmer receives AI advisories tailored to her own field, and when an NGO like BAIF tracks village progress through geospatial dashboards—technology becomes a force for inclusion and opportunity.

Background:

India is the world’s largest milk producer, and much of this success comes from the hard work of millions of smallholder dairy farmers, who on an average, rear just two to five cows or buffaloes. For these families, dairy is not just a source of nutrition but also a steady source of income and financial security. However, improving the productivity of cattle and buffaloes under such smallholder systems has always been a challenge.

Traditionally, farmers and breeding organisations relied on two approaches to improve the performance of animals: pedigree selection and progeny testing. Pedigree selection is based on the performance of parents (mostly cow) or family history, while progeny testing evaluates a bull by measuring the performance of his daughters. While these methods have contributed to genetic improvement, they have a few limitations. Pedigree selection is often unreliable because environmental factors like feed and health strongly affect performance, while progeny testing, though accurate, takes 8–10 years to identify a proven bull. This delay slows down genetic progress and farmers have to wait too long to observe benefits in their herds.

In recent years, a new technology called genomic selection has emerged as a powerful tool to overcome these barriers. This technology uses information from DNA markers spread across the entire genome to predict the future performance of an animal, even at a very young age (1 – 2 months). Instead of waiting years for milk records or progeny results, bulls and cows can now be evaluated within months. This not only speeds up the breeding process but also increases accuracy as the DNA-based prediction captures the true genetic potential of the animal.

For smallholder farmers, this means faster access to superior bulls, healthier and more productive cows and buffaloes, and higher profitability from dairying. Beyond milk yield, genomics also allows selection for other important traits such as fertility, udder health, disease resistance, and heat tolerance — traits that are vital for sustainable dairy farming in India’s diverse and often challenging environments.

Genomic selection, therefore, is more than a scientific advancement; it is a practical solution for the future of Indian dairying, ensuring that smallholder farmers remain at the heart of the country’s dairy growth story.

What is Genomic Selection (GS)?

A modern tool where DNA markers (SNPs) spread across the genome are used to predict an animal’s genetic merit. Instead of waiting years to measure milk yield, fertility, or health traits, GS gives early and reliable predictions.

Why is Genomic Selection Important for India?
Breeding in cattle and buffalo has traditionally relied on pedigree selection and progeny testing, and now adopted genomic selection. As mentioned earlier, pedigree may be fast but it is unreliable due to poor accuracy and progeny testing is accurate but slow. Compared to these two methods, genomic selection is both fast and reliable.

Unlike developed countries where the dairy sector is dominated by commercial farming and large herds, the Indian dairy system is dominated by smallholders and hence, every cow or buffalo matters. Therefore, we cannot simply use the genomic selection equation and/or reference population used in developed countries to arrive at results in our production system. Our country is spread across a large geographic area, divided into multiple agro-climatic zones and various production systems. In the absence of pedigree information, genomic selection can pave the way for effective selection and desired genetic gain. Thus, genomic selection can help policy makers and farmers in the following ways:

Genotype × Environment Interaction

Animals perform differently in different environments. A bull selected in Europe may not give the same results in India. Similarly, the daughters of a bull selected in one region of India with a rich environment and management conditions may not necessarily show similar performance in another region with comparatively difficult conditions and harsh climatic conditions. Hence, special efforts are required to first understand the extent of genotype by environment (GxE) interaction and then design breeding policies tailored to Indian conditions so that farmers can maintain animals which perform well in their specific environments.

In understanding GxE interaction especially in crossbreds, the knowledge of Breed Composition is of utmost importance. From our study of crossbred cattle, we realised that our crossbred cattle are actually a mixed population with mixed inheritance of both Holstein Friesian and Jersey breeds in addition to various native breed proportion. Hence, we used the word “crossbreds” rather than any specific crossbred. GxE interaction study takes this breed proportion into account to determine which breeds or breed combination can work well or is well-suited for which region based on their genotype and actual performance. By considering the area or region or production system, a specific breed combination can be distributed which will be helpful in achieving the desired production.

Public–Private Partnership for Genomic selection

What “we” have accomplished so far

Development of customized SNP panel

One of the major constraints in developing our own reference population was choice of SNP panel. We used the existing SNP panel earlier to genotype Indian population. We understood that those panel (s) were not informative and therefore needed different approaches involving customised SNP panel suitable for our bovine population. This triggered national institutes / organisations such as National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NAIB) and BAIF to collaborate and design a SNP panel by choosing informative DNA markers. These fruitful efforts led to the development of India’s own genotyping panels – ‘Gau’ for cattle and ‘Mahish’ for buffalo which were launched by the Hon. Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi and is being used since then for genotyping purpose.

Building reference population

Since the terminology is technical, let us make it simpler. A reference population is a large group of animals whose DNA has been tested and whose performance (milk records, fertility and health) is well known. A reference population is like a dictionary. The DNA markers (in our case SNPs) are like words. The performance records (milk yield, fertility and health) are the meanings of the words. Once the dictionary is built, you don’t need to wait for years – you can ‘read’ the DNA of any calf and understand its future performance immediately

Building a large breed specific reference population (thousands of genotyped animals with phenotype records of trait of interest) is essential for accurate predictions. This is especially preferable approach in developing countries where pedigree records are scarcely available and the time required to prove the genetic merit of the bull is huge under PT programme. In such cases, the prediction of the genetic merit using reference population, can improve the genetic gain within a short time.

Today, using a large reference population, the genomic selection has been brought into practice in India for 6 breeds viz. HF crossbreds, Jersey crossbreds, Gir, Murrah and Mehsana. All the Central Monitoring Units (CMU) accredited semen stations are selecting young bull calves using genomic breeding values (a measure to determine the genetic merit).

In the current scenario, there are multiple institutes, organisations and government agencies who are engaged in phenotype data collection and genotyping of animals. Through public-private partnerships, a very large breed specific reference population can be built which can bring about improvement in the prediction accuracy by many folds. Sharing data, knowledge, capacity building through trainings, discussion and policies can help our country in the long run and therefore should be the way ahead for sustainable genetic progress in the dairy sector.

What “we” can achieve in future?

Understanding and maintaining genetic diversity

Genetic diversity in animals is like having many tools in a toolbox. If you keep only one tool, you can’t fix every problem. By keeping many tools (genes), your herd can face future challenges like heat, diseases, or new market demands. Genomic selection helps us choose the best animals quickly and accurately. But if we always use only a few top bulls, the population may become too closely related. This reduces genetic diversity. If diversity is lost, animals may become more vulnerable to health problems and fertility issues. With DNA data, we can measure how related animals are and avoid mating close relatives. The present SNP chips also help identify and preserve the unique genetic diversity of Indian cattle and buffaloes, which are naturally adapted to the Indian environment.

Our research has proved that there exists a large within-breed variation. Therefore, it is safe to say that most of our breeds have sufficient genetic diversity. However, it is necessary to monitor genetic diversity on a routine or periodic basis for breed-specific population.

Multi-Trait Genomic Selection and Economic indexing

Presently, we have been selecting the best genetic merit animals based on their production performance and more specifically, their milk yield. This may be an approach to select animals who can be high yielders. But focussing on one trait may hamper the genetic progress of other economically important traits. Traits which are negatively correlated with production such as fat percentage, fertility, body condition score etc. will be affected severely. If we need to achieve sustainable genetic improvement in future, we must adapt multi-trait approach involving economically important traits such as production, fertility, dairy conformation and health. In addition to this, the economic index for bull selection which assigns weight to traits based on their importance to farmers, the bulls are ranked on the basis of total economic merit, ensuring better profitability to farmers.

Use of Genomics with Advanced Reproductive Technologies

Genomic selection becomes even more effective when used together with modern reproductive technologies. These technologies help to multiply the genes of the best animals quickly and spread them widely among farmers. Normally, AI semen produces about 50% male and 50% female calves. With sex-sorted semen, farmers can obtain up to 90% female calves, which are more valuable for milk production. When the semen comes from genomically tested bulls, farmers are not only getting more daughters but also daughters with superior genetic merit. Instead of waiting years to see if a bull is good, genomics tells us early. Using sex-sorted semen ensures more productive female calves from the beginning.

In addition to this, in Embryo Transfer Technology, embryos from high-quality donor cows are transferred into ordinary surrogate cows. If donor cows are genomically tested, we can select only the best females for producing embryos. To make this approach more effective, the use of sex sorted semen along with IVF technology can produce embryos with the desired sex. This way, farmers will not only obtain female calves but they will also get many calves in one year from a top cow, instead of just one.

Conclusion

Genomic selection is not just a laboratory concept — it is a practical tool for Indian dairy farmers. By using genomically tested bulls, understanding breed composition, and adopting balanced breeding strategies, farmers can ensure that their herds are productive, healthy, and profitable.

The future lies in combining science, policy, and farmer participation through strong partnerships. With tools like Gau and Mahish, India is leading the way in making genomics affordable and relevant for smallholder dairy systems.

Farmers’ FAQs

1. If I already know which cow gives more milk, why do I need genomics?

Answer: Milk yield depends not only on genetics but also on feed, health, and management. A cow giving more milk may not always transmit this ability to her calf. Genomics tells us the hidden genetic potential, making selection more accurate.

2. Will genomic selection make my cows produce more milk immediately?

Answer: No.  Genomic selection works on a long-term basis. By using genomically tested bulls in artificial insemination, the herd will gradually become more productive, fertile, and disease-resistant with the female calves produced through genomically selected bulls.

3. Does this mean local breeds are better than foreign breeds?

Answer: Both have value. Indigenous breeds are more heat-tolerant and disease-resistant, while exotic breeds have higher yield. Genomics helps us to combine the best of both worlds.

4. Why should I know the breed composition of my cow?

Answer: Knowing breed composition helps in selecting the right bull for mating. For example, if your cow already has high HF blood, crossing again with HF may cause fertility and heat stress issues.

5. Does this mean private companies will control all genetics?

Answer: No, the idea is to share resources. Public institutes ensure fair access, while private players help scale up technology quickly.

6. Will I get more money if I use semen from genomically tested bulls?

Answer: Yes.  This is because your herd will gradually have higher yield and better fertility, meaning more milk and fewer losses from disease and infertility.

7. For which trait breeding values are available and who provides them regularly?

Answer: At present, NDDB is the nodal agency to provide genomic breeding values and breed composition for crossbreds, Gir, Sahiwal, and Murrah and Mehasana buffalo.

8. “Does this mean every cow in the village will be part of the reference population?”

Answer: Not necessarily. Only a randomly selected group of animals across many farms are included to build the database. But once it is ready, every farmer benefits because the semen from genomically tested bulls becomes available for use.

9. Is genomic selection only for exotic breeds like HF and Jersey, or also for indigenous cattle and buffalo?

Answer: It is applicable for both. India has developed special chips like Gau (for cattle – Gir, Sahiwal and other dairy breeds for which genomic breeding values can be made available) and Mahish chip (for buffalo – Murrah, Mehasana and other dairy breeds for which genomic breeding values can be made available) to study indigenous breeds. This ensures that native animals are also improved without losing their unique strength such as heat tolerance and disease resistance.

10. Will genomics replace the need for good feeding and management?

Answer: No. Genetics decides the potential, but only good feeding, health care and management allow that potential to be fully expressed. Genomics and good management go hand-in-hand.

11. Is it too expensive for small farmers?

Answer: If farmer is interested to check the genetic merit and breed purity/ composition of
their own animals, the cost of test is usually around 2,000 to 2,200. In case of bulls, farmers don’t need to pay directly for DNA testing of bulls. The cost is usually borne by breeding programmes, cooperatives or government projects. Farmers benefit indirectly by receiving semen from genomically tested bulls, often at the same price as regular semen. 

12. How is genomics different from crossbreeding?

Answer: Crossbreeding mixes genes of two breeds, while genomics helps us to choose the best animals within and across breeds. With genomics, we can also maintain the right balance of blood levels (e.g., HF × Indigenous) and avoid problems of over-crossing.

13. Can genomics help in reducing diseases in cows and buffaloes?

Answer: Yes. Genomic selection allows us to identify bulls with better resistance to mastitis, reproductive problems, and tropical diseases. Using such bulls reduces health costs and improves herd longevity. However, under the present Indian condition, it is yet to be standardised. But we hope that it may happen in the near future.

14. What if I keep only 2–3 animals? Will genomics still benefit me?

Answer: Yes. Since genomic bulls are used through AI services, even farmers with very small herd, also benefit. Every calf born from such semen carries improved genetics, which adds value to the small herd over time.

15. How soon will I see results if my cooperative starts using genomically tested bulls?

Answer: Within one generation (3–4 years) you will notice better performing cows. Over two generations (6–8 years), the difference in milk, and fertility will be significant compared to herds not using genomics.

Introduction:

World Honey Bee Day (16 August 2025) served as a reminder of the invaluable role played by honey bees in our lives. While most of us consume honey from neatly packaged bottles, we often forget the tremendous effort behind every drop. Thousands of honey bee workers collectively store food for their young ones and to sustain their colony Humans, however, harvest this honey, benefitting from the collective action of the honey bees.

Honey bees are social insects which live in colonies, each individual contributing to the survival of the group. A single worker bee spends an entire day collecting nectar and pollen, which are later processed into honey, royal jelly and other hive products. Known for their efficiency, honey bees are faster nectar collectors compared to many other pollinators.

Besides honey production, bees are indispensable to agriculture. Nearly 75% of the global crops depend on pollinators like bees for fruit and seed production (FAO). Cross-pollinated crops, especially those with separate male and female flowers, such as cucurbits (pumpkin, cucumber), rely heavily on the pollinators with bees functioning as mediators of fertilization.

Diversity of Honey Bees in India:

In India, three commonly recognized species of honey bees are:

Apis dorsata (Rock bee)

Apis cerana indica (Indian Honey Bee)

Apis florea (Dwarf or Garden bee)

However, another lesser known group of bees plays a silent but significant role in pollination and ecosystem services – Stingless (Tetragonula iridipennis)

Stingless Bees: Small but significant:  Stingless bees often mistaken for small flies, live in small colonies within wall crevices, hollow tree trunks, and logs. Though tiny, they are powerful pollinators of crops such as brinjal (egg plant), tomato, ash gourd, beans and various wild shrubs, herbs and trees. They also produce honey, stored in small resinous pots.  This honey is highly valued in Ayurvedic medicine for its medicinal properties.   

Conservation of Stingless bees for Sustainable Agroecological System

In Sabbanhalli village near Bilikere, in Hunsur block of Karnataka, more than 50 stingless bee colonies were documented in the village, inside the farmhouse – a pump house made up of mud bricks. These colonies supported pollination of local crops and surrounding vegetation. However, a challenge emerged with the transition from mud brick farmhouses to cement brick construction. Unlike mud, cement brick walls do not provide suitable nesting cavities, thereby threatening the natural habitat of stingless bees due to harmful chemical pesticides used in commercial crops like cabbage.

Conservation efforts:

To address this issue, awareness programmes were initiated with the farmers through the following measures:

Colony rescue and Transfer: Natural colonies were carefully harvested and transferred to wooden bee boxes, enabling easier management and honey collection.

Training Programmes: Farmers were trained in stingless bee rearing, hive management and sustainable honey harvesting.

Habitat Conservation: Observations revealed that colonies thrived near jackfruit and coconut plantations, as these plants provided resin essential for building nests. Thus, promoting these crops indirectly and by introducing intercropping, stripe cropping, niger, sunflower and other nectar source crops, the survival of stingless bees is supported.

Ecological and Agricultural Significance: Stingless bees (T. iridipennis) are highly organized, with a social structure comprising of a queen, drones (males), workers and soldier bees. Workers not only forage but also clean and maintain the colony. Their ability to pollinate a wide variety of crops makes them vital for food security and biodiversity.

By conserving stingless bees, multiple benefits can be secured such as

1. Enhanced Crop yields through pollination
2. Preservation of biodiversity in agroecosystems
3. Production of high-value medicinal honey
4. Community–based income generation opportunities.

Reference:

https://www.fao.org/pollination/about/en#

Vinod Borse, Sadashiv Nimbalkar, Deepak Patil, and Sagar Jadhav

Agroecological Conservationists

BAIF Development Research Foundation, India

Why bees matter?

Bees are the most efficient pollinators in the natural world. They help in fertilising over 75% of the world’s crops, making them essential not just to biodiversity but to our plates as well. In recent years, however, changes in land use, chemical farming and habitat loss have placed enormous pressure on wild pollinators.

This survey was designed to collect baseline data which can provide information on conservation strategies and sustainable farming practices.

​The survey: what we saw?

Between mid-2024 and early 2025, I visited 19 rural locations across Maharashtra. These included farmlands, forest fringes, and agroforestry zones – habitats where both domesticated and wild bees forage and nest.

A total of 12 species of bees was recorded, each with its unique ecological role and behaviour.

Bee Species Recorded

What the data tells us?

Top spot goes to Apis florea – a wild honey bee that builds open nests. It was seen most often and in the highest numbers (19 individuals), showing its adaptability to rural landscapes. Apis cerana indica the domesticated Indian honey bee, also showed good presence. Its coexistence with wild bees is crucial for both ecology and livelihoods. Carpenter bees like Xylocopa tenuiscapa (8 individuals) suggest that some natural nesting habitats still persist, possibly in wooden structures or hollow stems. Solitary bees like Amegilla, Nomia and Pseudapis appeared in small numbers. their low visibility may point to reduced nesting spaces or competition for floral resources.

Rare Bees such as Tetragonula iridipennis (a stingless bee) and Ceratina smargdula highlight the fact that the hidden world of tiny pollinators is often overlooked in agricultural landscapes.

​

Ecological Reflections

This Survey confirms that despite growing development pressures, many native bee species are still present in Maharashtra’s rural ecosystem. However, the relatively low numbers of several species raise red flags about their long-term survival.

What can we do?

• Plant more native flowers to support year-round foraging.
• Reduce pesticide use, especially during the flowering season.
• Preserve nesting habitats – mud walls, tree hollows, hedgerows, and open soil.
• Raise awareness among farmers about pollinators and role in crop yields.

​

Bees and the future of farming

Bees are natures tiny farmers. Supporting them support us. As. Climate change disrupts weather patterns and crop cycles fostering a rich pollinators community in a no regret investment for resilience, based on the bee diversity data collected from 19 locations in Maharashtra, several key observations emerge; species like Apis florea, Apis cerana indica and Xylocopa tenuiscapa are relatively common while others such as Tetragonula iridipennis and Ceratina samaragdula are rare. Solitary and less visible species are under-represented possibly due to habitat degradation, competition, or lack of nesting and floral resources.

​Bee Conservations Solutions and Activities

1.Enhance Floral Diversity

Why: Diverse Flowering Plants provide food year-round for a variety of bee species.

Activities: Establish Pollinator Garden using native flowering species in school grounds, community spaces and farm bunds. Promote intercropping and border planting with flowering plants like marigold, sunflower, niger, coriander and basil. introduce seasonal flowering trees and shrubs.

2.Create nesting habitats.

Why: Solitary and carpenter bees need specific habitats like open soil, wood cavities, and wall. crevices.

Activities: Install bee hotels using bamboo, wood blocks, and drilled logs. Leave patches of bare ground in farms and gardens for ground nesting bees like lasioglossum and Nomia. Avoid excessive tillage and land levelling in the off season. preserve mud walls, old trees and natural hedgerows.

3.Minimise pesticide Use

Why: pesticides are a major threat to both managed and wild bee populations.

Activities: Promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and use bio-pesticides like neem oil. Educate farmers on safe spraying times (early morning or evening when bees are less active) conduct farmer training on the impact of systematic insecticides like neonicotinoids.

 4.Farmer and Community Awareness

Why: Long term conservation depends on local participation and understanding.

Activities: Conduct village-level awareness campaigns using posters, wall paintings. Street plays and short films. Train SHGs, Youth and School children on the importance of bees celebrate World Bee Day (May 20) through community events bee walks.

5.Monitoring and Citizen science

Why: Local Monitoring helps track trends and fosters a sense of ownership.

Activities: Encourage citizen science by training local youth to document bee sights (e.g. using platforms). Develop a seasonal monitoring protocol to track species diversity and abundance. Collaborate with local institutions for research and data validation.

6.Policy and convergence

Why: Integrating bee Conservation into existing rural programs ensures scale and sustainability

Activities: Integrate pollinator-friendly practices into MGNREGEA, Watershed Programmes and Agroforestry schemes, partner with FPOs and cooperatives to  promote bee-friendly labelling and practices.

7.Promote Beekeeping and stingless Bee culture

Why: Beekeeping and Livelihoods and improve pollination.

Activities: Promote Apis cerana indica and Tetragonula iridipennis as an income-generating activity, especially for SHG and Youth; train framers in bee box maintenance, hive management, and honey processing; link bee products to local markets or agritourism initiatives. These activities together create a resilient, pollinator-friendly landscape that supports not just biodiversity, but also better crop productivity, climate resilience, and ecological balance.

Community health is crucial for ensuring longer, healthier lives, addressing health disparities, and increasing access to care, education and engagement. Communities which respond to critical health initiatives such as hygiene, nutrition, chronic diseases and mental well-being enjoys higher life expectancies with better health indicators.

India’s tribal population which is 104 million or 8.6% of the total population, faces significant health challenges, including higher rates of infectious diseases like malaria and tuberculosis, malnutrition, and non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease with lower life expectancy. Key factors affecting community health include access to healthcare, affordable housing, nutritious food, social support and a healthy environment.

In tribal areas, inadequate access to comprehensive primary health care services, hygiene, sanitation and lack of awareness, are the primary reasons for poor health status of the community. In view of this, there is an urgent need to develop suitable mechanisms to bring low-cost, affordable and accessible healthcare systems to rural and tribal areas for ensuring access to health by everyone.

Herbal traditional systems led by traditional healers and well accepted by the community can be integrated into the system to take care of the primary health needs in villages at a nominal cost. Their knowledge needs to be systematically documented, promoting cultivation and propagation of medicinal herbs which can ensure sustainability. There is a need to harness the traditional healthcare system to supplement the mainstream healthcare mechanism in the country.

Need for Empowerment of Traditional Health Practitioner (THP)

1. Lack of access to comprehensive primary health care services by the tribal community
2. THPs are the primary point of contact for health services without authentication.
3. Lack of modern knowledge and equipment for mainstreaming with the present health practices.

BAIF is addressing these challenges with livelihood generation and focussing on preventive health to improve the quality of life of tribal and rural communities through the following initiatives:

• Empower and enhance the quality, security of health care services to rural and tribal community through traditional healers.
• Authentication of THPs by Quality Council of India (QCI) Conserve, promote native medicines through Healers channel.

Tribal healers serve as essential connectors to bridge the healthcare gap and achieve these goals.

Community benefits

• Accessibility
• Availability of improved comprehensive primary health care services.
• Linkages with modern health care system.

Environmental benefits

• Conservation of Biodiversity
• Sustainable Resource Management

Individual benefits

• Increased income as supplementary livelihood
• Authentication
• Quality of life.

Conclusion

This health care model integrates traditional healing practices with modern healthcare with the goal of improved healthcare in tribal villages. Traditional medicine moves closer to culture and is available at an affordable cost thereby preventing exploitation. As Indians are accustomed to dietary restrictions, it becomes an integral part of traditional medicine and thereby increases acceptance among the community. The community are able to avail of primary health services in the village itself with the creation of a cadre of Traditional Health Practitioner (THPs) who remain an essential aspect of the complementary healthcare system in tribal areas. This system showcases a unique Health Delivery model for further scaling up and replication in other tribal regions of the country.

Case Story : A ray of hope for tribal families

Smt. Manjulaben Patel, a certified tribal healer from Amdha village in Valsad district of South Gujarat, has become a beacon of hope for her community. Prior to the certification through Vasundhara trust her skills and knowledge were unrecognized. However, her passion and dedication for healing, led her to assist other tribal healers and offer free healthcare to the tribal families. Despite a modest background, Manjulaben actively learnt and expanded her expertise in naturopathy through training received at the Nature Cure Ashram at Uruli Kanchan, Pune.

Her active participation in various forums such as Healers meet, Academic institute interactions and a Congress on “Ayurveda” helped strengthen trust among the community. As a result, her livelihood and quality of life improved significantly. Today, she earns an average of ₹70,000 per month and has established her own healthcare centre, “Charak Vanoushodhi Evam Kudarati Prathama Upchar Kendra,” where she provides treatment for various ailments such as paralysis, arthritis, joint pain, diabetes and women’s health issues. So far, she has treated around 11,200 patients.

Manjulaben also promotes traditional medicine and conservation of medicinal plants through the herbal garden established by her. As a mentor, she guides young healers and offers valuable knowledge on the use of herbs to local colleges.  Her journey is an inspiring example of how Women healers can make a significant impact on their communities and also enjoy improved quality of life.