A tribal woman of Koraput district has preserved over 100 rare traditional varieties of paddy, which are on the verge of extinction.
Kamala Pujari of Patraput panchayat of Jeypore block has made herself to be named in a girls’ hostel of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar. She has travelled to several countries and has been felicitated for her immense contribution to the field of agriculture.
“I was extremely excited to learn that a girls’ hostel has been named after me, which will definitely inspire the young ones to make research on such fields,” Kamala said.
Kamala started preserving the rare breeds of paddy by applying organic compost and following traditional methods about 15 years ago. As she has not used any chemicals, the seeds could be preserved for more than 10 years. The important breeds which she has preserved included Kalajira, Haladiganthi, Jhilli, ladiari, Umuriachudi, lalata, Ghantia and Barapaka.
Kamala gives all credits to the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation of Jeypore for encouraging her to take up the task. Renowned agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan had taken her with him to Africa and made her visit to numerous farms to boost her confidence, she said, adding he got her trained at several institutes as well.
The Equator Initiative Award at Johannesburg in 2002 and the Krushi Bisharad Samman at New Delhi in 2003 were two of the major awards the tribal farmer cherishes the most. Besides, she is proud of being honored with Krushi Samman by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in 2004.
When asked about her fresh interaction with the Chief Minister on March 16, she said Patnaik advised her to continue with the work and encourage others to join her. Kamala has been a member of Janasurakhya Samiti and Panchabati Gramya Unyana Samiti which are mobilising women of nearby villages of Mahuli, Baliguda, Balia and Kumbharpada to adopt traditional methods of farming.
She has been living with her two sons and a daughter after the demise of her husband but leading a pitiable life in a thatched shed. Despite such accomplishments, the elderly woman still lives in penury as her repeated pleas with the Government machinery for a concrete house are yet to bear results.
“Though I placed Jeypore on the world map, I don’t have a permanent roof over my head,” Kamala lamented.