President Droupadi Murmu honors Dindori's farmer Lahari Bai; PM Modi had also hailed her efforts in Mann ki Baat

 

Bhopal: President Droupadi Murmu today honoured ‘Plant Genome Sanrakshak Kisan Samman’ for the year 2021-22 to Lahri Bai, a farmer of Dindori, Madhya Pradesh, for the conservation and promotion of Sri Anna species. Lahri Bai was honoured with a cash amount of Rs 1,50,000, a citation and a memento at the investiture ceremony of the Farmers’' Rights Global Seminar.

The programme was organised at C. Subramaniam Auditorium, New Delhi. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar was also present.

Lahri Bai has developed a seed bank of rare Sri Anna species like Kodo, Kutki, Sanwa, Kaag, Sikiya and Madua with the help of the Baiga community. Lahri Bai has also organised an exhibition of her seed bank in the global symposium to be held from September 12 to 15, 2023 in Delhi.

Agriculture Minister greets

Farmer Welfare and Agriculture Development Minister Kamal Patel has congratulated Lahri Bai on her remarkable achievement. He said that Lahri Bai has done amazing work for millets conservation. Her work has also been appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the famous radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Lahri Bai has made the entire Madhya Pradesh proud. PM Modi had said that Lahari Bai has done excellent work in the field of Sri Anna. Her efforts will inspire others too.

Lahari Bai declared Millets ambassador

Lahari Bai has been declared Millets ambassador. UNESCO has declared 2023 as the Year of Millets. In this respect, this achievement of Lahari Bai is very special.

Lahari Bai tells that since childhood, she has received information from her ancestors about millet farming and saving its seeds. Lahari Bai has worked to save the seeds used in traditional farming in the forest land owned by the community.

Community Millet Seed Bank in one room

Lahari Bai's house has three rooms made of mud and tiles. Her family lives in one room. The second one has other household items and the third one has the Community Millet Seed Bank in which more than 150 varieties of seeds are available. For this, Lahari Bai has also made a big mud hut so that seeds can be kept safely for a long time.