Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Adivasi Farmer Urges Global Meeting to Preserve Traditional Crops
Marsakola Kamala is an Adivasi farmer from Telangana.
She attended an international farming meeting in Cambodia.
She explained why traditional crops such as millets are important.
These crops can help families grow food for themselves.
Adivasi farmers once saved seeds after each harvest for the next planting season.
Kamala said this practice has slowly disappeared.
She also said climate change is making farming more difficult.
She wants older farming knowledge to be taught to younger generations.
Farmers from several countries discussed ways to protect traditional crops and build sustainable food systems.
Marsakola Kamala spoke at an international meeting on agroecology and climate justice in Cambodia.
She urged communities to preserve traditional farming methods, seeds and agricultural knowledge.
Adivasi farmers in parts of Tiryani cultivate foxtail millet, little millet, jowar and pulses.
Kamala promotes millet cultivation for household consumption instead of relying on market-supplied grains.
The meeting included representatives from India, Cambodia and the Philippines discussing climate change and local seed rights.
- Who
- Marsakola Kamala, representing Jai Jangubai Mahila Sangam and working with the Food Sovereignty Alliance.
- What
- She presented traditional Adivasi farming methods and called for preserving millets, seeds and local agricultural knowledge.
- When
- September 21-26; the year is not specified.
- Where
- An international meeting in Cambodia; Kamala is from Navgad village in Tiryani mandal, Telangana.
- Why
- To strengthen food self-reliance and sustainable local food systems while addressing climate change and El Nino effects.
- Speaker
- Marsakola Kamala
- Meeting theme
- Agroecology and Climate Justice
- Meeting location
- Cambodia
- Meeting dates
- September 21-26
- Traditional crops
- Korralu (foxtail millet), Samalu (little millet), jowar and pulses
- Represented group
- Jai Jangubai Mahila Sangam
- Participating countries
- India, Cambodia and the Philippines