The central Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand in India are well-known for their biodiversity, not only in wild vegetation but also in agricultural crops. Social, economic and climate change factors have been eroding the agricultural biodiversity in recent years. A number of important high value traditional food grain crops are becoming endangered. This will have serious implications for agriculture, agriculture-based livelihoods as well as availability of food and nutrition.

In this context, the Institute of Himalayan Environmental Research and Education (INHERE) working with rural communities for over three decades has started a campaign to save and conserve the local agro biodiversity of the region. Seeds are being located and collected from communities of the mountain villages who still grow these crops. So far, 73 varieties of 37 food crops covering cereals, millets, pulses, oil seeds, spices and vegetables have been collected and distributed to the farmers for multiplication. Farmers are being encouraged to grow these crops for food and nutrition and to exchange with other farmers. INHERE also plans to eventually market these seeds over a wider region.

The seed varieties collected have been mainly paddy, wheat, barley, finger millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, amaranth, maize, saunf, fenugreek, bishops seed, bhangeera, jakhiya, kulth, moong, urd, lentil, beans, lobia, rajma, linseed, rai, mustard, okra, bittergourd, bottlegourd, palak, bakula, sponge gourd, eggplant, tomato, cucumber, etc .

Along with the above traditional crops, other crop varieties such as Pant matar 10 (a pea variety), Japanese long white raddish, VL Dhan (rice) 85, and VL wheat 907, developed by agricultural institutions, especially for the hills are also being promoted among farmers for seed cultivation. All these crops are open pollinated. Approximately, 14-hectare area has been initially covered under seed production. Organic seed certification by a government agency is in progress and when it materialises, INHERE will be in a position to provide seeds in sufficient quantity to more and more farmers. Their main objective to revive agricultural biodiversity hopefully will be fulfilled.