New Delhi, June 2 -- In the dry parts of Andhra Pradesh, where farming is often hard due to poor rainfall and low soil fertility, local communities are finding strength in old traditions. Community seed banks, led by farmers and women's groups, are bringing back native seeds and promoting safer, low-cost farming.

These initiatives have grown gradually over the last decade, supported by local NGOs and networks that promote sustainable agriculture. According to Uday Nagubandi, programme manager, Sustainable Seed Systems at the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, the efforts to conserve and share traditional seeds have become stronger in recent years as climate pressures worsen.

In districts like Kadapa, Anantapuramu and Sri Sathya Sai, ...