In the quiet village of Jhalaguda, tucked inside the Gundal Gram Panchayat of Odisha’s Kundra block, Rukmani Khilo begins her day much like generations before her. Yet, her work today goes far beyond subsistence farming. A member of the Paraja tribal community, Rukmani has emerged as a powerful symbol of sustainable agriculture, seed conservation, and women-led rural transformation in one of the state’s most marginalised regions.
Her journey reflects how traditional knowledge, when supported by scientific training and collective institutions, can create resilient livelihoods. Rukmani’s turning point came in 2019, when she joined the Board of Directors of Bamandei Farmer Producer Company Limited, promoted by the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Jeypore. Through this platform, she received training in natural farming, seed production, seed bank management, mushroom cultivation, and nursery development. The exposure strengthened her confidence and expanded her understanding of how ancestral wisdom can work alongside modern ecological practices.
For Rukmani, seeds are not merely inputs for cultivation. They represent memory, identity, and survival. She conserves indigenous varieties of paddy such as Machhakanta, Raghusai, and Kalajeera, along with finger millets including Bada Mandia, Dasra Mandia, Riska Mandia, and Janha Mandia. Little millet, black gram, sesame, horse gram, and traditional pulses also form part of her living seed collection. Each variety, she believes, carries specific strengths—whether resistance to pests, adaptability to erratic rainfall, or unique taste and aroma.
Her methods of seed storage are equally rooted in tradition. Maize hangs from kitchen rafters, pigeon pea seeds are wrapped in red soil, and earthen pots layered with neem and nirguni leaves preserve grain vitality. These practices, passed down through generations, ensure that seeds remain viable without chemical inputs. To Rukmani, protecting seeds is about safeguarding the wisdom of her ancestors and ensuring food security for future generations in an increasingly uncertain climate.
Trained by MSSRF, Rukmani has also adopted natural bio-inputs such as Handikhta, Agniastra, Brahmastra, Jibamruta, Amrutjal, Bijamruta, and Ghanajibamruta. These formulations reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides while restoring soil health. She believes farming should regenerate land rather than exhaust it, a principle reflected in the improved fertility and resilience of her fields.
Her farming system is built on diversity. Mixed cropping is central to her approach, combining finger millet with black gram and sesame, bordered by pigeon pea, or intercropping maize with pulses like jhudanga and jata. This method improves soil nutrition, reduces the risk of total crop failure, and ensures steady food and income across seasons. For Rukmani, diversity in the field is a shield against climate uncertainty.
Economic stability has followed ecological resilience. Under the Srianna Abhiyan initiative, she cultivated 2.5 acres of finger millet last year, producing 13.5 quintals. Selling through the mandi earned her Rs 60,000, along with an additional government incentive for sustained millet cultivation. Farming is her family’s sole livelihood, and the assured market access through the farmer producer company has brought both dignity and financial security.
Beyond cultivation, Rukmani’s leadership extends into entrepreneurship and community building. She serves as the President of the Dangardei Self-Help Group in Jhalaguda, supporting collective savings, credit access, and women-led enterprises. She also runs a Millet Tiffin Centre, preparing and selling millet-based snacks, mixtures, and sweets. These value-added products not only increase her income but also revive traditional diets and promote healthier food habits within the community.
Her innovative use of paddy straw has opened yet another livelihood pathway. By venturing into oyster and paddy straw mushroom cultivation, she has diversified her income while reducing agricultural waste. This integration of farming, processing, and entrepreneurship reflects a holistic model of rural sustainability.
Rukmani Khilo’s story demonstrates how grassroots leadership can redefine agriculture. By conserving indigenous seeds, practising natural farming, and building market linkages through collective institutions, she bridges ancestral knowledge with modern science. Her work is not only about today’s harvest, but about protecting biodiversity, strengthening food systems, and passing on resilient farming traditions to future generations.
In a region often defined by scarcity, Rukmani is quietly cultivating abundance of knowledge, confidence, and sustainable hope.