Our Story
We are India’s first farmer owned organic seed company!
Sahaja Samrudha, an organic farmers collective, has spearheaded a movement for the promotion of ecological agriculture through the revival of indigenous seeds. In its journey, it has met and has been inspired by many local seed savers. These are people who had reproduced and handed down from generation to generation, seeds that had unmatched richness of flavor, nutritional benefit, and resistance to pest and diseases. In an effort to bring these exotic varieties to the consumers, while assuring quality and purity, Desi Seed Producer Company Limited was born!
Today, our seed savers are producing more than a 150 potential varieties that can be grown by any consumer – from the urban apartments to the rural fields. These varieties have been carefully picked to meet high standards of flavor and nutrition. The seeds are marketed under the brand name ‘Sahaja Seeds’- high quality, organically grown, traditional, open pollinated vegetables and cereal crops seeds. Our seed producers are located across India adaptable varieties conserved by farming communities over generations.
We seek to bring back the tradition of seed saving amongst us by collecting, propagating and exchanging indigenous and rare varieties.
Our Mission
Our mission is to conserve, propagate and promote agro bio-diversity and build seed saving communities.
We believe that seeds belongs to the communities, and not any individual or a company. Our seeds reflect this, and therefore they are organic, open pollinated and open source.
Open Pollinated
Our seed is open pollinated (OP), which means that saved seeds will breed true to type and our farmers have direct access and control over their seed supply. In contrast, hybrids and GMO varieties are impossible for farmers to reproduce, leaving them dependent on seed companies for new seeds. OP varieties are reproduced through natural pollination via the wind or insects.
Open Source
We are foremost organic seed producers. We are out to save organic seeds and we want you to hop on with us! The seed industry, a handful of large companies, is in control of much of the world’s seed supply. Focusing exclusively on developing varieties that are hybrids, elite OP varieties, or genetic engineered, thereby denying us our seed sovereignty – the basis for our food supply. Our answer to this problem is to put all our seeds in the public domain for customers. This means that you can reproduce, improve and select varieties of your own choice. You will also have the freedom to share your variety with your friends, family and the world.
Organically Grown
Our mission is to grow using sustainable agricultural practices, starting with the seed, where it all begins. We nurture our crops by building rich, healthy soil that encourages all beneficial organisms. We don’t use genetic modification, irradiation, sewage sludge or synthetic agrochemicals that are allowed in non-organic system that has wreaked havoc on the people, planet and our economy.
Join The Seed Movement
Our vision is to make the farmer independent, grow using sustainable agricultural practices, starting with the seed, where it all begins. We don’t use genetic modification, irradiation, sewage sludge or synthetic agrochemicals that are allowed in non-organic system that has wreaked havoc on people, planet and our economy. Our seed is open-pollinated which means that saved seed will breed true type and our farmers have direct access and control of their seed supply.
Join us to bring back the tradition of seed saving by collecting, propagating, and exchanging indigenous and rare varieties. We seek sustainable living and a more self-reliant lifestyle.
Our Team
G KRISHNA PRASAD
Founder and Director
Rural Karnataka’s ‘native seed man’ is G. Krishna Prasad. Since 20 years, he’s been leading a movement to conserve indigenous varieties of seeds. The establishment of Sahaja Samrudha was a step in this direction and the organisation networks with organic farmers, promotes knowledge and information and also enables exchange of seeds.Krishna is creating a new market for organic farming in India by leveraging the knowledge and networks of existing farmers to revive and maintain traditional varieties of seeds and commercialize organic seeds. Krishna believes that the assured supply of quality organic seeds is the first step toward incentivizing the preservation of traditional varieties of seeds and organic farming.
SRINIVASA MURTHY
Director
Though a “farmer by accident”, Srinivasa Murthy a paddy cultivator from T. Narsipura in Mysore district is conserving indigenous rice varieties by choice and conviction, as most of these are on the brink of extinction and might be lost to posterity. His on-farm conservation sites are a plethora of different rices – different shapes, different colours. Over the years he has mastered the art of seed production and reserves a portion of his plot for maintaining a live seed bank, to preserve them and prevent them from disappearing forever. Some of the diversity – Komala, Madras Sanna, Tulsia, MutthinaSanna, Doddigya, Bheema Saale, Solari, RatnaChudi, AanekombinnaBattha are a few among the more exotic varieties of rice, while producing Siddansanna, Rajmudi, Rathnachudi and HMT on a large scale.
NARASIMHA REDDY
Director
Narasimha Reddy of Gowribidanuru, being a farmer all his life has developed the skill of growing quality vegetables and producing quality vegetable seeds. Farming is his passion and with a zeal for experimenting on new vegetables and selecting the best plants that has kept him improving his stock of seeds with every passing season.He says that desi indigenous varieties have played a huge role in his farming; they can handle climate change, are tolerant to drought conditions, and are naturally resistant to diseases and pests. Moreover, they are adaptable to organic farming methods.Vegetables diversity grown on his farm with adapting Permaculture gardening include – Tomatoes – brandy, wine, madanapalleredcherry, kashiBrinjal – green long,purple stripe.He also conducts curated workshops on his farm and outside for interested group of people to come over and learn about seed sowing and harvesting seeds.
SHIVALLI BOREGOWDA
Director
Here is a man with a difference who chose not to follow the crowd to get maximum yield, Boregowda, a farmer from a small village Shivalli in Mandya District, has set a milestone in agriculture with his seed saving practices and breeding new varieties that are adaptable of local conditions. For him conservation of seeds also means observing and experimenting with them. As a result, he has developed two distinct paddy varieties, Kannada tumbaand Siddasanna, which are popular among farmers and consumers. Boregowda is preserving local strains of 400varieties of Paddy, 16 varieties of Finger millet and many different Pulses and Vegetables. The Paddy Museum he has designed is the first of its kind in Karnataka. The unique architecture of the Paddy Museum represents harvested rice stalks, rice motifs, showcases the paddy cultivation process and displays all kinds of agricultural tools and equipment.
SHRENIKRAJ YALAVATTI
Director
Though a protagonist of hybrid seeds could not battle with changes in climate, soon Shernik Raj realized that without sufficient water there would be no seed production. His experiments on traditional seeds started in the early 2000’s in a small village, Chinnikatti in the northern part of Karnataka state and two decades later he has transformed his whole community into seed saving of traditional seeds of finger millets, minor millets, paddy and vegetables seeds. Shernikraj and his group of farmers save, use, share and enhance the seed diversity which is being preserved in the community seed bank that has been established involving the panchayat.It is today with few stalwart farmers like him that we are re-discovering the legacy and taste of ancient rice. To name a few varieties -jeeriga samba, gandhasale, budabatha,salemsanna, dodda bath …. are once again back on our tables, thanks to farmers like Shrenikraj.
MANJULA RAMAKRISHNA
Director
Mrs.Manjula Ramakrishna, a post-graduate in physics has been shouldering as many regenerating jobs as she can manage without any compromise. As a home maker, mother, teacher, volunteer in social organisations, director of organic food company and lately as a farmer her roles were decisive and emulating to others.She is a strong follower of environmental ethics and an advocate of sustainable resource management. Her attribution towards farming and farmers has landed herself into natural farming and seed conservation at Belavala Farm near Mysuru. She as the Director of Sahaja Seeds, supports the philosophy of ‘Seed Sovereignty’ and ‘Farmers Right’ over local seeds.
RAVI K MAGAL
Chief Executive Officer
With his management skills joined Sahaja Seeds. He is responsible for organising and implementing the overall operations of the Company.Has rich experience of handling major assignments as a CEO. His focus is to manage sales, marketing, branding and promotional activities of Sahaja Seeds
MANJU K S
Production Manager
From inception of Sahaja Seed he has been involved deeply in the growth of the Company, from quality testing to marketing of seeds and trying his hands on growing all varieties of seeds on the terrace.He plays a vital role in the production processes of seeds.Plans and directs development of quality seed production with farmers. He manages the entire seed operation with imparting production techniques to farmers to handling harvesting and collection of quality seeds.
MANUKUMAR
Packing and Distribution Executive
Hard working and sincere with result oriented professional experience in packaging.Working since 2017 at SAHAJA SEEDS managing the entire packing and distribution.Resourceful at analysing internal germination tests for seeds. Organised Seed Melas and takes care of stall operations and seed sales.
SYED JAMAL
Admin Executive
With his adminstrative experience manages the multi functions of the Company. Responsible for interacting with the clients and solving their queries by handling the SAHAJA SEEDS administration department. Foresees queries and inquires through E-mail, WhatsApp, Facebook and dispatches customer orders.
SHIVARUDRA M
Accounts Manager
He provides professional financial support to the senior management team and Company.Monitors the financial operations and budget needs of the company.Organises partner, board of directors and stakeholders meets.He is an avid Gardener and also tries his skill at Photography.