These DIY Seed Bombs Are Helping Fight Deforestation In India

Representational Image (Image source: starofmysore.com)
Representational Image (Image source: starofmysore.com)Representational Image (Image source: starofmysore.com)

Environmental degradation has been at the forefront of media reportage for a while now and it is about time we take some substantial measures to combat it. Having said that, there are many working tirelessly towards restoring the planet to its original state. An important factor that accelerates the process of environmental restoration are the ingenious innovations and ideas that find new ways or in some cases revive age old practices to combat environmental degradation. One such practice that is being revived is seed bombing.

Seed bombing a technique used to plant trees. It is an ancient Japanese practice, also known as Tsuchi Dango (seed dumpling) and Japanese farmer Masanobu Fukuoka is credited for popularising this ingenious method used in farms in order to increase crop yield. Seed balling, seed grenades and aerial farming are other popular terms used to refer to this farming technique.Seed bombing is becoming increasingly popular world over including India. Seed bombs are cheaper compared to other plant samplings, they are organic, easy to make, and owing to their size can be transported from one place to another easily. It’s benefits play a huge role in the technique’s growing popularity.

Seed bombs are not as complex as they might sound. A seed bombs are seeds mixed with three parts mu and one part compost, that is kneaded into a dough and moulded into balls. These balls are then place in a cavity in the ground. The reason behind scooping mu out before placing the seed bomb is to avoid seeds from getting washed away. While see bomba are easy to find at nurseries and on the internet, lots of people have adopted the DIY approach to seed bombs as well. Friends for Reviving Our Green Earth (Ffroge), a community of environmentalists, wildlife photographers and nature enthusiasts, has been instrumental in propagating and practising see bombing in India, particularly Maharashtra.

A policy that Ffroge strictly follows to ensure that the seeds to not go to waste is sowing seeds that are native to the particular region they are working in. For example, in Maharashtra, they would plant seeds of mangoes, watermelon, jackfruit, lemon, chikoo, litchi and custard apple. The seeds they use are collected from homes of locals and from schools across the state. “Another plus point of planting these fruit trees in forests is that it won’t compel animals to step out of their habitat in search of food. We need to understand that climate change is a real threat, and we need to do something about it. Waiting for someone else to take responsibility about your environment is a waste of time,” explained Vikas Mahajan, founder of Ffroge, in an interview with The Asian Age. Ffroge also works with school children across Mumbai and Thane. They organise workshops that teach children how to create seed bombs and hold sessions to create awareness about deforestation.

Visit Ffroge’s Facebook page for more information about seed bombing.

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