agricoltura indigena

Not only biotechnology, but also indigenous knowledge is capable of developing and conserving crop varieties resistant to climate change.Proof of this is the indigenous Gurung farmers of central Nepal, who are actively working to revive an almost forgotten millet variety but resistant to drought like few others.This is foxtail millet (Italian silk), a grain traditionally grown as a famine crop because it ripens at a time of year when farmers have already harvested everything else.«Foxtail millet is harvested before the monsoon, between June and July, when other crops no longer grow.Unlike other cash crops, however, it needs much less water to grow and requires only three months to be harvested for consumption." he explained Bina Gurung, a farmer from the small village of Ghopte involved in the venture. Foxtail millet, known locally as bariyo kaguno, in the past it was a staple crop in the region, so much so that it was used as a daily substitute for rice.However, in recent d...