Seed Ball Plantation: Community Push for Forest Regeneration
Why in the news
Community-led seed ball plantation was highlighted as a cheap way to restore pressured forests.
Key facts
- 2001-2023 forest loss: 2.33 million hectares, worst in mining states Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha.
- Seed ball: native seed in soil and natural compost; scattered in degraded forests and sprouts as rain dissolves the coating.
- Low-cost, scalable, eco-friendly and suited to remote areas.
Progress
| Year | Seed balls sown |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.3 million |
| 2024 | 1.6 million (up 23%) |
Role of PRADAN
- 43-year-old grassroots body, Centre of Excellence – Forest; trained women, youth and villagers and used IEC tools.
- Partners: communities, PRIs, State Forest Departments, CSOs.
Significance
- Better soil, biodiversity and climate adaptation; eco-citizenship and forest restoration.
Exam angle
- IEC = Information, Education, Communication.
- PRADAN: Centre of Excellence – Forest.