Through the Naam Foundation, a livelihood project called the Seed Bank was implemented in Kalamnuri, Hingoli district, for two years. In the first year, it was carried out with 1,000 farmers, and in the second year with 500 farmers. This year, the project is also being successfully implemented with 100 tribal farmers in Nashik district.

In the first year, 1,000 poor and needy farmers in Hingoli district were provided chickpea foundation seeds by the Naam Foundation. These seeds were delivered directly to the farmers’ fields. Alongside this, a training program was conducted before sowing, where farmers were given detailed information about modern farming techniques and agricultural tools. The Foundation also provided seed-sowing machines free of cost. Demonstrations showed that these machines reduced seed and labor costs by nearly 40%. Farmers were also educated about the damage caused by excessive water use and how to improve soil quality.

During sowing, Trichoderma, a fungicide, was distributed free of cost. Farmers were shown how it helps prevent seed wastage in the soil. After sowing, agricultural experts regularly visited the fields to guide farmers on proper irrigation practices. Additionally, sorghum and pearl millet were sown in the fields. This had a natural benefit: birds attracted to the sorghum also fed on the caterpillars and pests attacking the chickpea crop, helping to control infestations naturally. In some farms, sunflowers were planted along the boundaries, which also helped in pest control.

This year, despite heavy rains and hailstorms in Hingoli, farmers using the Foundation seeds experienced only a 15% reduction in yield, retaining 85% of their expected harvest. In contrast, farmers who used their usual seeds saw yields drop by 75%, leaving them with only 20–25% of their expected output. This difference was clearly visible to the farmers themselves. Because of this improved yield, farmers received better prices in the market. Their per-acre production increased from 5–6 quintals to 8–9 quintals. The use of foundation seeds reduced the incidence of crop diseases. Farmers also received excellent guidance on modern farming, which they applied to their rabi crops as well. They no longer needed to purchase low-quality seeds from the market, since the foundation seeds could be stored for future sowing.