Mysuru Desi Rice Mela Celebrates Paddy Diversity and Heritage

Quick Summary

• The two-day Desi Rice Mela began in Mysuru on Saturday, aimed at showcasing the diversity of indigenous rice varieties.
• Nearly 200 customary paddy varieties, including red rice, black rice, aromatic rice, medicinal rice, and bold-grained types, are on display at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry.
• Organised by Sahaja Samrudha and Save Our Rice Campaign, the event features seed conservators selling desi seeds like Rajamudi, Burma Black & Sidda Sanna directly to consumers.
• Speakers highlighted threats to traditional varieties due to hybrid crops and consumer preferences for polished white rice. They called for government intervention to revive these nutrient-rich options.
• Medicinal benefits of certain types such as black and red rice were emphasized for inclusion in local diets. Several farmer-bred varieties are also showcased but await government approvals.
• concerns were expressed about the introduction of transgenic paddy due to environmental and health risks.
• The mela additionally offers millets, vegetable seeds, tubers, fruit saplings & organic products.

Indian Opinion analysis

The Desi Rice Mela underscores a crucial challenge facing India’s agricultural sector: balancing modern commercial needs with preserving age-old farming traditions that cater to local ecological demands and dietary diversity.While over 200 indigenous paddy types showcase India’s farming richness at this event in Mysuru-a key hub of Karnataka’s agrarian heritage-concerns about their declining prominence warrant institutional focus.

Calls from experts urging governmental support highlight broader issues regarding market-driven monoculture practices sidelining sustainable alternatives like native crops with proven nutritional or medicinal benefits (e.g., red or black rice). furthermore,farmer-bred innovations pending approvals suggest scope for policy acceleration toward integrating these varieties into mainstream agriculture systems.

The caution against transgenic paddy reflects wider global debates surrounding genetically modified foods as states attempt transitioning between tradition-modernity paradigms responsibly fitting long-term consumer stakeholders/emphasizing soil conservation eco-system .For full details visit : “‘)https://www.thehindu.com/theme/images/th-online