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At the Rice Diversity Block in Kukur Village, Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu, Mr. Pandian has dedicated approximately 2 acres to the RDB, allotting 5 cents for each of the 20 traditional paddy varieties, maintaining a 3-foot gap between them to prevent pollen mixing. To counter this, he plans to introduce Sunhemp, a green manure, after the paddy reaches its normal height. The primary field has been readied with green manure and ploughed into the soil, involving a total of 85 kgs of mixed seeds including sorghum, maize, and green grams. Weeding was performed using the Cono Weeder on the 25th day post-transplantation.
At the Rice Diversity Block in Kilnagar, Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu, farmer Mr. K.C. Balaraman is tending to 21 traditional paddy varieties across a 2-acre area, maintaining a 2-foot gap between each variety. A series of images is displayed, illustrating the process from the nursery phase to the transplantation. The enriched Farm Yard Manure is currently being prepared for application in the coming days.
On November 18, 2023, the CREATE team, comprised of Prof. Dr. Duraisingam, Chairman of CREATE, Mr. K. Suresh Kanna, Project Director of CREATE, and Prof. Dr. Karthikeyan, conducted a follow-up visit to Mr. Balaraman’s Rice Diversity Block in Kilnagar Village of Thiruvannamalai, as part of the AEF Project. The Rice Diversity Block is dedicated to cultivating 21 traditional paddy varieties, with each variety allocated 5 cents of land. The enlisted varieties include Sourna Masuri, Black Kouni, Seeraga Samba, Vaasanai Seeraga Samba, Thulasi Vaasanai Seeraga Samba, Kamban Samba, Mysore Malli, Sivan Samba, Chinnar, Milagu Samba, Thuyamalli, Mappillai Samba, Thanga Samba, Kaattu Yaaman, Illuppaipoo Samba, Kullangkar, Kaala Bath, Kaalanamak, Rethasaali, Poongar, and Rosappu Samba.
Employing a rope, the seedlings are strategically planted using strip planting. The land underwent meticulous preparation with green manuring as basal fertilizers. Following the planting, a top dressing with Enriched Farm Yard Manure was applied.
The crops are thriving well, and Mr. Balaraman plans to administer another dose of Enriched FYM. Additionally, he intends to plant green manure in the gaps between varieties, showcasing an impressive commitment to organic principles.
The interaction with Mr. Balaraman instills hope that his farm will evolve into a resource center, meeting the seed requirements of numerous farmers and inspiring them to embrace traditional paddy varieties. During the visit, the team also explored his Mini Rice Mill and Oil extracting unit, which operates efficiently with the aid of solar power. This unit caters to the processing needs of both his crops and neighboring farmers.
The Rice Diversity Block situated in Thirunelly, Mananthavady, Wayanad, Kerala, is a collaborative effort overseen by Mr. Rajesh Krishnan and Mr. Johnson, both integral members of the Thirunelly Agri Producer Company (TAPC). Commencing with 7 varieties in 2015, this initiative has flourished to embrace 52 distinct varieties, among which roughly 25 are indigenous to the Wayanad region.
Spanning an expanse of 3 acres, the Rice Diversity Block hosts 52 traditional paddy varieties this year, with individual areas allocated for each variety ranging from 1 cent to 3 cents. An intriguing facet established to captivate visitors involves planting diverse paddy varieties in a plot designed in the likeness of Kathakali, the traditional dance form of Kerala.
All these varieties are cultivated with a modified System of Rice Intensification (SRI), which maintains a 1-foot gap between every two rows. This method, unlike square planting, enables the usage of a conoweeder in a singular direction, thereby significantly reducing the labor requirements during transplanting.
As part of the Agro Ecology Fund, CREATE’s team visited the Organic Rice Diversity Block of Mr. Syed Ghani Khan in Kirigavalu village, Mandya district, Karnataka, on December 6, 2023. The visit included:
Traditional Rice Diversity Block:
Mr. Syed Ghani Khan’s farm conserves around 1350 traditional paddy varieties, making it a living seed bank for diverse paddy varieties nationwide. The on-field conservation, coupled with the evolutionary processes of growing varieties each year, ensures a continuous supply of germplasm. Instead of using freezers, he skillfully practices on-field seed conservation, identifying and preserving the best seeds. A portion of his plot is dedicated to maintaining a seed bank, preventing the disappearance of these varieties. The seeds, with a shelf life of 18 months, include wetland, dryland, medicinal, aromatic, and irrigated rice. He generously supplies organic seeds free of cost to fellow organic farmers and has successfully reintroduced lost traditional varieties, preserving the ancestral wisdom for future generations.
Mandya Rice Museum:
Mr. Syed Ghani Khan has curated a living rice museum with approximately 1350 carefully harvested varieties. Panicles laden with grain are meticulously preserved, and the museum serves as a knowledge center where visitors can study the entire paddy plant’s profile, including its structure, plant growth, and root growth. Each plant is marked with variety names and numbers, arranged systematically. Additionally, Mr. Khan creates fine and artistic jewelry from rice grains and other rice-based handicrafts.
Mini Rice Mill:
Mr. Ghani Khan’s Mini Rice Mill unit, equipped with a pre-cleaner, huller, separator, destoner, and grader, is dedicated to milling organic paddy from his field and other local organic farmers. This unit allows milling even in small quantities compared to commercial rice milling units. Due to unstable power supply, he sought alternatives, and Selco India provided support in establishing a solar-backed sustainable energy solution. This initiative not only reduced electricity bills but also supported the installation of a cold storage unit by Selco India to preserve traditional paddy varieties at the Rice Museum.
The visit proved insightful, showcasing how an RDB can integrate with related components such as a museum and a mini rice mill. This innovative approach encourages and motivates both consumers and farmers. A follow-up plan is underway to leverage Mr. Ghani Khan’s expertise in approaching Selco India and replicating similar initiatives in Tamil Nadu, where RDBs are established.
As part of the Agro Ecology Project, CREATE (Consumer Research Education Action Training and Empowerment), in collaboration with Thiagaraja College, Madurai, has established its fifth Rice Diversity Block (RDB) in Podumbu village, Madurai District. This marks the third RDB in Tamil Nadu under this initiative. The transplanting festival was organized on 11th December 2023. The total size of the RDB is 2 acres, cultivating 12 traditional paddy varieties:
Dr. D. Kannan, Head of the Botany Department, Thiagaraja College, along with Assistant Professors Dr. V. Karthikeyan and Dr. K. Jegadheesan, participated in the special occasion of paddy transplanting in the Model Organic Rice Diversity Block, accompanied by 25 students from the Department of Botany, Thiagaraja College. They actively engaged in the transplantation of young paddy seedlings in the main field and interacted with the farmers present, enhancing their practical knowledge of paddy farming. The participants expressed gratitude to both CREATE and Thiagaraja College for providing this valuable opportunity.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Dr. P. Duraisingam, Chairman of CREATE, explained that this collaborative effort is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CREATE and Thiagaraja College, aimed at involving students, especially those in the Department of Botany, in the dissemination of traditional paddy varieties and the promotion of organic farming. He emphasized that students should consider this as a Field Learning Site, making periodic visits to the RDB, interacting with farmers and CREATE staff, supporting them in the process of information collection and documentation of each variety planted, and compiling this information into a handbook for wider dissemination and use.