MANGALORE June 27: The day-long "Beeja Mela" (seed fair) held here on Monday called for the protection of endemic varieties of paddy and other horticultural produce against the onslaught of genetically modified seeds. The mela was organised by the Nagarika Seva Trust and Krishikara Vedike-Karnataka.

Experts who participated in the mela feared that globalisation would threaten native varieties of seeds and endanger local varieties of paddy and other crops.

Globalisation

Presiding over the inaugural function of the mela, vice-president of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh Karnataka, Lakshmish Tholpady, said that with globalisation everything was on sale. The earth, water and air were being privatised and controlled by multinational companies. These companies were regulating the marketing of seeds and their exchange among farmers.

Multinational companies manufacturing seeds were trying to destroy the diversity of paddy crops by modifying them and encouraging farmers to switch over to them, he said.

Mr. Tholpady claimed that large companies had taken control of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) at Manila in Philippines by pumping in funds and forcing the institute to take up a campaign in favour of genetically modified seeds.

Mr. Tholpady recalled how Karnataka's sugar from Ashtagrama was hailed for its quality at a world agricultural convention nearly a century ago.

Commercial crops

Joint Director of the Agriculture Department Padmayya Naik said profiteering paddy fields were being converted into horticultural plantations by farmers, and added that land under paddy cultivation had decreased considerably. Commercial crops such as vanilla, arecanut and cocoa were being grown widely and paddy yield had come down, he added. These commercial crops had lost their value. To escape from such unplanned cultivation, farmers should take the advise of experts in the department who would help them augment their yield and earn profits. Coordinator of the Green Foundation of Bangalore, Krishna Prasad, said Indian farmers had evolved the "Krishi Samskriti" which had encouraged the exchange of seeds among farmers, traditional methods of preservation of seeds, traditional grafting of paddy varieties and other techniques. This had helped increase yield at a time when native varieties of paddy were being targeted by multinational companies, he added.

President of the zilla panchayat Mamata D.S. Gatti, who inaugurated the mela, said the zilla panchayat wanted the Agriculture and Horticultural departments to create awareness on crop rotation and on government schemes available to farmers. President of the Nagarika Seva Trust K. Somanatha Nayak spoke.

 A variety of seeds on display at mela

The Beeja Mela (seed fair) organised by the Nagarika Seva Trust and Krishikara Vedike Karnataka on Monday was a veritable fare. It drew a large number of researchers, students and farmers from across city and district.

At a time when farmers are shying away from paddy cultivation owing to mounting costs and declining returns, the mela has opened a sea of options to them and they can revive paddy cultivation using native seeds from the seed bank. The mela presented hundreds of varieties that can be cultivated in different geographical conditions.

One of the oldest surviving varieties "Moradda" requires very little water. "Kayame" is known to ensure yield even where soil fertility is low. It has several other variants such as Chare, Kumeru and Ajipa Salae for boiled rice. "Mussurie", "Rajakamaye", "Gandhasalae", "Alyande", "Kalame", "Kariyajibi" were other varieties on display. The aromatic varieties included "Gandhasalae", "Jeersalae" and "Basmathi". High-yielding varieties such as "Gulvady Sanna", "Mysore Mallige", "Jaya", "Athikaya" and others attractions at the mela.

The trust and the vedike have together helped farmers create the "Beeja Nidhi" (seed vault) in four different places in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. "Namana" in Mitthabagilu in Belthangady taluk, "Sankranti" in Bellare in Sullia taluk, "Navanavami" in Handadi in Udupi taluk and "Chiguru" in Kemundalu in Puttur taluk. They have together preserved 70 varieties of paddy.

The "Beeja Nidhi" takes up local biodiversity register projects to record seeds. It includes fruits, berries, legumes and vegetables.

Hindu