Calls Grow for Govt Support to Farmer-Bred Paddy Varieties via Raitha Samparka Kendras

Rapid Summary

• Experts and organizations have urged the government to promote traditional and farmer-bred paddy varieties through institutional support, such as Raitha Samparka Kendras (RSK), agriculture extension centers.
• Many farmers in Mysuru, H.D. Kote, and Periyapatna regions have conserved and bred traditional paddy varieties for over 20 years using personal resources, as noted by mr. Krishnaprasad of Sahaja Samrudha.
• The demand includes creating community seed banks with adequate financial support (₹5 crore allotted by the State government) while involving these seed conservators in scaling up operations.
• Stakeholders advocate promoting organic seeds alongside organic farming initiatives for sustainability through awareness campaigns, food festivals, nutritional profiling via research collaborations, and formal recognition of traditional paddy varieties within structured systems.
• Community-managed seed systems are highlighted for playing a critical role in biodiversity conservation; however, they require institutional recognition and financial backing to sustain themselves long-term.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The push to promote traditional paddy varieties reflects a growing need to preserve agricultural biodiversity amidst modern monoculture farming practices. The efforts of individual farmers who have conserved indigenous seeds underscore grassroots contributions that often go unrecognized despite their importance for climate resilience and lasting agriculture. Institutional backing via RSKs can potentially help scale these initiatives while ensuring broader access among farmers – vital particularly in the context of organic farming aspirations raised by policymakers.

The commitment towards creating community seed banks appears promising but will hinge on involving experienced local stakeholders directly linked with desi seeds’ conservation over decades-a crucial factor highlighted during expert discussions like the ‘Desi Seed Mela.’ By strengthening partnerships between governments, grassroots experts, communities like women-led collectives, research institutions might drive innovations balancing tradition with scalability-a prospect that coudl add notable value not just agriculturally but socioeconomically across rural India.

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