Seed Festival

Subject : Geography

Section: Economic geography

Concept :

The native seed festival was first introduced in South India at Thiruthuraipoondi in Tiruvarur district in Tamil Nadu in 2006 by the late Nel Jayaraman ( nel means paddy in Tamil).
Since then it has grown from strength to strength, drawing a large number of organic farmers and promoters of traditional seed varieties every year.
The annual two-day festival is patronised by not only those from Tamil Nadu but also neighbouring States.
It is one of the largest seed exchange programmes across the country.
As many as 200 native varieties of grain are showcased. Mapillai samba, thanga samba and kichili samba were some of the varieties on display.
Native seeds are more genetically diverse and are resilient to harsh climate conditions.
A highlight of the show is that two kg of native seeds are given to farmers who can pledge that they will return with four kg the next year.
Saving water: Farmers say that irrigation needs come down when native seeds are used. While regular varieties may need to be irrigated two hours daily four days a week, a native variety may only need irrigation for two hours twice a week.
Sharing knowledge: An organic farmer talks about farming of kambu (pearl millet).