Chhattisgarh: Couple preserves 350 paddy varieties to protect biodiversity

Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], July 1 (ANI): A couple in Jagdalpur has managed to preserve over 350 varieties of paddy in order to protect biodiversity and preserve traditional seeds.
India is well known across the globe for the varieties of paddy being cultivated and efforts being made by people for its preservation. Taking up the task of preserving paddy varieties, the couple has managed to preserve over 350 varieties, which common people have never heard about, including Ram Laxman, Ravan, Nariyal phool, Saras Panchi, Loktimachi, Kamal dhaan and others.
Speaking to ANI, farmer Vijay Kumar Bharat said that a Delhi-based organisation had launched a campaign for the protection of biodiversity and the preservation of traditional seeds of paddy.

"Following the motivation for the organisation, we started preserving the traditional varieties otherwise it would get extinct as several companies in the market are developing hybrid seeds. If farmers will continue to purchase seeds from the market then they will not have seeds and several yielding varieties of paddy would get extinct," Bharat said.
The traditional varieties of seeds have the quality of producing high yield and did not put any adverse impact on health, added the farmer.
As a result of the green revolution, several traditional varieties of paddy lost their existence in Punjab and Haryana, said Vijay Kumar, adding that both the regions witnessed rampant use of hybrid seeds and chemical fertilizer during its cultivation and as a result cases of cancer increases in both the places.
He also expressed gratitude towards Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for promoting organic farming and the use of vermicompost in agricultural practices.
Giving details about the traditional varieties, Prabhati said, "We have preserved 350 varieties of paddy and efforts are on to collect more varieties. Of preserved varieties, some of them have medicinal properties." (ANI)