The rice and fall of paddy in India

Diversity is the hallmark of the natural world and it is reflected in every creation and species spread across both the animal kingdom as well as the plant life. We can see this amazing diversity in every type of fruits, vegetables and grains as well.

Just the incredible range of rice alone is simply astounding. However, as with everything else, human exploitation of nature for our endless greed is obliterating the rich diversity in paddy.

Just five decades back, India had more than 100,000 varieties of rice, but currently only 7,000 varieties are surviving, out of which only a few dozen are popularly known and consumed.

India is primarily a rice eating nation and has been so for thousands of years. Indians were among the earliest cultivators of rice in the world, with more than 10,000 years of continuous history of growing rice.

Traditionally, every region, sub region and local communities had their own indigenous varieties that were suitable to the local weather conditions, soil types and other natural elements.

Tribals in many parts of India continue to grow and consume some of these unique varieties, making valiant efforts to preserve their agricultural heritage.

In Karnataka’s Hassan district, veteran farmer Ravi Shankar Rudrappa has been growing a rare breed of red rice called Rajamudi since he joined his family’s farming tradition as a teenager.

He says, this variety of rice has been in his family for centuries.

“I inherited Rajamudi from my father and forefathers. This is an ancient grain and it doesn’t require any chemicals to cultivate. This is planted every year between June 15 and July 15 and it more or less grows naturally, without much fertilisation. It has the ability to fight any pest naturally. It has a rich taste and is good for health,” said the 62-year-old natural farmer.

Among the great qualities of traditional varieties is that they have greater ability to withstand changes in weather conditions as well as pests.

“This is a local variety and the best thing about it is it adapts to the local conditions very well. People in this region have been eating this for ages and we are very healthy. In India, every region had local varieties that have been part of the culture for centuries, now every crop is being replaced by commercial varieties which is causing destruction to the natural balance, ecosystem as well as our health,” added Rudrappa, who has always been practising zero-input sustainable farming, a practice he inherited from his father.

These local varieties have nutritional values and medicinal properties that have sustained for centuries, helping the natives build their immunity and are specifically conducive to their health.

In Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, an aromatic variety of rice called Girsal was quite a rage until two decades back, with most families consuming it for their daily meals, but now farmers are struggling to hold on to the elusive grains.

Nagraj Gonda is among a handful of farmers who still cultivate Girsal rice, more to maintain the tradition rather than to sustain a living.

“It just went out of preference over the last three decades, mostly replaced by basmati and other commercial varieties that are cheaper and more readily available,” said Gonda, who is among the last few farmers in the village of Hadouli near Bhatkal, keeping the tradition barely afloat.

Recalling his childhood, Gonda says that Girsal and other local varieties used to be cultivated by every farmer not just in his village but across all the neighbouring villages as well.

“There used to be so much demand, we even exported the rice to other districts and states. Things changed when people started preferring other varieties and farmers lost interest as government agents promoted other varieties citing higher yield and profits,” added Gonda, reminiscing how a heritage was lost.

The shift happened mostly during the so called ‘green revolution’ and decades that followed. This is not just the story of one state, but a tale of deprivation across the country, where most of the local rice varieties have been lost.

The ‘green revolution’ came into effect in the 1960s and 70s, replacing diversity with monoculture and hybrid seeds that supposedly gave higher yield, which resulted in destruction of India’s rich rice heritage.

Though the ‘green revolution’ has made sure that India is now the world’s second largest producer of rice and the largest exporter, it could hardly address the problem it sought to solve - the welfare and happiness of the farmers.

India’s more than 150 million farmers continue to suffer, with new problems adding to their woes daily.

Thankfully, there is a growing movement of ecologists, agriculturists and conservations who are not only raising awareness about what was lost but are also driving the efforts to preserve whatever little has survived. As a result, a number of seed collectives have emerged that are collecting little known and near extinct varieties, while encouraging farmers to grow these.

With greater awareness and support, let’s hope that the future generations will be able to taste the fruits of their ancestors’ efforts and the world will be able to benefit from this rich diversity.