Recently, Thanal, an organization based in Kerala, initiated the Ikki Jathre or the ‘Festival of Rice’ as it is known in tribal dialect. This event saw the planting of 300 varieties of traditional rice, known for their climate-resilience at Panavally, Wayanad. Started under the Save Our Rice campaign by Thanal in 2009, with merely 30 rice varieties, the collection in the Rice Diversity Block (RDB) at Panavally has now expanded tenfold.
Ikki Jathre: A Celebration of Traditional Crops
The key objective of the Ikki Jathre initiative is to raise awareness about the importance of conserving traditional crops, which are equipped to withstand harsh climatic conditions. Acting as a platform for the exchange and co-creation of knowledge, the festival brings together tribal farmers and experts. Most of the rice varieties for the RDB were collected from various parts of India including Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. Additionally, three traditional rice varieties were included from Vietnam and Thailand.
The Save Our Rice Campaign: Protecting Rice Cultures
The Save our Rice campaign is a collective effort to safeguard diverse rice cultures, preserve knowledge, and ensure food sovereignty. Launched in India, in 2004, the campaign empowers communities to build sustainable food security and livelihoods. Key functions of this initiative include: establishing community RDBs and seed banks, promoting the conservation and use of indigenous paddy seeds, creating awareness about the value of rice diversity among urban consumers, facilitating the adoption of agro-ecological farming in rice ecosystems, and encouraging state and local governments to adopt indigenous seeds. The campaign also enables active media discussions about indigenous seeds and agro-ecological farming.
Key Facts About Rice
Rice is a staple food for the majority of India’s population. It is a kharif crop, requiring high temperatures (above 25°C), high humidity, and annual rainfall above 100 cm. In areas with less rainfall, it relies on irrigation. In the southern states and West Bengal, the climatic conditions allow two or three crops of rice cultivation in a year. West Bengal farmers cultivate three varieties of rice known as ‘aus’, ‘aman’, and ‘boro’. Approximately 25% of India’s total cropped area is dedicated to rice cultivation. The leading producers of rice are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab, whereas Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, and Kerala are known for their high yield.
India is the world’s second-largest producer of rice, following China.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Questions
For the benefit of UPSC Civil Services Exam aspirants, five questions from previous years related to rice cultivation and its associated details have been included. The correct answers have also been provided to facilitate learning and better understanding. The questions range from cultivation details to export statistics. They also touch upon the System of Rice Intensification and the role of rice as a source of methane and nitrous oxide.
