Preservation and Promotion of Local Red Paddy Rice



CSA facilitated a project review meeting between Misereor (a funding agency) and a farmers group of beneficiaries from Prerana (Community Centre at Dongri, Bhayander West) on 16th Feb 2017. During the review the farmers were advised on the need to preserve and promote their traditional seeds on the farms.
One of the farmers Mr. Edwin Nunes took the recommendation seriously and went around various centres at the taluka and local area to meet farmers and discuss on the local varieties of grains grown. He approached CSA to identify sources from where he could find the seeds. CSA Staff guided him to approach an agricultural research centre in Dahanu Taluka. From here Mr. Edwin was able to obtain the 5 kilograms of the local variety of red paddy. He cultivated these seeds on a pilot basis on his own farm and has been able to harvest around 250 kgs of this rice from the 5 kgs. This local red paddy has high nutrient content as well as a high demand in the market and hence fetches a premium price.
Now across Dharavi Island Mr. Edwin is the only farmer who has this local red paddy seeds and is cultivating a second crop of the same variety.  The other farmers are now working towards obtaining the same variety and taking it up for cultivation in the coming Kharif season during monsoons.

Location: Dongri, Uttan, Mira Bhayandar, Maharashtra, India

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