In Kerala, Usha Soolapani’s passion for sustainable farming led her to help thousands of farmers revive and safeguard over a thousand traditional rice varieties, preserving both biodiversity and livelihoods.
- Over 30,000 farmers conserve 1,000+ indigenous rice types
- Campaign spans six Indian states with community seed banks
- Focus on climate resilience, nutrition, and biodiversity
What happened
In the early 1980s, agriculture officer Usha Soolapani from Palakkad, Kerala, was inspired by a Japanese book called The One-Straw Revolution, which advocated for chemical-free farming and a broader view of agriculture’s role. Motivated by these ideas, she dedicated her career to supporting sustainable farming practices and preserving traditional rice cultivation.
Between 2005 and 2018, Usha and her organization Thanal traveled through states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Kerala to find farmers who still cared for ancestral rice seeds. They discovered farmers safeguarding seeds in clay pots and household rafters. The Save Our Rice campaign was born to create community seed banks and Rice Diversity Blocks, where farmers could cultivate and exchange these traditional varieties.
Why it feels good
Usha’s work highlights more than just preserving rice seeds; it protects entire ecosystems and the people who depend on them. Rice cultivation isn’t merely agricultural production, but a complex system that sustains biodiversity, cultural heritage, and local economies. By protecting traditional rice varieties, farmers preserve crops adapted over generations to local conditions, which strengthens climate resilience and nutritional diversity.
Moreover, Usha’s campaign connects farming practices with public health and environmental care, emphasizing the dangers of chemical pesticides like Endosulfan. The initiative fosters a sense of community and stewardship among thousands of farmers, ensuring these precious varieties and knowledge survive amid modern challenges like land development and shifting markets.
What to enjoy or watch next
Keep an eye on how community seed banks and Rice Diversity Blocks expand in India, potentially influencing policies that value biodiversity alongside crop yields. These models offer hope for revitalizing traditional agriculture with modern support, making farming more sustainable and rewarding for new generations.
For those interested in exploring the beauty and importance of rice diversity, local seed festivals and agricultural fairs often showcase heirloom varieties with stories from farming elders. Engaging with these events or supporting similar conservation campaigns can offer a deeper appreciation of food heritage and the quiet revolutions happening in fields across India.