Participation in the Desi Rice Mela – Mysuru, Karnataka (9–10 August 2025)
A two-day Desi Rice Mela was held at Nanjaraja Bahaddur Choultry, Mysuru, Karnataka, on 9th and 10th August 2025. The event was organized by Sahaja Samrutha, a well-known NGO in Karnataka working with farmers to promote organic agriculture and revive native seed varieties. Sahaja Samrutha has also been a key partner of the national-level Save Our Rice Campaign for more than two decades.
Upon invitation, a team of two staff members — Mr. Suresh Kanna, Project Director, CREATE, and Mr. Praveen Kumar, Program Officer, CREATE — along with organic and traditional seed farmers Mrs. Tamil Selvi and Mr. Balaraman from Kilnagar village near Arani in Thiruvannamalai District, participated in the event. The CREATE team displayed seeds of more than 100 traditional paddy varieties native to Tamil Nadu and a few from neighbouring states such as Kerala and Karnataka. The farmers also brought rice varieties like Mappillai Samba, Karunguruvai, Rosappu Samba, Karuppu Kouni, Rathasalai, and other products such as Naatu Kambu (bajra) and Nattu Sakkarai (cane brown sugar) for sale.
A two-day Desi Rice Mela was held at Nanjaraja Bahaddur Choultry, Mysuru, Karnataka, on 9th and 10th August 2025. The event was organized by Sahaja Samrutha, a well-known NGO in Karnataka working with farmers to promote organic agriculture and revive native seed varieties. Sahaja Samrutha has also been a key partner of the national-level Save Our Rice Campaign for more than two decades.
Upon invitation, a team of two staff members — Mr. Suresh Kanna, Project Director, CREATE, and Mr. Praveen Kumar, Program Officer, CREATE — along with organic and traditional seed farmers Mrs. Tamil Selvi and Mr. Balaraman from Kilnagar village near Arani in Thiruvannamalai District, participated in the event. The CREATE team displayed seeds of more than 100 traditional paddy varieties native to Tamil Nadu and a few from neighbouring states such as Kerala and Karnataka. The farmers also brought rice varieties like Mappillai Samba, Karunguruvai, Rosappu Samba, Karuppu Kouni, Rathasalai, and other products such as Naatu Kambu (bajra) and Nattu Sakkarai (cane brown sugar) for sale.
The CREATE stall attracted a large number of visitors, particularly city consumers, homemakers, organic buyers, and processors. They enquired about CREATE’s work with farmers in conservation, cultivation, and consumer marketing of desi rice varieties in Tamil Nadu. It was encouraging to see the level of awareness among consumers about safe food and their interest not only in organic produce but also in traditional rice varieties, which they believe can help address increasing non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, anaemia, arthritis, and neurological disorders. Some specifically requested varieties like Navara, Mappillai Samba, and Black Kouni. As CREATE’s farmers had brought only small quantities of Mappillai Samba and Black Kouni, the team was unable to meet the full demand. Therefore, contact details and variety requirements were collected to send the products via courier.
On the second day, a drawing competition was organized for children from Classes 1 to 4 and Classes 5 to 9.
A cooking competition for homemakers was also organized, with around 20 participants presenting dishes made from traditional rice varieties. Each participant explained the preparation process, cooking method, and health benefits of their recipes. The collected recipes and children’s drawings will be compiled into a recipe book and an album to be distributed to a wider audience.
All the desi rice sold at the mela was systematically organized by multiple FPOs, sourcing directly from their members. This showcased the collective strength of farmers in reaching organic consumers and establishing direct linkages. Many visitors spent their weekend meaningfully, exploring the diversity of organic produce.
Farmer Mr. Balaraman greatly benefited from the event, gaining several consumer contacts and building direct producer–consumer connections. Visitors appreciated the innovative presentation of seed diversity through rangoli designs and other grain-based displays, as well as value-addition innovations like crafts made from bottle gourds.
Key Learning:
We should adopt similar innovative approaches to connect consumers and producers, creating mutual benefits. Organizing farmers into federations or FPOs is essential to collectively scale up traditional rice cultivation and marketing. Future CREATE paddy festivals should incorporate consumer education, direct linkages, and engaging side events for schoolchildren and homemakers, making them true celebrations of native food and farming culture.
