Farmers should revive the use of traditional seeds in cultivating paddy and minor millets for ensuring a nutritious diet, said G.Nammalvar, organic agriculturalist.
Delivering a special address at the inaugural seminar on conventional paddy and minor millets seeds festival organised by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and Rose NGO at Vagaipatti village near here on Tuesday, Mr. Nammalvar referred to several traditional seeds and minor millets used by farmers and said that with time the cultivation of these crops had been given up.
‘Restore crops’
It was the responsibility of farmers to restore crops such as kai varai samba , iluppai poo samba , mappillai samba , garudan samba , milagi samba,panankattu kuda vaazhai , Chandigarh thanga samba, and minor millets such as varagu and thinai.
Traditional paddy and minor millets were highly resistant to pest attacks. These crops could also withstand the adverse impact of global warming.
Water table
They would also help retain soil nutrients and doesn’t affect the water table.
Progressive farmers Appavu Balandar, G.S.Dhanapathi, and Athappan spoke. Akila, project coordinator, Rose NGO, explained the objective of the seminar.
Participants
Over 400 farmers from across the district participated and traditional seeds were distributed to them.
