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Cheruvayal Raman, who kept indigenous rice varieties alive, dies at 76
बातमीत का?
The 'father of rice' of Wayanad is gone: the farmers' rights law behind saving landraces
Cheruvayal Raman, remembered as the 'father of rice' for keeping indigenous paddy varieties alive, has died at the age of 76. Conservation of traditional crop varieties by farmers underpins agricultural biodiversity and food security.
Why it matters: general awareness
What you need to know
2 मिनिटे
Cheruvayal Raman, remembered as the 'father of rice' for keeping indigenous paddy varieties alive, has died at the age of 76.
Conservation of traditional crop varieties by farmers underpins agricultural biodiversity and food security.
स्रोत: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
महत्त्वाची तथ्ये
Remember these
- Cheruvayal Raman, a farmer from Wayanad (Kerala), died at 76; he was remembered as the 'father of rice' for conserving indigenous paddy varieties
- Farmer-conserved traditional varieties (landraces) are a core part of agrobiodiversity and a genetic reserve for climate resilience and food security
- India's Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 recognises farmers as conservers, breeders and cultivators of varieties
- PPV&FRA also runs the Plant Genome Savior awards for farmer communities conserving genetic resources
- Wayanad is a hotspot of traditional rice diversity within the Western Ghats region
पूर्व · मुख्य
How the exam will ask it
पूर्व
- The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 allows a farmer to save, use, sow, re-sow, exchange, share or sell farm produce of a protected variety, except branded seed.
- Landraces are locally adapted traditional crop varieties developed and maintained by farmers over generations, and are a source of traits such as drought, flood and salinity tolerance.
- In-situ on-farm conservation by farmers complements ex-situ conservation in gene banks such as the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR).
- The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture recognises Farmers' Rights over traditional knowledge and benefit sharing.
मुख्य
GS-III (Agriculture, biodiversity): Loss of traditional crop varieties under monoculture and high-yield seeds narrows the genetic base and raises vulnerability to climate shocks. The PPV&FRA 2001, the Biological Diversity Act 2002 and gene banks give legal and institutional backing, yet recognition and benefit sharing for farmer-conservers remain weak. The way forward is community seed banks, incentives and market linkages for landrace produce, and documentation of farmers' knowledge.
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