Octogenarian B.Okay. Deva Rao, winner of Plant Genome Saviour Farmers’ Reward for 2020-21 and conservator of over 300 forms of rice/paddy on Thursday requested farmers to avoid wasting as many rice varieties by taking over paddy cultivation as a sub-profession.

Talking on the Mangaluru Press Membership Visitor of Honour programme Mr. Rao, 81, mentioned that the federal government’s help to paddy cultivation just isn’t sufficient.

He mentioned that paddy fields acted as rainwater harvesting methods and helped to re-charge water our bodies and groundwater. “They stored streams, rivers and rivulets alive,” he mentioned.

“Native rice varieties have wealthy dietary values. As well as, some varieties like ‘atikaya’ and ‘atikaraya’ have medicinal values,” mentioned Mr. Rao, who has been saving the varieties by cultivating them yearly on his about 5 acre plot organically, mentioned.

Mr. Rao mentioned that the variety of native forms of rice within the nation has come down from about two lakh to 25,000.

He, who can be the conservator of 80 native mango and 50 jackfruit varieties, mentioned that the federal government ought to be certain that paddy growers received good worth for his or her produce. If the worth may be very encouraging it’ll immediate extra farmers to take up paddy cultivation, he mentioned.

Mr. Rao burdened on the necessity to go for natural technique of cultivation to retain the dietary values of rice.

He mentioned that space beneath paddy round his Mittabagilu village, close to Ujire, in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada has come down from 200 acres to about 10 acres now.

His son B.Okay. Parameshwar Rao, {an electrical} engineer-turned-farmer, who has been serving to father in saving the varieties mentioned: “The price of cultivation various from ₹120 to ₹150 a kg, but we’re promoting rice beneath the cultivation price.”

“Retaining the highest soil is essential in paddy cultivation,” Mr. Parameshwar Rao mentioned.

Mr. Parameshwar Rao mentioned that the Forest Division ought to domesticate wild fruits, tubers and different crops inside forest space to stop wild animals from attacking the crops of farmers.

Press Membership president P.B. Harish Rai and others felicitated Mr. Rao on the event.