Community Agro-biodiversity Conservation Award 2018

Mr Kelu

Mr. Kelu from Paramoola Kurichya Family, Vellamunda Panchayath bagged the Community Agrobiodiversity Award 2018 for Conservation of Traditional Rice Varieties. The joint family consisting of 28 small families’ conserves 6 traditional varieties of rice in their jointly owned sixteen acres of wetland. In addition to rice, they also maintain traditional varieties of banana, legumes and vegetables. They are also conserving numerous rare, endemic and threatened plant species in their land.

Mr Surendran K.T

Mr. Surendran K.T, and family of Kallichal Kuruma kudi, Erumadu, Nilgiri district of Tamilnadu bagged the award for Conservation of Local Plant Genetic Resources, and other associated biodiversity and ecosystem management. Surendran and family is the custodian of 5 traditional crop varieties along with local breeds of cattle and poultry. They also conserve 4 traditional varieties of banana, 12 tuber varieties and many vegetables in their 2 acres of dry land and 2 acres of wetland. Surendran and Janaki continue the Mullukuruma tradition of farming with the strong support of traditional knowledge they accrued through ancestors.