Rapid Fire
Indigenous Paddy Variety: Keonjhar Kalachampa
- 25 Apr 2025
- 2 min read
A farmer from Odisha has officially registered his indigenous paddy variety, Keonjhar Kalachampa, and has sought compensation from the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) for the seed's commercialisation.
Keonjhar Kalachampa:
- The Indian government notified the variety in 2015. The Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) and private companies have significantly contributed to the production and distribution of the variety.
- Features:
- The variety has shown resilience to major diseases, pests, and the effects of climate change.
- It is non-lodging (resistant to bending or falling over), responsive to fertilizers, suitable for both timely and late sowing, and a high-yielding variety.
- Due to its resistance to biotic stress, it is highly preferred by farmers and was one of the first traditional varieties in India integrated into the formal seed supply chain.
Gene Bank Initiative:
- Odisha has created a unique gene bank to preserve traditional paddy varieties from farmers, with seeds stored in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment for up to 50 years.
- India has established its seed storage facility at Chang La in Ladakh.
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA):
- It was established under the PPVFR Act, 2001.
- The authority protects plant varieties, farmers' and breeders' rights, and promotes the development of new varieties while safeguarding the rights of farmers who have conserved plant varieties for generations.
- The Registrar General is the ex-officio Member Secretary of the Authority.
| Read More: Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) |
