The festival highlighted the benefits of natural farming, success stories, showcased traditional rice varieties, and honored pioneering farmers

The “Bharat Traditional Paddy & Food Festival,” organized by Isha’s Save Soil Movement, took place today (July 28) in Vellore, drawing thousands of farmers and members of the public to Sri Narayani Mahal at Sripuram Golden Temple.

For the past 15 years, Isha’s Save Soil Movement has been promoting natural farming across Tamil Nadu, aiming to enhance soil fertility and multiply farmer’s income. As part of these efforts, crop-specific training is being provided, especially during the Adi Pattam season, to support paddy farmers.

Speaking on the festival’s purpose, Swami Srimukha, the project coordinator of the Save Soil organization, highlighted the growing health concerns, stating, “Today, there is a diabetic patient in every home and a cancer patient in every street. Now people are more health-conscious.” He noted that figures like Nammazhwar Aiyya and Nel Jayaraman have made significant strides in natural farming, and numerous organizations are working to revive traditional rice varieties. In this context, Isha’s Save Soil organization coordinated this event to promote the restoration of traditional rice varieties.

Dinesh, the founder of Dhanyas company, shared his experience, noting, “This company, which started with an investment of Rs. 10,000, is now generating sales of up to 10 lakhs per month. There is a good income potential in selling value-added agricultural products. We are sharing our experiences in collaboration with the Save Soil Movement to teach others how to produce and market agricultural products with added value.” He also mentioned the increasing demand for traditional rice, citing a recent export of 1 tonne of Poongar rice to the US, attributing the growing awareness of its medicinal value to this demand.

Veera Raghavan, a pioneer paddy farmer cultivating traditional paddy on 60 acres, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Punniyamurthy, a traditional veterinarian, spoke on the importance of cattle in agriculture, while entomologist Thiru Poochi Selvam discussed “Improving Paddy Yield through Insects.” Other notable speakers included Thiru Ponnaiyah, who practices fish farming in paddy fields, and several other agricultural experts who shared insights on various topics.

10 Outstanding farmers who excelled in natural farming methods were honored with “Soil Conservation Awards. The event also featured a farmers’ direct market, connecting the public with farmers through over 100 stalls showcasing traditional rice varieties, native vegetables, seeds, and traditional snacks.

Additionally, free paddy seeds were distributed to farmers to encourage the cultivation of traditional rice. The festival included an exhibition and sale of simple farming tools, as well as displays of over 100 traditional rice varieties and more than 200 traditional vegetable varieties.

To date, Isha’s Save Soil Movement has trained 25,000 farmers, with over 8,000 farmers successfully transitioning back to natural farming methods.