Did you know there are over 150 varieties of pumpkins that exist around the world? Did you know that there are more than 60 varieties of eggplant and more than 10 varieties of okra?
As surprising as it may sound, many of these species are on the verge of extinction. Since only the most common and popular are sold in the market, the existence of the rest seems bleak.
On a mission to save as many varieties of vegetables as possible, 38-year-old Aravinthan RP from Coimbatore quit his job to pursue his dream. So far, he has saved about 70 types of brinjal, 20 types of okra, 28 types of tomatoes and 20 types of beans and collected and planted different seeds.
“I never really thought I could do it. But life worked out in such a way that saving these varieties of seeds has now become my passion,” says Aravinthan. Uttam India.
When you can’t find authentic organic products, you grow them
Born and brought up in Karur, a small town in Tamil Nadu, Aravinthan was always influenced by farming.
Growing up, his father was a farmer. After completing his engineering degree and then Masters in Germany, he worked as a research assistant at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology for a few years before returning to his homeland in 2012.
Arvindhan’s life changed completely with his decision to come to India.
“My father wanted me to take the civil services exam so I decided to prepare for it. Meanwhile, my father took over the management of a school in Coimbatore, so we moved closer to that,” he shares.
“We have over 100 residential students and want to provide them with nutritious food. We looked for vendors selling organic vegetables, but there was no proof that they were actually organic. So we decided to produce our own food,” he added.
“A friend of mine who grows organic vegetables on his terrace says he cannot express in words how juicy and tasty his vegetables are. He said that if the right method is followed, it will not be too difficult. This gave me more motivation to cook for the children at school,” says Aravinthan.
He says that since his ancestors were farmers, he is interested in nature and farming. But not having much experience in natural farming, Aravinthan decided to start small and plant some vegetables on the school terrace.
“Ever since we decided to go organic, we thought heirloom seeds would be the best option. We give all plants only natural fertilizers and nutrients, so they are genetically strong and adaptable. But when we tried to find heirloom seeds, we couldn’t find them easily. This gave me the idea of setting up a ‘seed bank’ in the school,” he says.
“What started as an urge to give healthy food to my residential children turned into something completely different. In 2015, we started producing our organic food on the occasion of Pongal,” he added.
Moreover, he grows vegetables organically without any chemicals or artificial fertilizers.
“There are many varieties of vegetables, like onions, which are naturally resistant to pests. If we can find those varieties and cultivate them, we don’t have to worry about using pesticides or chemicals,” he says.
‘It’s a service, not a business’
At Aravinthan’s school, all students participate in planting their own food.
“To encourage young people to farm, our school has a program called Agricultural Sciences. Students in the course help plant and harvest crops. They get first-hand experience in farming. Other children also help from time to time,’ he says.
“We have also introduced the ‘Grow Bag’ to our students. The bags are basically kits with seeds and tools. Children plant and tend plants on campus. The seeds from the harvest are then stored in a seed bank. It helps children inculcate healthy farming habits,” he adds.
Talking about his motivation to continue, Aravinthan says, “My idea was simple; I wanted to give my children a healthy diet. Also, maintaining a seed bank is important. If we don’t try to save them, they will become extinct. If we only grow one vegetable If we lose a species, it will be lost forever.
Talking about his production, he says, ‘Today, we produce about 2,000 kg of vegetables and beans of different varieties annually. Over the years, we have collected hundreds of seeds and are trying to preserve them. We gradually expanded our farm to a vacant lot near the school playground. As space is limited, we plant one or two trees for each new variety,’ he says.
“We grow tomato, eggplant, radish, okra, broad bean, chilli, drumstick, pumpkin etc. We also have some pulses like water apple, vanilla tamarind, coconut, green gram and pigeon pea,” he adds.
The produce is mostly consumed by resident students on a daily basis.
“The leftovers are given to our staff teachers and they can take it home. If there is anything left, we share it with our neighbours. Students put up stalls and neighbors are welcome to get vegetables for free. There is a WhatsApp group of our residents and neighbors where we tell the details of the vegetables. So that they can come and get it,” he explained.
Shweta Sharma, who has been teaching Hindi in the school for the past decade, says, ‘I started teaching in 2013 and after two years the school started planting its own lunch. The best part is that they also involve the students in the activity. I think it is very important to inspire more and more students in agriculture as they are our future. Especially, here they learn organic farming which is very necessary.
“Whatever is left, the staff takes home. Yesterday, I had some drumsticks and they were very juicy. It’s about produce from our farm; They are so fresh and natural,” she says, adding that anyone can easily tell the difference between organic vegetables grown on a school farm and regular vegetables sold outside.
“On the other hand, the seeds are given to enthusiasts like me who want to preserve them. We don’t sell them but share them. Seed conservation is not a business for me, it’s a service,” says Aravinthan.
With this venture, he hopes to make agriculture profitable and attract more and more young people to agriculture.
“For the future, we want to grow corn. It’s very difficult to prevent cross-pollination among different varieties of corn. But, there are many ways to prevent them, and I want to find that out. I just hope to save as many varieties of vegetables as possible and inspire more people to do the same. I can,” he says.
If you are interested in seed conservation and saving different species, Aravinthan is willing to share his knowledge. You can contact him on 76395 55088.
Edited by Pranita Bhat