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Did you know that there are over 150 types of pumpkins found all over the world? Did you know that there are more than 60 types of eggplant and more than 10 varieties of okra?
As amazing as this sounds, many of these varieties are on the verge of extinction. With the most common and popular of them sold out on the markets, the survival of the rest looks bleak.
On a mission to save as many varieties of vegetables as possible, 38-year-old Aravinthan RP from Coimbatore quits his job to pursue his dream. So far, he has collected and grown various seeds – saving nearly 70 varieties of eggplant, 20 varieties of okra, 28 varieties of tomatoes and 20 varieties of beans.
“I never really imagined that I would end up doing this. But life has worked out in such a way that saving these types of seeds is my passion now,” says Aravinthan. India’s best.
When you can’t find authentic organic produce, you grow it
Born and brought up in the small town of Karur, Tamil Nadu, Aravinthan has always been under the influence of agriculture.
Growing up, his father was a farmer. After obtaining his engineering degree and then a master’s degree in Germany, he worked as a research assistant at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology for several years before returning to his home country in 2012.
The decision to come to India completely changed Aravinthan’s life.
My father wanted me to write the civil service exams, so I decided to prepare for it. Meanwhile, my father took over a school in Coimbatore, so we approached her,” he shares.
“We have over 100 boarding students and we wanted to provide them with nutritious food. We looked for vendors selling organic vegetables, but there was no evidence that they were actually organic. So we decided to grow our own food.”
“My friend who used to grow organic vegetables on his balcony said he couldn’t explain in words how juicy and delicious his vegetables are. He said it’s not too difficult with the right methods. This inspired me, more than that, to grow food for the kids at school,” he says. Aravinthan.
He shares that his ancestors were farmers and therefore he loved nature and agriculture. But not having much experience in natural farming, Aravinthan decides to start small and grows some vegetables on the school terrace.
“Since we decided to do organic farming, we came to the conclusion that heirloom seeds would be the best option. We would only give natural fertilizers and nutrients to all plants, so that they become genetically strong and adaptable. But when we tried to get heirloom seeds, we couldn’t find them easily. He gave me this The idea of creating a “seed bank” at school.
“What started as simply wanting to give my kids healthy food in the dorm has turned into something completely different. In 2015, we started growing our own organic food on the occasion of Pongal.”
Moreover, it grows vegetables organically without chemicals or synthetic fertilizers.
“There are a lot of types of vegetables, such as onions, that are inherently resistant to pests. If we can find and grow these varieties, we don’t have to worry about using pesticides or chemicals.
“It’s a service, not a business”
At Aravinthan School, all students are involved in growing their own food.
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“To encourage young people to take up farming, we have a program called Agricultural Science at our school. The course students help plant and harvest crops. They get first-hand experience with farming. Other kids sometimes help out, too.”
“We have also given our students ‘planting bags’. The bags are collections of seeds and tools. The children grow their own plants on campus and take care of them. The seeds from the harvest are then stored in a seed bank. This helps the children inculcate healthy farming habits,” he adds.
Speaking of his motivations for continuing, Aravinthan says, “My idea was simple; I just wanted to give my kids a healthy diet. Taking care of the seed bank is also important. If we don’t try to save them, they will go extinct. If we lose one type of vegetable, we will lose it forever.” “.
Talking about his production, he says: “Today, we produce about 2,000 kg of vegetables and different types of beans per year. Over the years, we have collected hundreds of seeds and try to preserve them. We have slowly expanded our farm to an empty lot near the playground at the school. For each new variety, We plant one or two trees, as we have limited space.”
“We grow tomatoes, eggplant, radishes, okra, broad beans, chili peppers, squash, etc. We also have watery apples, vanilla tamarinds, coconuts, and some pulses like green gram and pea lentils,” he adds.
The product is mostly consumed by the resident students on a daily basis.
“The leftovers are given to our staff teachers and they can just take it home. If there are more leftovers, we share them with our neighbours. Students set up stalls and neighbors are invited to take vegetables for free. There is a WhatsApp group from our residents and neighbors where we tell the details of the veggies so they can come and get on it,” he explains.
Shweta Sharma, who has been teaching Hindi at the school for the past decade, says, “I started teaching in 2013, and after two years the school started growing its own food. The best part is that they also get the students involved in the activity. I think it is very important to motivate more and more Many students focus on agriculture because they are our future. In particular, they learn about organic farming here which is very necessary.”
“Whatever is left, the staff takes it home. Yesterday, I took some drumsticks and they were very juicy. That’s the thing about our farm produce; School and ordinary vegetables sold abroad.
On the other hand, the seeds are given to enthusiasts like myself who want to preserve them. We don’t sell it, we share it. “The seed preservation business is not a business but a service to me,” says Aravinthan.
Through this project, he hopes to make farming profitable and get more and more young people to farm.
As for the future, we want to grow corn. It is very difficult to prevent cross pollination in different varieties of maize. But, there are many ways to prevent it, and I want to find out. I can only save as many types of vegetables as possible and inspire more people to do the same,” he says.
If you’re interested in seed preservation and species conservation, Avinathan is willing to share his knowledge. You can reach him at 76395 55088.
Edited by Pranita Bhatt
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