Lok Sabha Question No. 2572 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-16
Subject: Extant Variety of Common Knowledge and Farmer Varieties
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2572

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH  DECEMBER, 2025

## EXTANT VARIETY OF COMMON KNOWLEDGE AND FARMER VARIETIES

2572.  SMT. PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  initiatives  are  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  conserve  indigenous  paddy varieties in the country particularly in Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency;
- (b) whether the Government extends support to tribal communities and farmer's organisations to take up conservation efforts, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  details  of  certificates  issued  for  Extant  Variety  of  Common Knowledge (VCK) and Farmers' Variety categories of cereal crops since 2015 in Kerala, district-wise;
- (d) the details of Extant VCK and Farmers' Varieties for all crop types registered in Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency;
- (e) whether any Extant VCK and Farmers' Varieties have been commercialized out of the total crops registered in Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency, and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether any farmers, communities or institutions in Kerala have received benefit-sharing payments under this programme, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAM NATH THAKUR)

- (a): The  Government  of  India  through  the  Protection  of  Plant  Varieties  and  Farmers' Rights (PPV&FR) Authority, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institutes and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) is taking several initiatives to conserve indigenous plant varieties (including paddy varieties). These  initiatives  include  germplasm  collection,  characterization,  registration  of  farmers' varieties,  community  seed  bank  support,  and  promotion  of  on-farm  conservation  in biodiversity-rich regions.

The PPV&FR Authority has registered 20 farmers' varieties of paddy from Wayanad District of Kerala.

In addition, ICAR- All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) funded Regional Agricultural  Research  Station,  Pattambi  under  Kerala  Agricultural  University  is  doing collection,  conservation,  characterization  of  indigenous  paddy  varieties  of  Kerala  under Seed Bank Project of State Government plan fund, which was completed in 2023 especially focusing on Wayanad District.

(b): The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights (PPV&FR) Authority awards, rewards and recognizes farmers who have conserved plant genetic resources. Accordingly, so far, PPV&FR Authority has conferred 41 Plant Genome Saviour Community Awards to Farming Communities, 67 Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Rewards and 84 Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Recognitions.

Furthermore, the PPV&FR (Utilisation of National Gene Fund for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources) Rules, 2025 has been notified for providing support  to  conservation  of  Plant  Genetic  Resource  including  varieties  of  tribal  farmers/ communities.

Besides,  Government  provides  support  to  tribal  communities  and  farmer  groups involved in  conservation  of  traditional  varieties  through  capacity  buiding  programmes  on varietal  conservation  and  registration,  assistance  on  establishing  and  strengthening community  seed  banks  etc.  through  various  schemes/programmes  especially  Seeds Component under National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) etc.

During 2019-2024, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pattambi under Kerala Agricultural University provided support to tribal communities and farmers' organizations to take up conservation efforts through AICRP (Seed Crops) tribal subplan, providing seeds, agricultural inputs, implements, seed mills etc. in Wayanad district.

- (c): The district-wise details of cereal crops registered under the categories of Farmers' Variety and Extant Variety of Common Knowledge (VCK) from the State of Kerala since 2015, are as under:
- (d) & (e): The details of all crops registered under the categories of Farmers' Variety and Extant Variety of Common Knowledge (VCK) from Wayanad District, are as under:
- (f): As on date, no claim of benefit sharing has been filed with PPV&FR Authority in the State of Kerala.

|   S. No. | Name of District   | No. of registered Farmers Varieties   | No. of registered Extant VCK   |
|----------|--------------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|        1 | Malappuram         | -                                     | 1                              |
|        2 | Wayanad            | 20                                    | -                              |

|   S. No. | Name of Crop   |   No. of registered Farmers' Varieties |
|----------|----------------|----------------------------------------|
|        1 | Black Pepper   |                                      1 |
|        2 | Turmeric       |                                      1 |
|        3 | Rice           |                                     20 |

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