Cheru and Jyothi Traditional Rice Cultivation in Wayanad

Wayanad's undulating terrain and high rainfall support cultivation of traditional rice varieties such as Cheru, Jyothi, and Gandhakasala, which have been grown by farmers for centuries. These scented and nutritionally rich varieties require no artificial fertilisers when grown in the traditional way with paddy straw mulching, cow dung manure, and bunded terrace fields. Wayanad's tribal farmers maintained seed banks of over 60 native rice varieties, several of which are under threat from the dominance of high-yielding hybrids. The Wayanad Social Service Society and local organic farming organisations have established community seed libraries to conserve these varieties. Traditional rice is now marketed as heritage grain at premium prices in organic food stores.