RICE PADDIES NEED AN ECOSYSTEM manage water and pests; the amazing rice APPROACH! terraces in Bali, China and other places are all examples of this. While travelling through Karnataka in Therefore, to consider rice paddies as a October one of the striking sights that we came monoscape, the only purpose of which is to across was the Gudavi bird sanctuary (in our grow maximum amount of rice through means rice journey Gudavi was not in the itinerary, fair or foul is short sighted and damaging. This but that unplanned visit underscored one of our is what we tried to do in the green revolution; important learnings, over the years, about rice we picked one kind of seed, one methodology paddy systems). We were told that the birds in (of high synthetic fertilizer, chemical pesticides the sanctuary, numbering in tens of thousands, and large machines) and tried to eliminate all present during October- November for other systems and diversity from the rice breeding, depended largely on the paddy eco- paddies. As expected, the problems began to systems around for their food. On the other hand surface one by one and today despite everything paddy lands in highly fertile Karnataka are being paddy farmers are making losses, using high converted to arecanut orchards and turned into levels of pesticide and many are forced to give ginger plantations with high levels of chemical up paddy farming. use. This is a conundrum most paddy systems The need to go back to basics, to look at are facing. paddy eco-systems in a holistic manner is Paddy systems are inter-dependant becoming an imperative to make paddy farming encompassing many elements present naturally viable and to protect the increasingly fragile eco- and many introduced synergistically by humans system in the face of impending climate change. keeping in mind ecological and economic needs. In this issue of PADDY we present a small study The paddy and shrimp/fish cultures in areas done in Wayanad to assess the dragon fly and with salt and brackish water in India and many damselfly population in the paddies. parts of South East Asia; the paddy and duck PADDY team systems; the Subak system of Bali paddies to DRAGON FLY AND DAMSELFLY DIVERSITY IN THANAL AGROECOLOGY CENTRE Priyanka M Introduction:Thanal agroecology centre, situated in an ecologically important area Panavally, is situated in Wayanad District enriched by a river, forest and hills. Different located in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats. species of birds, butterflies, dragonflies, fishes, A predominantly agrarian district -the name snails, plants, trees etc are present in significant Wayanad stands for ‘vayal nadu’ (which means numbers. paddy lands in Malayalam), it also has a The agroecology centre contains 200 significant tribal population. The population – tribal and non-tribal- mainly depend on cash varieties of traditional rice, 40 varieties of crops and paddy for their livelihood and most tubers, 80 varieties of non cultivated leafy of the land in the District is under cultivation. vegetables, more than 40 varieties of forest trees, Panavally is a biodiversity rich area which is coffee, areca nut, coconut and pepper. Wild surrounded by the Kalindi river and the animals like elephants, deer, monkeys, bison, Brahmagiri hills. Thanal agro ecology centre is tigers etc are frequently seen at the centre. Paddy 1 December, 2013 and 2014). Identification of the observed damselflies and dragonflies was done with the help of an e book named Common Odonates of Central India written by Andrew, R.J., Subramaniam, K. A. & Tiple, A. D. (2008) and with the help of Mrs. Rajasree, a researcher in biodiversity. Dragonflies: 20 species of dragonflies under three families were identified from the Thanal agro ecology centre. They are club tails (Family: Gomphidae), darner (Family: Aeshnidae) and skimmers (Family: Libellulidae). Among these most of the dragonflies identified were under skimmers (Family: Libellulidae). Skimmers are 120 species of birds, 35 species of the most diverse group of odonates. Ditch jewel dragonflies and damselflies, around 60 species (Brachythemis contaminata), ruddy marsh of butterflies and 80 species of non cultivated skimmer (Crocothemis servilia), ground leafy vegetables have been identified from the skimmer (Diplocodes trivialis), fulvous forest Thanal agro ecology centre. skimmer (Neurothemis fulvia), green marsh Background: hawk (Orthetrum sabina), crimson-tailed marsh I began my work on biodiversity with hawk (Orthetrum pruinosum) and wandering documentation of non cultivated leafy glider (Pantala flavescens) are the most vegetables in paddy fields and documented 20 common dragonflies found in the paddy fields species of non cultivated leafy vegetables. Most observed. Among these thousands of wandering of these non cultivated leafy vegetables are glider were found swarming over harvested considered as weeds and farmers destroy these fields and surrounding playgrounds during early valuable, medicinal, edible plants by using morning and evening. hazardous chemicals and herbicides. Some dragonflies like blue darner (Anax Discovering the importance of each and every immaculifrons), crimson marsh glider species in the paddy field got me interested in (Trithemis aurora) and black stream glider further documentation of biodiversity in the (Trithemis festiva) were found along the banks wetland ecosystem-paddy field. I could of the river and usually found perching among understand the value of paddy fields as a emergent water plants. biodiversity area through this study. I realised Damselflies: 15 species of damselflies that the value of paddy fields lie not only in the under six families were identified. They are value of rice produced but also in its marsh darts (Family: Coenagrionidae), bush biodiversity richness. So, I decided to document darts (Family: Platycnemididae), bambootails dragonflies and damselflies (Order- Odonata) - (Family: Protoneuridae), spreadwings (Family: colourful insects of wetlands and great Lestidae), glories (Family:Calopterygidae) and predators in paddy fields. The life history of odonates is closely associated with wetlands. Adults lay eggs in specific aquatic habitats. Male odonates are generally more brightly coloured than females. Objective and methodology: Objective of this study was to analyse the diversity of dragonflies and damselflies present in the Thanal agro ecology centre, Panavally. Weekly observation and photo documentation of dragonflies and damselflies was done during the second crop paddy season (September- Paddy 2 stream jewels (Family: Chlorocyphidae).Pigmy field. In the case of dragonflies and damselflies, dartlet (Agriocnemis pygmaea), golden dartlet they lay their eggs in paddy fields, and the larvae (Ischnura aurora) and yellow-striped blue dart grow in paddy fields, the adults frequently visit (Pseudagrion indicum) were frequent visitors paddy fields for predation as well. Dragonflies to the paddy fields. Saffron-faced blue dart and damselflies are the best predators in paddy (Pseudagrion rubriceps), stream glory fields. If we use chemicals and pesticides in paddy (Neurobasis chinensis), stream ruby field these insects will not find their food, and (Rhinocypha bisignata), river heliodor through this we will destroy both biodiversity (Libellago lineata) were confined to hill in paddy fields and also an effective means of streams and rivers. biological pest control. When we adopt Conclusion: biodiversity based ecological farming, such The paddy agroecosystem is an mutually beneficial interaction of multiple integrated water- dependent system, which species will exist. It will increase the ecological includes many kinds of living organisms among and economic value of the paddy fields. Only a which birds, fishes, reptiles, amphibia, holistic approach towards these eco-systems arthropods and plants are prominent. Paddy can help sustain them so that our food security fields play an important role as agricultural land in the long term is also assured. Therefore, (to produce rice and in some cases fishes and protecting such eco-systems is a necessity other crops like vegetables and legumes in non- rather than a luxury. paddy season), in addition it also provides a Priyanka is a biodiversity researcher habitat for various animals and plants. Some who has been focussing on biodiversity in species complete their life cycle in the paddy paddy land eco systems. THROUGH KARNATAKA IN SEARCH OF RICE SEEDS, FOOD AND FARMERS- Part 2 Sreedevi Lakshmi Kutty Shikaripur- an extraordinary farmer and ideas to improve traditional rice marketing and a wonderful family ! making it easily available to urban consumers. From Bhadravati it was almost a two The next day, early in the morning, Aarti hour drive to Nandish’s home in Shikaripur (the (Nandish’s wife) provided us with small bowls name sounds straight out of a hunting story). of rice from the night before, mixed in butter Nandish is a prominent organic rice farmer milk and chopped onions. Nandish exhorted us known for his path breaking approach ( legume to try it and told us that old rice eaten like this logic and other new experiments ) and we were first thing in the morning is excellent for health, looking forward to seeing his farm, home and even better, he said, was the water in which it experiencing his lifestyle. Our visit with him and was kept overnight. Along with it was a bowl of his lovely family, his farm was all that we had sprouted peanuts, green gram and bengal gram. heard and more. Fortified by this wonderful time-tested power A natural farmer, a practicing healer , with food the three of us set out to see the farm, the a lovely traditional home and a life style rooted laboratory of his experiments. He explained each in the tenets of natural methods and culture, of his trials, experiments in detail with the results Nandish and his young family were a revelation he got, his assumptions and his plans for other and kindled hope within us for the future. The experiments. ( Nandish’s article on legume logic visit was about innovative farming was featured in PADDY of October 2011) experiments, natural food habits and numerous rice delicacies.