Actor and theatre person Akshata Pandavapura on Saturday said that pulses are the ambassadors of our food culture. The pulse crops are part of the traditional Akkadi farming system preserved by rural women and have ensured household food security.

She added that the culture of pulses has to be popularised.

She was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day Desi Dal Mela held at the Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry here on Saturday.

The actor said pulses, which play an important role in traditional cooking, sweets, and healthy drinks, are rich in nutrients. “Hybrid seeds have come in the way of our food traditions developed over generations. They lack both taste and flavor. We need to bring traditional pulses back into our kitchens,” she suggested.

Beeja Mata Bibi Jan, the chief guest, said, “In the traditional Akkadi system, we used to grow various types of pulse crops. With the advent of commercial crops, this system has disappeared, replaced by monoculture. Now, we are forced to buy pulses for household use from the market. Consuming chemically grown pulses is ruining our health. We must cultivate traditional pulses and revive the Akkadi system.”

In his address, Chandran, head of Vishva Agro Tech and Biotech, said, “After harvest, farmers sell pulses at low prices. If they store and process them—make dals and value-added products—it can yield better profits.”

Large quantities of pulses are being imported from Africa and other countries. The Karnataka government must ensure fair prices for farmers by procuring locally grown traditional pulses and distributing them through the public distribution system, G. Krishna Prasad, Director of Sahaja Samrudha, said.

The government should also promote the Akkadi system through a “Navadhanya Scheme” and set up processing units at the village level, he suggested.

100 varieties of pulses on display

At the two-day Desi Dal Mela, over 100 varieties of pulses are on display. These include colorful Himalayan beans, avare, huruli, hesaru, native togari, uddina bele, madake kalu, tamme beeja, double beans, pille pesaru, Bengal’s masoor, Odisha’s halasande, and rekke avare. Dharwad’s Devadhanya Farmers’ Company has brought native pulses like togari, black huruli, and halasande for sale.

Black groundnut – mela highlight

Shankar Langati, a seed conservator from Belagavi, has brought a unique variety of black groundnut reputed to have medicinal properties for dissolving kidney stones. This is one of the highlights of the mela.

17 types of groundnut varieties

Also, a women’s group from Haveri has showcased 17 types of groundnut varieties. The GrainPro Company is providing information on long-term storage of pulses. The fair also features technology and techniques for pulse processing. Organic products, millets, native seeds, fruits, plants, vegetables, and value-added items are also available for sale. And to satisfy the taste buds, traditional dishes made from pulses were also being served.

For more information, contact Suhas at 94821 15495.