Farmers to Showcase Leafy Greens at Mysuru ‘Soppu’ Mela on Sept 6-7

Fast Summary

• A two-day leafy greens mela or ‘soppu mela’ is scheduled for September 6 and 7 at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry, the city.
• Organised by Sahaja Samrudha, Hulikadu Farmers Producer Company, and ICAR-JSS Krishi vigyan Kendra, the event aims to revive traditional consumption of leafy greens in local cuisine.
• Farmers from across Karnataka will showcase over 150 varieties of greens such as Anne soppu, Seege soppu, Bereke soppu, Honagonne soppu; rare varieties like Kirakasali from north Karnataka and Kempu soppu from Gokarna will also be featured.
• The mela highlights nutritional values of these greens essential for iron, fibre, and micronutrients but largely absent in urban diets today.
• Activities include sampling traditional dishes (e.g., Ragi mudde with Bereke soppu curry), a cooking contest using leafy vegetables on September 7, and awareness-building drawing competitions for children.
• Farmers will sell other organic products including desi rice, millets, pulses, seeds for traditional plants/fruit saplings during the event.
• Organizers stress food diversity as crucial to tackling malnutrition and anaemia while linking rural growers with urban consumers in lasting ways.
• Entry is free from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; open to all.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The upcoming ‘soppu mela’ seems tailored not just toward celebrating cultural culinary traditions but addressing broader issues tied to health nutrition deficits plaguing modern life notably malnutrition anemia risks populations increasingly leaning solely few vegetable options under constraints convenience demand towers markets climate-sensitive period Consumer challenges beyond prices Recent decades hence diminished biodiversity staple variety lost essentials Ecologically balanced future long-needed exhibits reflect feasible adapt framework household divergence diets-over time importantly bridge forming farm-job-equifrequent disconnect