Celebrating the resilience and diversity of tubers

Some of the participants at the event, which was co-hosted by Spudnik Farms and Araku Coffee, included award-winning filmmaker Amoghavarsha J.S., Dr. Jayanand Derekar, a conservationist and member of the Joida community and tuber scientists Dr. Sivakumar (CTCRI, among others.

Earlier this week, Araku Cafe in Indiranagar came alive with everything related to tubers, from varicoloured yams to potatoes, colocasia, tapioca and sweet potatoes. Roots to Table, a prelude to the upcoming Rooting for Tubers Festival, which will take place on December 1, brought together voices from the worlds of conservation, culinary innovation and science, spotlighting the resilience and cultural significance of tuber crops in India.

Some of the participants at the event, which was co-hosted by Spudnik Farms and Araku Coffee, included award-winning filmmaker Amoghavarsha J.S., Dr. Jayanand Derekar, a conservationist and member of the Joida community and tuber scientists Dr. Sivakumar (CTCRI, among others.

While Amoghavarsha shared insights from KALI, his evocative documentary capturing the landscapes where tuber crops thrive and the communities that nurture them, Dr. Derekar emphasised the importance of Indigenous farming knowledge in preserving biodiversity. The latter also spoke about how, in Joida Taluk, one of the biggest in Karnataka, ragi was once grown via shifting cultivation by the people of the area. After the government banned shifting cultivation, they began concentrating only on wheat, vegetables and tuber crops, stated Dr. Derekar. “Tuber crops have been grown for generations,” he said, pointing out that tubers were a staple for the Joida community.

Other event highlights included tuber scientist Dr. Sivakumar (CTCRI) presenting the latest research on tuber crop conservation and its relevance to climate resilience and Chef Rahul Sharma’s specially curated tuber menu inspired by his time with tuber-growing communities during the Back to Roots Residency offered by Spudnik Farms. Guests ended the event on a delicious note by savouring a variety of dishes showcasing the versatility of tubers, including tapioca chips, kaate kanaga dumplings, zaad kanaga fried rice and elephant foot yam cake.

Rooting for Tubers Festival, a celebration of tuber biodiversity and heritage that aims to foster connections between farmers, chefs, scientists, and communities, will be held at St. John’s Auditorium, Bengaluru, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets costing ₹425 can be purchased at https://urbanaut.app/spot/rooting-for-tubers-festi