Syed Ghani Khan, a 7th-generation farmer from Mandya, Karnataka, is best known for conserving traditional rice varieties -- but his orchard tells another story. Scattered across his ancestral land are hundreds of mango trees, some of them believed to have been planted during Tipu Sultan’s reign in the late 18th century. These aren’t commercial hybrids -- they’re living archives of local biodiversity, each variety with its own shape, season, taste, and resilience.
Ghani Khan has catalogued and conserved over 120 traditional mango varieties, many of which are no longer found in mainstream markets. Some thrive in drought, others resist pests naturally -- traits that may become critical as climate change continues to disrupt weather cycles and food systems. In an age of monocultures and uniform produce, farmers like Ghani Khan are quietly safeguarding genetic diversity, one tree at a time. Their work isn’t just nostalgic -- it’s deeply strategic. Because the more diverse our food systems, the more resilient they become. In a warming world, preserving these ancient mangoes might be one of the smartest ways to future-proof our farms and our plates.
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Location: https://g.co/kgs/MzeYvnF
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