About Us
Thanal Agroecology Centre (TAEC) at Wayanad, Kerala is the centre for training and research on agroecology and agrobiodiversity. Thanal is one of the pioneering organisations in Kerala which undertakes various agrobiodiversity conservation programmes. We also inform the general public about the role of agricultural biodiversity, the need to conserve and use it sustainably, and the agroecology practices required to keep it going.TAEC is also a learning centre of the International People’s Agroecology Multiversity (IPAM).
Background of AEC
Thanal bought the land in Panavally,Wayanad,kerala in 2009 with the idea of starting biodiversity conservation work with a specific focus on agro biodiversity. Wayanad ,being a predominantly tribal district with a legacy of indigenous cultivation and knowledge, we felt that this would be an ideal location to start the work on seed conservation. We organised a series of meetings with farmers cultivating one or two indigenous seeds and formed a seed farmers network.
Thanal Agro ecological centre has total 6.5 acres of land out of which 2.2. acres is paddy land.This paddy land is used for two major activities.The first activity is the conservation of traditional rice varieties at Rice Diversity Block(RDB) spreading over 60 cents and the second is the normal rice cultivation done in the remaining area.
