A Farmer's Fruity Vision
In the heart of Rajasthan, a remarkable agricultural innovation has taken root, challenging the very notion of mango seasonality. Shri Kishan Suman, a dedicated
farmer from Girdharpura village near Kota, has become a celebrated figure for his pioneering work with the 'Sadabahar' mango. This extraordinary fruit, unlike its conventional counterparts that grace our tables only once a year, offers a delightful harvest three times annually. Suman's journey into creating this all-season mango began with a transition from traditional crops like rice and wheat, driven by fluctuating market prices. He initially ventured into floriculture, cultivating roses and mogra, where he demonstrated an early knack for horticultural innovation by creating rose plants with multiple colored blooms on a single stem. This success with flowers inspired him to apply his grafting and nurturing skills to the beloved mango.
Birthing the 'Sadabahar'
Inspired by his success with roses, Shri Kishan Suman turned his attention to mangoes, a fruit deeply cherished in India. He diligently acquired mango stones from various varieties and began the meticulous process of grafting them onto rootstock. Through this persistent effort, he observed a particular tree that exhibited an unusual flowering pattern, producing blooms thrice a year – typically in January-February, June-July, and September-October. Around the year 2000, Suman focused his expertise on nurturing this unique tree, eventually developing it into the 'Sadabahar' variety. This new mango is characterized as a dwarf, disease-resistant cultivar, closely resembling the Alphonso in its exceptional taste, lack of fiber, size, and attractive saffron-orange hue. Importantly, 'Sadabahar' stands out for its superior table quality compared to other dual-cropping varieties like Baramasi or Dofasli.
National Recognition & Awards
The remarkable qualities of the 'Sadabahar' mango did not go unnoticed. Its unique characteristic of yielding fruit multiple times a year, coupled with its superior taste and disease resistance, attracted significant attention. The Honey Bee Network, an organization dedicated to promoting grassroots innovations, played a crucial role in bringing Suman's creation to national prominence. A volunteer from the network, Sundaram Verma, connected Suman with the National Innovation Foundation (NIF). Following NIF's guidance, Suman refrained from selling or gifting saplings for an eleven-year period while the 'Sadabahar' underwent rigorous nationwide testing. By 2012, the success of these gifted plants was evident, with fruits being harvested from them. Suman's exceptional contribution was officially recognized in March 2017 when he received the prestigious Farm Innovation Award at Rashtrapati Bhavan during the NIF's 9th Biennial Grassroots event. Today, 'Sadabahar' mango trees are thriving in the Amrit Udyan at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the variety is officially registered under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, solidifying its status as a significant agricultural achievement.
