@adfbf87b I actually showed this to the team a few days back because we have been looking at nativars and cultivars 🙂​​ We have most of this data - some at a higher spatial resolution i.e. we have region-specific data (at least for various case studies we've looked at). From my limited experience over the past 7-9 months working in this field, the problem in India isn't that we don't have databases, it's the infrastructure - janky interfaces, portal, or even worse PDFs where the data are locked up. There's an entire ministry that is responsible for data collection and statistics but often their portal is either broken or missing SSL certificates :( 

Yes, there are seed sharing forums in India ❤️​ There a lot of farmer cooperatives in India and I am only scratching the surface on learning how they work and how the govt supports them. 

 @fc5a6d19 I’m really interested in seeing how other people are coping and strategizing with growing plants in a changing climate, is this something your work touches on? 

 @adfbf87b ​The org that I work with (https://www.echonetwork.in) focuses on a few sectors - one of which is regenerative agriculture. The burning issue being addressed here is "How can we improve the productivity and livelihoods of India’s agricultural sector through leveraging water and carbon conservation that mitigates the impact of climate change on our natural systems?" So, yes my work touches on this 🙂 though I don't directly interact with the farmers yet. Hope to in the near future, especially since I dream of having my own permaculture farm one day - filled with my favorite fruit trees and veggies ☺️​ 

 @fc5a6d19 awesome  :blobcatheart: is there much work being done with mushrooms farming for regenerative agriculture in India? 

 @adfbf87b ah!! Now I am curios and I must look into this.  I remember reading that some state govts provides subsidies for mushroom farming. I know that several vegetarians in India don't eat mushrooms because they are not plants and mushrooms make up a very small segment of the food market here but there is plenty of scope especially for regenerative agri - after all mushrooms are really good decomposers. There aren't many varieties being farmed in India (restricted to mostly button and oyster varieties from what I know).

I love 'em especially ever since I found out that they are a good source of Vit D - something I am really deficient in. 

 @fc5a6d19 maitake mushrooms are really high in vitamin D and they are very savory. I brown them in a little oil prior to combing with other ingredients. It could make a really nice tarka. I also combine dried maitake powder with wheat flour for savory breads. 

Mushroom farming is becoming quite the thing in North America, so much that you can buy mushroom compost for use in gardens. Such dark fluffy soil!