Under the golden sun of Maharashtra’s Khandesh region, farmers in Jalgaon are reviving an ancient grain – Emmer wheat, locally known as Khapli gehu. Once a staple for their ancestors, this heirloom variety is making a steady comeback in the region’s fertile soils.

Valued for its climate resilience and health benefits, it is drawing interest from both seasoned cultivators and a new generation of growers. The crop has reconnected Jalgaon’s farming families to their roots while offering a path towards sustainable agriculture and improved livelihoods.

From ancient settlements to modern farms, Khapli wheat (Triticum dicoccon Schrank) has retained its relevance thanks to its genetic hardiness and nutritional value – qualities that in recent years are inspiring a renewed wave of cultivation across Maharashtra.

Jalgaon district, in northwestern Maharashtra, receives an average annual rainfall of around 690 mm, most of which falls during the southwest monsoon season from June to September.

The region often grapples with climatic challenges such as droughts, heatwaves, and erratic rainfall, all of which directly impact agricultural productivity. Cotton and banana are the district’s primary crops.Wheat, however, holds an important place in the local agricultural landscape.

Inspired by the health benefits of Emmer wheat, Vaishali Patil, a farmer from Jalgaon, obtained a few seeds from the Agharkar Research Institute’s agricultural farm in Baramati in December 2018.

She initially planted them on...

Read more