Image credit: Project Team
A project to curate and organise a programme for education and messaging around tuber crops & food biodiversity for Urban Bengaluru.
This is a dedicated initiative to raise awareness and cultivate interest in indigenous tuber crops, encouraging their inclusion in everyday urban diets.
Through the project, the team is creating a platform for city dwellers, farmers, scientists, educators, and conservationists to engage in meaningful conversations about food security, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
The project involves workshops, talks, cultural exchange and hands-on learning experiences, through which we aim to inspire sustainable food choices for the citizens of Bengaluru and equip them with the knowledge to cook with and appreciate the ecological and nutritional value of native tubers.
By Spudnik Farms & Edible Issues
Project Start Date: February 2025
Contact:
- Sumeet Kaur sumeet@spudnikfarms.com | +91 9900606698 | www.spudnikfarms.com
- Elizabeth Yorke edibleissues@gmail.com | +91 973 979 4186 | https://edibleissues.in
- Social Media handles
Instagram: @spudnikfarms, @rootingfortubers, @edible_issues - Facebook: @spudnikfarms
- LinkedIn : Edible-Issues
Status Report & Updates
The component of the project supported by BSF is now complete.
Purple Yam is my Jam: The Purple Yam (Ube) workshop in Feb 2026 was a 2.hour chef-led cooking and tasting session designed to introduce participants to purple yam as a climate-resilient, underutilised tuber with strong culinary potential.
The session aimed to:
Demystify purple yam through practical, hands-on processes
Build confidence in working with the ingredient
Connect farmers, chefs, retailers, and consumers through a shared learning space
Demonstrate pathways from ingredient awareness to market uptake
The Spudnik Farms Tuber Awareness Activation at SwissRe in Oct 2025 was designed to introduce employees to India’s rich diversity of indigenous tuber crops, highlight their climate resilience, and test familiarity with tubers among a corporate urban demographic. The activation also aimed to gather insights on consumer perception while showcasing early product prototypes such as tuber chips.
In June 2025 Spudnik Farms and Quest Learning Observatory came together to host a Supper Club- an immersive, hands-on evening celebrating indigenous tuber crops — their traditions, flavours, and climate relevance. The gathering created a warm, intergenerational space where participants cooked, learned, tasted, and shared stories around tubers.
Cooking with Tubers : At Bhoomi Habba 2025, the team hosted an interactive awareness stall and a live cooking workshop, creating a platform to exchange food memories, traditional recipes, and new ideas around tuber crops.
On 4th May 2025, Spudnik Farms hosted a Tuber Awareness Stall as part of BCC Buzzzaar, an initiative by BeFantastic and Bangalore Creative Circus. The event celebrated sustainable futures through food, art, workshops, and conversations. The interactive space introduced visitors to the diversity of indigenous tubers from across India, their climate-resilient properties, and cultural stories. Through hands-on activities, recipe cards, and conversations, we engaged over 80 visitors, sparking curiosity, reviving old memories, and encouraging conversations on the future of food and biodiversity.
The event aligned beautifully with BeFantastic’s Kaleidoscopic Fields residency and ongoing Food Futures and Climate Conversations, emphasising the need to reconnect urban audiences with indigenous, climate-resilient food systems.
Spudnik Farms Tuber Awareness at SWAD Market : The team organised a Tuber Awareness Workshop at SWAD Market hosted by Dept of Hotel Management, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru. With a footfall of over 18,000 students, this was an opportunity to engage with a new audience around the cultural, nutritional and ecological significance of tubers.
AltCarb 2050 at Namma Oota, Science Gallery Bengaluru, February 2025
In Feb 2025, the team brought AltCarb 2050 to Namma Oota, a unique food festival hosted by Science Gallery Bengaluru that delves into the science and stories behind the food we eat. This interactive installation designed by artist Bharath Haridas invited participants to step into a speculative future where carbohydrates and carbon emissions are deeply intertwined. It explored how staple food choices—such as rice, wheat, and tubers—impact both human health and the environment. Engaging directly with visitors offered insights into their perceptions and challenges around tubers.
Rooting for Tubers 2024: Celebrating Biodiversity & Culinary Creativity
The third edition of the Rooting for Tubers Festival, held on 1st December 2024 in Bangalore, brought together farmers, chefs, researchers, and food enthusiasts to celebrate the diversity and potential of tuber crops. Hosted by Spudnik Farms, the festival highlighted indigenous and climate-resilient tubers through interactive tastings, workshops, and cultural performances.
With participation from 8 tuber-growing communities across India, 5 chefs, and 10 farmer-producer groups, the event showcased 45+ tuber varieties and 35+ innovative dishes. From traditional recipes to modern culinary creations, the festival aimed to bridge the gap between small-scale farmers and urban consumers while promoting sustainable food systems.
Key highlights included engaging workshops on tuber nutrition and fermentation, an art installation on alternative carbohydrates, and a marketplace featuring rare tuber-based products. The festival also facilitated new research and supply chain partnerships, paving the way for increased market access and value addition for tuber farmers.
As Spudnik Farms continues its work in advocacy and innovation, the festival’s impact extends beyond a single event—building year-round networks, agritourism opportunities, and stronger connections between chefs, consumers, and indigenous food systems.
