Community Seed Festival to gear up sustainable agriculture & food security
Bhubaneswar (26/02/2025): The Community Seed Festival is held at Mantukhaman village under Beruhanbari Gram Panchayat in Nuagaon Block, Nayagarh district by Sambhav along with women farmers group.The event is aligned with the broader message of reinforcing the importance of healthy eating and natural food production.The festival was inaugurated by Dr.Sundarnarayan Patra, President of Orissa Environmental Society, Bhubaneswar in the presence of other dignitaries like Anil Kumar Swain, Fishery Scientist, KVK, Nayagarh, Nihar Ranjan Prusty, BAO, Nuagaon Block, and Balwant Mistry, UK. The welcome address was delivered by Dr.Sabarmatee, Secretary of Sambhav and Padmashree Awardee.The panelists have vividly focused on the importance of natural farming in the contemporary situation of climate change.Chemical driven agriculture is a severe threat to our health and climate, the speakers remarked.The festival was organized under the initiative "Bhala Khaiba, Bhala Khuaiba" (We will eat safe and good food, and we will feed safe and good food), which has been advocated for organic farming and biodiversity conservation by Sambhav.The initiative was spearheaded by Sneha Mandalis, women farmers' group from various villages, with the support of Sambhav and Bharat Agroecology Fund. The seed festival witnessed the exhibition of a variety of indigenous seeds by local farmers.The farmers exchanged seeds among themselves and took oath for conservation of indigenous seeds for promotion of natural and sustainable agricultural practices.
