Wayanad Community Seed Fest 2015 - MSSRF CABC8 Wayanad Community Seed Fest 2015 3.The process...

Wayanad Community Seed Fest 2015

M S Swaminathan Research FoundationKalpetta,Wayanad.

Wayand District Tribal Development Action Council

Seed care

February 6th&7th, 2015

Prepared by : Suma T.R

Editted by : Dr.N Anil Kumar

Layout : Dileep. K, MSSRF CAbC

Acknowledgement:We are thankful to kerala state biodiversity board and NABARD for the funding support to get organized festival

05 1. Introduction

07 2. Objectives

08 3. The process

09 4. Venue and Architecture

10 5. The Fest

11 5.1. Inaugural function 12 5.2 Community Agro biodiversity Conservation Awards

13 5.3. The Exhibition 14 5.4. Stalls erected by Panchayaths 15 5.5. Seed exchange and sales

15 6 . Seminars and the outcomes

16 7. Farmer trader interface

17 8. Film show

18 9. Cultural Programme

19 10. Valedictory Session

21 11. Expenditure outlay

Content

Conservation of traditional/ native biodiversity, especially agro-biodiversity is vital for ensuring food and nutrition security for the growing population. The industri-alized agriculture and mass production techniques sweep away the native crop diver-sities in all parts of the globe. Promotion of corporate agriculture by many countries led to large scale monopoly of companies over food! Micro level production systems developed around the local biodiversity as well as the weather conditions were almost collapsed in many countries. Farmers lost scores of their traditional seeds-the base of their farming system! Loss of biodiversity, loss of access to and ownership of cultivable land by farmers, farmer dependency to market for seeds, collapse of healthy ecosystem services and decreased availability of nutrition rich food are some of the ill effects of industrialized agriculture. Kerala is no exception for the states that have experienced heavy loss of tradi-tionally conserved agrobiodiversity in India. Wayanad, a hilly district of Kerala is charac-terized by noticeable natural biodiversity, and boast impressive agrobiodiversity, particu-larly in food crops like rice, yams, aroids, legumes and banana. The people of the district

are more heterogeneous with 12 Adivasi communities including two of the main five traditional agriculturalists and migrant farm families be-

longing to different religious faiths. The traditionally food pro-ducing communities still conserve more than 27 varieties

of rice, 12 varieties of pepper, 13 types of banana, and numerous vegetables and tubers. Kurichya and Kuruma farmers amongst these communities had received the Genome Savior Award instituted by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority (PPVFRA) for their contributions in protecting the traditional rice seeds on farm. But the region’s agricultural system experiences loss of its biodiversity base in a faster pace. A report by the Kerala Biodiversity Board, based on analysis of data from People’s Biodiversity Regis-ters, estimated that Wayanad’s agro-ecosystem had lost 160 varieties of rice over the years. Though it is a much inflated estimate, the region would have lost at least 50-60 percent of its original diversity of rice, but fortunately there is sizeable traditional rice diversity available here. The need for immediate intervention to protect such vanishing varieties and the remaining agro-biodiversity of this district is very important and urgent. Wayanad community seed fest is the first initia-tive taken by Wayanad Adivasi VikasanaSamithy SEED CARE and MSSRF to protect the remaining traditional genetic diversity of wayanad.

1.Introduction


Mr. K. P Mohanan , Agriculture minister of Kerala, inaugurating the Seed Fest 2015

Wayanad Community Seed Fest was organized by Wayanad Adivasi Vikasana-Samithy and SEED CARE with the technical support of M S Swaminathan Research Foun-

-ment(NABARD) and Kerala State Biodiversity Board made the idea of Community Seed Fest a reality. The fest created a platform for farmers from all the 25 Panchayaths and one municipality of Wayanad district to exhibit and exchange their cultivated traditional seeds, many of which are on the edge of extinction from on-farm.

to involve actively in conservation of agro-biodiversity particularly the management of traditional germ plasm. Farmers brought a variety of seeds of rice, vegetables, tubers, fruits and other produces to the FEST and exchanged each. That ensured conserva-tion and propagation of many verities which are currently at risk. The business meet organized part of the SEEDFEST attracted many buyers of traditional agri-produces and created a platform for farmers and business people to interact and engage in meaning-

the farmers during the Panchayath level meetings. Some of the farmers reached into some agreements to supply produces according to the market demands (Marketing of rice and other food crops is the biggest challenge faced by many farmers in the region. Usually the middle men get produces from farmers in very low prices and makes huge

The seminars conducted as an academic and policy exercise, in the Seed Fest gave attention on the issues faced by Agro-biodiversity conservation and the role of local self

the farmers rights on agro-biodiversity in the frame work of existing Indian legislations.

Seed Fest 2015

Wayanad Community Seed Fest 2015 7

1. To propagate the message of agrobiodiversity conservation,

2. To encourage farmers who conserve biodiversity on farm through Community Agrobiodiversity Conservation awards,

3. To create platform for exchange of traditional seeds and thus on farm agro biodiversity conservation,

4. To create a platform for farmer-potential buyer meetings and creating trade relations for safe food, and to create awareness among farmers about the market possibilities and standards of price,

5. To create a platform for traditional and scientific knowledge exchange on agrobiodiversity management and protection of farmers rights through seeking policy support in different levels.

2.Objectives


3.The process

Organising the Wayanad Seed Fest 2015 was a year- long process at grassroot level. At first meetings were organized at Panchayath level in each of the 25 Pancha-yaths and one Muncipality, involving Pan-chayath members, farmers and Biodiversi-ty Management Committees. Objective of this meetings were to initiate a discussion at village level on the importance of seed conservation, farmer’s rights and organize farmers for participating in the SEEDFEST. Through this awareness programme, Panchayath members, farmers and Pan-chayath level Biodiversity Management Committees were informed about the SEEDFEST and its importance. Samithy members and a scientist level staff from MSSRF participated in all the meetings.

Outcome of these meetings were that we got an overview about what farmers think about seed conservation and the level of knowledge on farmers rights. End of the meeting an organizing committee was formed under the leadership of Pancha-yath to take leadership at Panchayath level to identify farmers to attend the SEEDFEST and the varieties of seeds to be collected. The response from all the 26 PRIs where overwhelming that it made a good foun-dation for the SEEDFEST. The district level seed fest organizing committee contacted later with them personally and registered the participants.


4. SEEDFEST Venue and Architecture

The venue and the exhibition stalls of the FEST are designed and arranged using locally available natural building materials(mostly bamboo, Paddy straw, wood materials) and with community participation. A youth group from Pani-ya community was entrusted with the design of the “Vithupura” the main hall of the function. The ‘Vithupura’ was built as an extended traditional farm house of Wayanad. There were separate stalls for each Panchayath. The sidewalls of the stalls were artistically enriched with paintings and drawings showing age old agriculture traditions of Wayanad district. On 5th afternoon three vehicles named as ‘Vithuvandi‘ (Seed vehicle) were driven through all the Panchayaths to collect

-ent locations in villages and to transport farmers to SEEDFEST venue. Accommodation and food for the farm-ers were arranged from 5th February noon at the CAbC campus. All farmers worked overnight to setup and decorate their respective stalls to give an attractive look to the displayed seeds. The Vithupu-ra was one of the major attractions of the event.

The team behind


5. The Fest

The Wayanad Community Seed Fest was inaugurated by honorable minister for Agriculture, Kerala, Mr. K. P Mohanan on 6th February 2015. He presented the Community Agro-biodiversity Conservation Awards constituted by Wayanad District Adivasi VikasanaSamithy. The inaugural session was precded by MrSreeyams Ku-mar, honorable MLA of Kalpetta assembly constituency and Ms. A. Devaki, president of Wayanad Adivasi VikasanaPravar-thakaSamithy welcomed the gathering. Dr N. Anil Kumar, Director Community Agrobiodiversity Centre of MSSRF illus-

trated about the agro-biodiversity conser-vation efforts of MSSRF-CABC. Wayanad district Panchayath president Mr. N K Rasheed, Mr. P.P. Ali, Chairman, Kalpetta Municipality, Dr. Oommen V Oommen Chairman, Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Prof. M.K. Prasad, Mr. Sajikumar, DGM, NABARD Wayanad, Peoples represen-tatives and farmer representatives ad-dressed the gathering. Mr. Cheruvayal Raman who conserves 45 verities of rice in Wayand was honored in the inaugural function.

5.1 Inaugural function


5.2 Community Agrobiodiversity Conservation Awards

The Community Agro-biodiversity Conser-vation awards were one of the important landmark in agrobiodiversity conservation efforts in the state. Two Awards were constituted using the interest amount earned out of the prize money of Genome savior Award received by Wayanad Adivasi VikasanaParavarthakaSamithy in the year 2012. This is the first Award in the state for recognizing agro-biodiversity conservation by indigenous farmers. The award was presented to three Adivasi farm families in the inaugural session of the Wayanad Seed Fest 2015. The Award worth Rs

25,000/- to encourage those who are con-serving traditional rice verities was won by Mr. Kelu, Peruvady Kurichya Tharavadu in Vellamunda Panchayath. The award worth Rs 15,000/- to support those Adivasi farm-ers who conserve all types of crop and animal breed diversity on farm has won by Mr. Achappan from Palookappil Kurichya tharavadu in Kottathra Panchayath. Mr. Sivan Nochanvayal from Noolpuzha Pan-chayath has won a consolation prize of Rs 10,000/- for his services to conserve rice verities in very limited land with limited resources

Kelu Peruvadi

Achappan Palookappil

Sivan Nochanvayal

2 31

3

2

1


5.3 The Exhibition

157 Farmers from different panchayaths participated in the first SEEDFEST as farm-er delegates and exhibited about 45 veri-ties of rice, 7 verities of legumes, 9 verities of vegetables, 7 verities of dioscorea, 4 types of colocasia, 4 other tubers, 3 native mango verities, 4 chilly verities and 6 ba-nana verities. There were 254 (119 women

and135 men)registered participants in the first day, 157 (68 women and 89 men) among them were farmers who represent-ed Panchayaths to exhibit and sale seeds in the stalls. Additionally 103 (27 women and 76 men) participants registered in the second day. Apart from the registered participants each day around 200 people from different walks of life visited the stalls including school children.


5.4. Stalls erected by PanchayathsAll 26 stalls from each Panchayath were exhibited with variety of seeds and ag-ricultural produces, arranged artistically attracted the attention of visitors. Vella-munda and EdavakaPanchayaths bagged the price for exhibiting maximum number

of crop verities and for participation of women. Mullankolly and VythiriPanchayath were struggled to exhibit any traditional verity of seeds, but they came with spices. It also showed where the biodiversity rich-ness is conserved within the district.


5.5 Seed exchange and sales

Farmers who came with seeds exchanged the seeds among them. This was formerly launched in the second day under the leadership of Mr. Cheruvayal Raman. And they also sold the seeds to the visited

farmers. SEEDCARE, the organization of Traditional farmers, has fixed the rates of each seed before the fest and exhibited the prize in the hall as the lowest prize for each variety.


6. Seminars and the outcomes

There were two major sem-inars during the SEEDFEST. On the first day, February 6th 2015, Wayanad Com-munity Seed Fest discussed the issues existing in con-serving agro-biodiversity in Wayanad and the role of Panchayathiraj Institutions in solving it. The techni-cal session was chaired by Prof. M K Prasad. Ms. Suma TR from MSSRF presented the consolidated report of Panchayath level workshops in the session which co chaired by Dr. Oommen V Oommen, Chairman, Kerala State Biodiversity Board. Dr. Jiju P. Alex, Professor, Kerala Agricultural University had delivered the key note ad-dress and then an eminent panel of discussants and farmer representatives discussed the topic. Mr. BalanPoothady , represen-tatives of tribal farmer, Dr. Y R Sharma, Former head

department of Micro biology IISR, Dr. S Rajashekaran, Ker-ala state Bio-diversity board, Dr. NirmalBabu,DASD, Dr. K KVijayan, Dr. P E Ra-jasekharan, IIHR, Bangalore, Dr N Anil Kumar, Director CAbC, MSSRF, Mr. V VShivan, MSSRF, and Dr C S Chandri-ka MSSRF where the panel discussants. The discussions were consolidated by Pro M K Prasad. And Mr. Bich-arathKunjiraman president of SEEDCARE delivered vote of thanks.

Farmers rights on agro-bio-diversity has discussed in the second day ,7th Febru-ary 2015, of the SEEDFEST, in the context of Indian legislations of farmer’s rights act and biodiversity act, the accesses of agro-biodiversi-ty and benefit sharing with local communities were discussed in detail. Mr. PrajeeshParameshwaran from MSSRF has presented

the experience of MSSRF in facilitating the registration of farmer’s verities. DrJ.honson George from IISR presented IISR initiatives to protect farmer rights and learning. Dr. C R Rajago-pal deliverd the key note address and the discussion panel of Dr S Rajashek-haran, Kerala State Bio-diversity Board, DrHomy-Cheriyan, Director, DASD, Shri Cheruvayal Raman, Shri Palliyara Raman, Dr K P Smitha, MSSRF, and Smt A Devaki President Wayanad Adivasi VikasanaPravar-thakaSamithy discussed the points. The discussions were consolidated by Mr. PrajeeshParameshwaran, and Dr. P E Rajashek-haran. Mr. Edakkal Mo-hanan secretary Wayanad Adivasi VikasanaPravar-thakaSamithydelivered vote of thanks.


7. Farmer trader interface

Farmer-trader interface was one of the attractive components of Wayanad seed fest. The Seed Fest invited traders who are working both inside and outside of the district. 7 representatives of differ-ent groups of traders and

companies participated and interacted with farm-ers. The purpose was to ensure reasonable prices for traditionally and organ-ically grown agricultural produces and products for farmers and establish linkages between farmers

and traders to engage in meaningful business avoiding middlemen to ensure maximum bene-fits to farmers. SEEDCARE facilitated this exercise and 24 farmers established commercial linkage to sell mainly rice and spices.


Another attraction of the SEEDFEST was the Film festival. Two days long film festival was organized as part of Wayanad com-munity Seed Fest. 6 different documentary films of seeds and farming were screened. More than 40 persons watched each film

8.Film festival

both days including children, farmers as well as visitors. The films screened were:NingalAranayeKandittundo directed by Sunanda Bhatt, Vithappadu directed by Anees Muhammed, Onam vannavazhi-di-rected by Nishanth.


The cultural evening on 6th February 2015 staged the traditional art form of Wayanad called ‘Vattakkali and Kolkalli’ by farmer groups from the Kuruma Community. The Vattakkali was performed with com-plete ritual rules. The performance of folk

9.Cultural Programmesong by a troop from Bathery amazed the viewers with many folk songs and dances depicting the great cultural heritage of Wayanad.


The Wayanad Community Seed Fest was concluded with the valedictory func-tion on 7th February 2015 at 3pm. Mr. Edakkal Mo-hanan, Secretary, Wayanad AdivsiVikasanasamithy welcomed the gathering.In the valedictory function, Dr. C. R. Ragagopal, Professor, Department of Malayalam, Kerala University delivered the key note address. Dr. N. Anil Kumar, Director, CAbC, MSSRF Ms. A. De-vaki, President, Wayanad Adivasi VikasanaPravar-thakaSamithy and Mr.

10.Valedictory Function

Bicharath Kunjiraman pres-ident SEEDCARE together consolidated the two days discussions and presented the seeds for joint action plans and further formula-tion of policy advocacy in the context of conservation of agro-biodiversity. Mr. C.R Rajagopal, presented the prizes for the Pan-chayaths who won in the best stall competition. Dr. N. Anil Kumar distributed certificates for Participants. Ms. Suma TR, Coordinator of Wayanad Community Seed Fest delivered vote of thanks.


Wayanad Seed Fest was a success in terms of participation of farmers, the Pancha-yathiraj institutions, academics, general public and State departments and donors. Kerala State Biodiversity Board played a major role from the beginning, extend-ing its arm-the biodiversity management committees of the GramaPanchayaths-to play a decisive role in seed conservation. The BMCs were actively participated in the programme as organizers. The Board also shared a major cost of the programme.

The District Panchayath and GramaPan-chayaths also actively involved in organiz-ing the Panchayath level meetings of BMCs and organizing the awareness programme on Farmer rights. However much more active participation need to be ensured from Gramapanchayths in coming years in

Supporters and Partnersorganizing the district level programmes.NABARDs involvement in this programme was very unique and worth mentioning. NABARD has come forward to financially support the programme realizing that the overall goal of SEEDFEST is to conserve the biodiversity and natural resources of the region. NABARD has been playing a lead role during the last one decade supporting the watershed programmes in the region.

MSSRF-CAbC played a facilitator’s role in the whole process, developing the capac-ity of Grassroots institutions it promoted, the Wayanad Adivasi VikasanaPravar-thakaSamithy(WAVPS) and SeedCare. CAbC also provided critical linkages be-tween donor agencies and the Grass-Root institutions.


11.Expenditure outlay

Details of project cost assistance and expenditure of Wayanad Community SEEDFEST

Head of account

Actual ex-penditure

Justification

Seed fest

1. Agro biodiversity exhi-bition

1,59,557 Cost incurred to reconstruct the traditional farm house setting in the seed fest exhibition hall. Other costs incurred for arranging seeds and stalls for exhibition.

3. Invitation and commu-nication

27,920.00 Invitation to participants, publicity, and other communications

4. Logistics and station-ary

72, 620.00

5. Refreshment 1,02,129.00 Provided food for three days partici-pants and organizers of seed fest

6. Travel allowance to participants and hono-rarium

73,490.00 Travel allowance to farmer delegates and other delegates from outside Wayanad . Honorarium paid to GRI members for organizing panchayath level workshops and seed fest.

7. Panchayath workshops 78,899.00 27 Panchayath level workshops where conducted prior to Wayanad Seed fest. Food and travel

7. Contingencies 22,500.008. Miscellaneous 7,763.00

Total 5,44,878.00

Kerala Biodiversity Board

2,50,000.00 Funding for seed fest and Panchayath level workshops

NABARD 3,00,000 Funding for seed fest and Panchayath level work shops


-kasanaPravarthakaSamithy, SEED CARE, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and

self-governments and farmers in a single platform with an aim of conserving agrobiodi-versity was a successes. The participation of farmers and peoples representatives from all 25 Panchayaths and one municipality was the highlight of the Fest. Wayanad SEED FEST 2015 has concluded with a consensus of all stakeholders to continue the same in coming years and also extending the seed conservation activities at village level in all Panchayaths of Wayanad.

Conclusion


SEED FEST IN MEDIA

M. S. Swaminathan Research FoundationCommunity Agrobiodiversity CentrePuthoorvayal, P.O. Meppadi, Wayanad,Kerala - 673 577, IndiaTel ; 04936 204477, 207019

Wayand District Tribal Development

Action Council

Wayanad Community Seed Fest 2015 - MSSRF CABC8 Wayanad Community Seed Fest 2015 3.The process...

Documents

Transcript of Wayanad Community Seed Fest 2015 - MSSRF CABC8 Wayanad Community Seed Fest 2015 3.The process...