Dasapalla (Odisha)-The much-awaited Community Seed Festival 2024, organized by NIRMAN at Dasapalla in the Nayagarh district of Odisha, was a resounding success, bringing together a large number of community members to celebrate sustainable agriculture, traditional seed conservation, and local knowledge sharing.This vibrant event, initiated with great enthusiasm, featured a distinguished line-up of guests and a wide array of activities that highlighted the importance of seed sovereignty and community-based agroecological practices.
The festival was graced by the presence of several prominent dignitaries, including the chief guest
Dr.Trilochan Mahapatra, Chairperson of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority
(PPVFRA), Govt of India who not only appreciated the community seed conservation initiative and this
seed festival of NIRMAN but also emphasised on financial benefits to such communities and shared
how they can apply for a governmental support for this community-based seed conservation purpose.
Dr. Prasannajit Mishra, Dean of Extension at OUAT, saluted this community enthusiasm and advised to
carry forward the initiative through propagation & production of the seeds conserved. Dr. Pratap
Bhattacharya, Head of Crop Production Department at National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack
honestly shared that whereas he was supposed to motivate the people here but he himself got
motivated after seeing their initiatives. Dr. Anil Kumar Swain, Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nayagarh
provided more information on how & when to apply for the governmental grant by the seed conserving
communities.
Among other guests present were the Sri Pramod Pradhan, Consultant, SWISSAID; Block Chairperson
Smt. Sunanda Sahoo; Sri Kishore Chandra Dalabehera, representative of the local MP Sri Sukanta
Panigrahi; DPC Sri Saswat Sahoo & BPC Sri Pramod Behera of Mission Shakti with the members; and
ADAO Sri Guari Shankar Mishra. NIRMAN’s Executive Director Sri Prasant Mohanty explained the
objective of the programme.
The festival featured 18 diverse exhibition stalls, showcasing a wide variety of local and indigenous
products such as Andunga (Queen Sago seeds), Paluo(East Indian Arrowroot), and Kuliya Kanda(Indian
three-leaved yam). These included stalls dedicated to desi vegetables, traditional seed varieties (paddy,
millets, and misc.), uncultivated foods, a photo exhibition highlighting the cultural and agricultural
heritage, community stewardship of the region, and an Integrated Farming System (IFS) model, among
others. The stalls served as platforms for seed and knowledge exchange, fostering collaboration and a
deeper understanding of sustainable farming practices, among the community members. The rich
biodiversity was also echoed in the festival.
In addition to the educational and informative exhibitions, the event culminated in an engaging cultural
program, which celebrated the indigenous dance traditions and the spirit of community. The festival
was made possible with the generous support of funding agencies such as SWISSAID, Karl Kübel
Stiftung für Kind und Familie(KKS) & Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development (BMZ), and Sri Anna Abhiyan whose contributions played a crucial role in its successful
execution.
The Community Seed Festival 2024 not only celebrated the rich agricultural heritage of Dasapalla but
also strengthened the collective resolve of the community to protect, preserve, and promote their
traditional seeds for future generations. Through this event, NIRMAN successfully facilitated an exchange of knowledge, seeds, and ideas that will continue to inspire and empower the local farming
community.
