Community Seed Festival 2024 Celebration by NIRMAN- AgriTech(All about Agriculture)

 Community Seed Festival 2024 Celebration by NIRMAN at Daspalla

The much-anticipated Community Seed Festival 2024, organized by NIRMAN at Daspalla, was a resounding success, bringing together over 1,000 community members to celebrate sustainable agriculture, traditional seed conservation, and local knowledge sharing. This vibrant event, held with great enthusiasm, featured a distinguished lineup of guests and a wide array of activities that highlighted the importance of seed sovereignty and community-based agro ecological practices.

The festival was graced by the presence of several prominent dignitaries, including the chief guest, Trilochan Mahapatra, Chairperson of PPVFRA, who highlighted the significance of preserving indigenous seeds and promoting sustainable farming practices. Other notable speakers included Dr. Pratap Bhattacharya, Head of Crop Production at NRRI, who shared insights into innovative agricultural practices, and Prasanjit Mishra, Dean of OUAT Extension, who emphasized the need for bridging the gap between research and local farming communities. Additionally, key figures like KVK scientists, DPC Mission Shakti representatives, the Block Chairman, MP representative, BPC Mission Shakti members, ADAO Guari Sir, and NIRMAN Executive Director Prasant Mohanty and Pramod Sir, as well as other NIRMAN staff, played an instrumental role in the event's success.

The festival featured 18 diverse exhibition stalls, showcasing a wide variety of local and indigenous products. These included stalls dedicated to desi vegetables, traditional seed varieties, a photo exhibition highlighting the cultural and agricultural heritage 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.

In addition to the educational and informative exhibitions, the event culminated in an engaging cultural program, which celebrated the local traditions and the spirit of community. The festival was made possible with the generous support of funding agencies such as SWISSAID, KKS-BMZ, SAA, and NIRMAN, whose contributions played a crucial role in its successful execution.

The Community Seed Festival 2024 not only celebrated the rich agricultural heritage of Daspalla 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.

Source: NIRMAN odisha