17th Annual Old Seed Festival was held in
Killoguda village in the Araku region of Andhra Pradesh
¨
The 17th Annual Old Seed
Festival was held in Killoguda village in the Araku region of Andhra Pradesh.
¨
The event was organized
by the Sanjeevini Organisation.
¨ The festival focused on
conserving indigenous seed diversity and promoting natural farming practices.
¨
It brought together
Adivasi farmers, researchers, environmentalists, and civil society groups to
celebrate traditional agriculture and tribal biodiversity.
¨
Farmers from Araku,
Rampachodavaram, the Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu), and Koraput (Odisha) showcased a
wide range of traditional seeds.
¨
These included millets,
pulses, tubers, and local crop varieties adapted to tribal farming systems.
¨
The event began with a village
procession carrying preserved seeds, symbolizing the importance of protecting
native crops.
¨
Cultural performances
such as traditional drum beats and Dhimsa dance were also part of the
celebration.
¨
A key highlight was the
exhibition of 80 varieties of tuber seeds by farmers from Gondivalasa village
in Dumbriguda mandal.
¨ Farmers shared knowledge on seed preservation methods, cultivation techniques, and climate resilience of indigenous crops.
¨ Traditional tuber crops were highlighted for requiring low external inputs and being well-suited to local ecological conditions.
