Kisan Swaraj Sammelan all set to begin at KSOU from Friday

The three-day Kisan Swaraj Sammelan will begin at the Mukta Gangotri campus of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in Mysuru on Friday.

Organised jointly by Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) and Prasaranga, KSOU’s publication wing, the Sammelan, billed as the ‘Kumbh Mela or Organic Farmers’ will witness the participation of more than 1,000 delegates from various states across the country.

“Extensive preparations have been made for the Sammelan, which will bring together leading voices in agroecology”, said a statement issued by the organisers.

As part of the event, Sahaja Samrudha has organised a ‘Biodiversity Fair,’ where more than 50 seed conservers from Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra are exhibiting a wide range of indigenous seeds, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Diverse traditional seeds are also available for sale.

National award-winning farmer Shaji from Wayanad, Kerala, is showcasing over 200 varieties of tubers, including rare indigenous and international varieties from his collection, the statement said.

The Hulikadu Farmer Producer Company from Heggadadevanakote is offering purple yam, vine potatoes, and other tubers for sale. Members of the Sanjeevini Adivasi Sangham from Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh, have also brought rare tuber varieties for exhibition.

The Belavala Foundation from Belagola has organised an urban gardening workshop, featuring attractive home garden models. Their team is ready to guide city residents interested in starting their own gardens.

Thirty organic stalls offering natural farm produce and value-added products have been selected from 130 registered applicants. 

“Only vendors who use plastic-free, eco-friendly packaging and source products from trustworthy organic producers have been given space at the Sammelan,” the statement said.

Seven food stalls are serving traditional cuisines from Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Visitors can enjoy dishes such as ragi semiya, jowar roti, mixed greens curry, and juices made from forgotten fruits like bael, passion fruit, and sesame fruit.

Desi oils

Desiri Naturals has set up a traditional bull-driven oil extraction unit (gana). Live demonstrations of roasting and oil extraction will be conducted, and customers can purchase freshly extracted oil of their choice, the organisers said.

Weavers from Ponduru in Andhra Pradesh, renowned worldwide for their hand-spun and handwoven fabrics made from indigenous cotton, are participating in the event. Women artisans from Ponduru will demonstrate traditional spinning techniques using the charkha. Tula India from Chennai will showcase and sell garments made from desi cotton.

The Sammelan will be attended by several eminent personalities in the field of natural farming including Padma Shri awardee Subhash Sharma and Gopalbhai Sutaria from Gujarat, known for his research on Gokrupamrut.

The statement from the organisers said the conference will host discussions and dialogues on major challenges facing agriculture and rural livelihoods, including seed sovereignty, farmers’ rights laws, the impact of herbicide-tolerant crops, agricultural labour issues, and human-animal conflicts.

Educational exhibitions have been arranged for school students, urban consumers, and farmers, offering insights into eco-friendly lifestyles.

The organisers have appealed to the people of Mysuru to participate in large numbers and make use of this unique opportunity to adopt alternative lifestyles and become part of the natural farming movement. Interested persons can contact 8105579839 for more information.

Published – February 26, 2026 08:13 pm IST