Wayanad Community Seed Fest from February 28

In a boost to the grassroots agrobiodiversity movement, the 10th edition of the Wayanad Community Seed Fest (WCSF 2026) will be held at Athikkolli Seed Village in Vellamunda near Mananthavady on February 28 and March 1.

The event will be inaugurated by Minister for Welfare for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes O.R. Kelu on Saturday.

Organised jointly by the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and the Wayanad District Tribal Development Action Council (WDTDAC), this year’s Seed Fest would see enhanced community participation. Officials said that hosting the event in a recognised seed village underscored the central message of the festival: conserving diversity within its own landscape and strengthening farmers’ rights and responsibilities over seeds and farming systems.

A key highlight of the opening session will be the announcement and distribution of the Community Genome Saviour Awards by WDTDAC, recognising custodian farmers and community leaders who have safeguarded traditional crop varieties and associated knowledge systems across generations.

The WCSF 2026 will feature a series of thematic technical sessions bringing together scientists, policymakers, tribal farmer representatives, Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) members and youth groups. The first technical session will focus on ‘Agrobiodiversity Conservation and Community Seed Systems: Practical Challenges and Way Forward’. Discussions will examine the status of indigenous rice and tuber genetic resources, the role of BMCs, medicinal plant conservation and emerging intersections with technologies.

Another session will deliberate on ‘Reviving Pepper Farming in Wayanad: Way Forward’. Pepper, once the hallmark of Wayanad’s agrarian identity, has witnessed severe decline due to disease, climate variability, and market fluctuations. Experts, progressive farmers, and agricultural officials will discuss restoration strategies, resilient varieties, and integrated management approaches to rejuvenate pepper cultivation.

Technical sessions are also planned on ‘Celebrating Women Farmers as Custodians of Agrobiodiversity’, ‘Seed Exchange and Exhibition of Living Diversity’, and ‘Remembering Wayanad’s Agricultural Legacy’.

The Seed Fest over the years has provided a vibrant space for exhibiting, exchanging and selling indigenous seeds, facilitating knowledge exchange between traditional wisdom and scientific research, and strengthening farmer-to-farmer and farmer-to-market linkages. Each year, the event has witnessed a steady increase in participation from custodian farmers and the general public, reaffirming its relevance and impact.