Custodian farmers of the Wayanad District Tribal Development Action Council (WDTDAC), a key grassroots institution under the Community Agrobiodiversity Centre of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), participated in the National Dialogue on Beeja Parampara – Conserving Our Past, Cultivating Our Future (SEED-5C, 2025). The programme was jointly organised by the SuATI Project, GIZ India, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka.
A six-member delegation of Adivasi farmers, comprising three women and three men, represented Wayanad at the national forum. The team shared their extensive experience and traditional knowledge in conserving agrobiodiversity in the Western Ghats. They highlighted over two decades of sustained community-led efforts to safeguard Wayanad’s traditional rice varieties, emphasizing the importance of indigenous knowledge systems in strengthening climate resilience and food security.
The delegation also presented their initiative to recognise and honour “Adivasi Genome Saviours,” a community-driven effort that acknowledges individuals who have played a vital role in conserving indigenous seed diversity. In addition, they underscored the impact of the annual Wayanad Community Seed Fest, which has emerged as a significant platform for raising awareness, fostering community participation, and promoting the conservation and exchange of traditional seeds.
Their participation underscored the strategic importance of Indigenous and Adivasi communities as primary custodians of agrobiodiversity, demonstrating how community-led, culturally embedded conservation frameworks contribute meaningfully to sustainable agriculture, genetic resource preservation, and long-term ecological resilience.
