Kolkata : A state-level consultation on Community Managed Seed Systems for Natural and Agroecological Farming was held in Kolkata in collaboration with WASSAN, RRA Network and DRCSC, drawing key voices from civil society, seed saviors and academia to discuss sustainable alternatives to corporatized farming in West Bengal.
Delivering the key note, Shri Purnendu Basu, Former
Agriculture Minister and
Chairperson of
the
West
Bengal State Council of Technical and Vocational Education called
for
seed
self-reliance. “We
should
make
our
own seeds,” he urged, warning against dependence on corporate seed
packets. He emphasized the successes of Kerala and Odisha in adopting organic practices under scoring the need for similar efforts in West Bengal, and strongly advocated for
collaboration with grassroots NGOs.
Dr. Sabyasachi Das, Director of WASSAN (Watershed Support
Services and
Activities Network), opened
the consultation by highlighting the state’s rich agroecological
potential and the urgent need to go beyond yield- based food security. He
stressed the importance of nutritional diversity & security and shared
WASSAN’s experience in reviving traditional millet varieties, already being
scaled up in Odisha. Mapping up the traditional varieties also helps in
National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) which West Bengal Government has
planned for taking up in 300 gram panchayats, 99 blocks and 10 districts.
Other speakers, including Prof. Koushik Brahmachari (BCKV), Dr. Anupam Paul (former
DDA,
Govt
of
WB), Dr. Sukanta Dasgupta
(JIS University) and Mr. Amalesh Mishra
(Rtd. Prof. Zoological Survey of India) addressed the role of farmer groups,
legal reforms, and ecological sustainability.
As a
highlight of the event, nearly 600 traditional seed varieties were exhibited by
ten participating NGOs, showcasing the
depth
of
community-led conservation efforts. The
event
concluded with
a shared commitment
to strengthen community managed seed systems and empower farmers toward an
agroecological future.
The second
day opened with presentations from participating NGOs, who had been assigned to
identify endangered
traditional seed
varieties. Notable
examples included paddy
varieties like
Kaminibhog and Radhuni, vegetables such as Desi brinjal, Dhukur, Kamranga sheem,
and pulses like Khesari. The exercise reinforced the urgency of conserving
these disappearing genetic resources.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Sabyasachi Das, Director of WASSAN, emphasized the importance of collective action and WASSAN’s role in strengthening farmer-led seed networks. He introduced Beej Mancha, urging all stakeholders to join the platform and work towards sustainable, community-managed seed systems. The two-day consultation concluded with the felicitation of all participating NGOs for their vital contributions.
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