Old Seed festival in Araku spotlights tribal biodiversity and conservation efforts

The 17th annual Old Seed festival, organised by the Sanjeevini organisation, brought together Adivasi farmers, researchers, and civil society representatives at Killoguda village in the Araku region of Alluri Sitharama Raju district on Tuesday, underscoring efforts to conserve indigenous seed diversity and promote natural farming practices.

Farmers from Araku, Rampachodavaram, the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, and Koraput in Odisha displayed a wide range of traditional seeds, reflecting the ecological diversity of tribal farming systems across southern India. The event began with a village procession in which participants carried preserved seed varieties, followed by cultural performances, including traditional drum ensembles and Dhimsa dances.