Collaborative networks with organizations have created movements where Sahaja Samrudha has pioneered campaigns in Karnataka to conserve the rich diversity. At the national level that has brought in every state of India into the Bharat Beej Swaraj Manch(BBSM) or India Seed Sovereignty Alliance, a nationwide network of seed savers for conserving and regenerating crop and self-reliance in seeds, which Sahaja is in the forefront.
Peoples Biodiversity Register (PBR)
Sahaja Samrudha collaboratively documented a peoples register in consultation with local people. The Register is a comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, their medicinal or any other use or any other traditional knowledge associated with them. The documentation was conducted in 7 talukas of Dharwad District.
Detailed information on local resource persons, crop and varietal diversity of field crops, horticultural crops, Different caste of people present in the district, Geographical distribution and status of forest area, irrigation sources, Ecological diversity, Soil types, Diversity of medicinal plants, aromatic and ornamental plants, weeds, forest trees, domesticated animals, wild animals, aquatic flora and fauna and also on Different markets established for marketing of agricultural products, domesticated animals and fish.
Celebrating Diversity’ a Seed Festival
The Organic Farming Association of India (OFAI) an organic-farmer-based organization hosted the 19th edition in India.
The international Seed Festival was a parallel event during the 19 Organic World Congress (OWC) – ‘An Organic World through an Organic India, 2017, organized by Sahaja Samrudha in association with Bharat Beej Swaraj Manch, Save Our Rice Campaign. It was a mega event that brought in 60 seed saver groups from 15 state of India, with over 4000 different varieties of seeds and over 200 seed saver groups in around 52 stalls that expressed countless landscapes, climates, agricultural realities and tastes. Women’s knowledge of saving seeds was the highlight of OWC 2017 that brought together exclusive 25 women organizations that work solely on traditional seeds. These women save, share and exchange seeds and showcase the rich seed diversity and culture of India.
National Workshop on ‘Desi Cotton – Cultivation and Culture
Traditional Indian cotton varieties have gradually ceded ground, a movement towards revival of these began in Karnataka and Sahaja Samrudha collaborated with several organizations like Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture, K H Patil Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Hulkoti organized a NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ‘DESI COTTON – CULTIVATION AND CULTURE in 2014 with Gandhigram, Dindigal and Tula for REVIVAL OF DESI COTTON AND CONTEMPORARY KHADI.
National Workshop on Indigenous Cotton in India jointly organized by Yuva Rural Association (Y.R.A.), ICAR-CICR and SAHAJA SAMRUDHA at ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur.
National and Regional Seed Savers Network
Building innovative and constructive partnerships with farmer groups and organizations across India with the concept of seed conservation and regional Seed Saver Network of Karnataka was established where women are the heart of entire seed-movement. Seed Conservation has spread across many states and Seed Savers Networks have been established in Odhisha, Kerala, Maharastra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh.
At the national level a network of farmers seed conservation, which encompasses every state of India into the Bharat Beej Swaraj Manch (BBSM) or India Seed Sovereignty Alliance, a nationwide network of seed savers for conserving and regenerating crop and self-reliance in seeds, which Sahaja is in the forefront.
Working Group on Seed System
The group is promoting seed system appropriate in rainfed areas that includes landraces and farmers’ varieties to support a diversified, productive and climate resilient agriculture; such a seed system is intended to be managed by farmers.
Conducted State Level Multi Stakeholder Consultation on Seed Systems for the traditional varieties for Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture, National workshop on seed system in New Delhi on 20th December 2023 was organised with National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), UAS- Dharwad, Sahaja Samrudha, and Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network.
Kisan Swaraj Sammelan
The 5th Kisan Swaraj Sammelan was organised fromi n Mysore, collaboratively by ASHA (Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture), along with Sahaja Samrudha, SOIL Trust, Janapada Sewa Trust, Bellavala Farms and Desi Seed Producer Co. The festival was to celebrate farmer-empowering sustainable, equitable, viable alternatives in India farming. It was a re-union of those working in this sector, a learning and sharing with each other. The event had participation of more than 2000 people from different parts of the country – farmers, organisations, seed savers, community organisers, scientists, policy makers, activists, consumers, students and many more. The Sammelan had plenary sessions, parallel sessions in addition to the Bio-diversity Festival, Demonstrations, Organic Food Festival.
Value Addtion and Stakeholder Events
Participatory Market Chain Analysis Developing a Value chain with different actors forming part of participatory market chain like seed savers, nutritionists, doctors, farmers, govt bodies, processors, Scientists was organised in 2 phases. The 1 st phase determined the crops and products that can be developed and introduced into the market. The 2nd PMCA was to create markets and develop a roadmap to prioritize products of the same crops with potential to succeed. The products were identified and the women groups would under went trainings and skill building exercises to develop and standardise the products. Production of 16 value-added products that are different health and protein drinks by using millets and the neglected pulses, various pickle recipes, millet flakes, sweet items are being introduced into the market.
Climate Change Adaptation techniques– Earth Net Foundation, Thailand and Sahaja Samrudha experimented the Climate Change Adaptation techniques in the Western Ghats region. Unusual weather patterns, causes inability in farmers to plan for their next crop, forecast services through SMS alerts to farmers on current climate conditions, including variability and weather extremes was initiated. The organization has been working in building resilience through ecological agriculture across villages in different districts – climate change adaptation and mitigation, and conserving region specific crops to ensure source of food and livelihoods of small, marginal and resource poor Farmers.
RRA Network- Working Group of Millets – Sahaja Samrudha is collaborated with a dedicated and organised group of organisations who are working on the revival of millets that is contributing to national millets policies and programs and Development of resource pack on millets processing.
Collaborating for Workshops and Seminars –
Collaboration with Institute of Millet research (IIMR), Hyderabad has had two sequel workshops conducted. Workshops with esteemed Organistions and Institutions to bring various stakeholders together to discuss the developments and Policy frameworks for mainstreaming millets and promoting millet based food consumption have been in the process.
National Workshop on Millets
The Indian Institute for Millet Research (IIMR) and Sahaja Samrudha organized the ‘National Millets Workshop & Stakeholders Meet at IIMR, Hyderabad. The two day workshop was the first annual event brought various stakeholders together. Policy frameworks for mainstreaming millets, promoting millet based food consumption, promoting eco-friendly and holistic farming and marketing systems. There are many organizations working on millets production, processing, value addition, promotion and related policy frameworks and trying to find solutions to challenge – How to increase the productivity, to improve food security, accelerate economic growth, curb down malnutrition, finding resilience with variant crop species, technology for improved production, developing decentralized processing infrastructure and linking producers to markes.
National Millets Workshop Stakeholders Meet
Annually Workshops on Millet are being conducted and in 2018 a second sequel workshop in association with – The Indian Institute for Millet Research (IIMR), Sahaja Samrudha organized ‘National Millets Workshop Stakeholders Meet at IIMR, Hyderabad, on the 21st and 22nd May, 2018. The workshop was aimed at providing an interface platform of different stakeholders involved in millet production, processing, utilization, value addition and popularization. Individual farmers, research scientists from IIMR, NBPGR, CFTRI, etc., NABARD officials, value addition startups, entrepreneurs, processing specialists, NGOs involved in millet promotion and millets as organic food, indigenous seed saver organizations and self help groups from 13 states participated in the workshop where diverse issues were discussed. The various stakeholders actively participated in the workshop together to discuss the developments, exchange experiences and to come up with plans for collaborative initiatives to better benefit farmers and consumers and contributed in the deliberations.