Community seed banks are significant platforms for seed and food security among small-scale farmers in India. After 2020, the number of community seed banks has rapidly increased, and new trends are visible. To shed light on these new developments and enable exchange between and among central actors, the seminar ‘Community seed banks in India in times of change’ took place in New Delhi, 8–9 April 2025. It brought together central stakeholders from community seed banks, their facilitating organisations, relevant authorities, and the research community across the country.

The seminar was carried out as part of the project Unfolding the Potentials of Community Seed Banks for Food and Nutrition Security among Smallholder Farmers in India through the Realization of Farmers’ Rights (DIVERSIFARM-India), implemented by the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway, and the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, with the support of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi. The seminar was co-organized with the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA), the Watershed Support Services and Activities Network (WASSAN) , and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, India Office.

At the seminar:  

  • The DIVERSIFARM-India team shared preliminary findings from a comprehensive mapping of community seed banks in India, documenting the situation of 295 out of the presently identified 800 community seed banks in the country.
  • They also presented a new typology of community seed banks in India derived from the mapping, a first interactive online Atlas of community seed banks in India (work in progress) - and an analysis of their situation/trends for discussion.
  • Representatives of community seed banks presented their experiences and reflections and there were presentations of experiences from other countries in the Global South.
  • Supporting organisations and networks explained how they promote community seed banks and reflected on how to improve such support.
  • The seminar provided ample space for interactive discussions on challenges, opportunities, and ways forward.

Please find the programme of the seminar here (PDF, 3MB). The proceedings of the seminar will be posted here towards the end of May. Meanwhile, a collection of presentations from the seminar is available below.

Presentations from Session 1: Community seed banks and DIVERSIFARM - India

  • The DIVERSIFARM-India project. Click here (PDF, 5MB) for the presentation.
  • The state of research. Click here (PDF, 1MB) for the presentation.
  • Results from a comprehensive mapping of community seed banks in India, a typology and major trends. Click here (PDF, 3MB) for the presentation.
  • Raiser CSB, Odisha by Mr Prasant Mohanty, Secretary Cum Executive Director, NIRMAN. Click here  (PDF, 2MB)for the presentation.
  • Sahaja Samrudja, Karnataka by Mr G. Krishna Prasad, Founder and Director, (SAHAJA Seeds). Click here  (PDF, 2MB)for the presentation.
  • Amarkanan Rural Socio-Environmental Welfare Society (CSB), West Bengal by Dr Anjan Kumar Sinha, Founder and Secretary. Click here  (PDF, 8MB)for the presentation.
  • Junee Mountain Farmers Producer Company Limited, Himachal Pradesh by Dr Lal Singh, Director, Himalayan Research Group. Click here  (PDF, 5MB)for the presentation.

 

Presentations for Session 3: Organizations and networks promoting CSBs in India

  • Living Farms, Odisha by Bichitra Biswal, Program Director, Ladakh Environment and Health Organisation (LEHO). Click here (PDF, 2MB) for the presentation.
  • Caritas-India by Dr M. K. Saju, Zone Programme Lead, Caritas-India. Click here (PDF, 1MB) for the presentation.
  • M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) by Dr E.D. Israel Oliver King, Director Biodiversity, MSSRF. Click here (PDF, 3MB) for the presentation.
  • Working Group on Seed Systems for Rainfed Areas (WGoSS) by Ms Bhagya Laxmi, Associate Director, Watershed Support Services and Activities Network (WASSAN). Click here (PDF, 4MB) for the presentation.
  • The Working Group for Women and Landownership (WGWLO) by Ms Purvi Vyas, Thematic Member (Agriculture) & Practising Farmer. Click here (PDF, 854KB) for the presentation.
  • Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority by Dr. D.K. Agarwal, Registrar General, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority. Click here  (PDF, 3MB)for the presentation.
  • ICAR-National Institute of Seed Science & Technology, Mau by Dr Sanjay Kumar, Director, ICAR-NISST. Click here (PDF, 2MB) for the presentation.
  • Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT by Dr Jai Rana, Country Representative for India. Click here (PDF, 6MB) for the presentation.
  • International Rice Research Institute by Dr Swati Nayak, Scientist II and South Asia Lead - Seed Systems and Product Management. Click here (PDF, 3MB) for the presentation.