Strengthening the local seed systems of Meghalaya and Nagaland (North-East India) through crop festivals, farmers seed exchanges and community seed banks

Established in 2012, the North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS), is a platform that connects people to the pleasure and importance of local food. NESFAS embraced the framework of agroecology in promoting local foods that are responsibly produced, protect the environment and enhances human health and wellbeing. Since 2018, NESFAS is implementing the project, "No one shall be left behind Initiative- Biodiversity for Food, Nutrition and Livelihood Security" in partnership with the indigenous communities of Meghalaya and Nagaland, to preserve and promote the indigenous food systems of the region. Seeds have been the basis of the food chain and food security. As part of their advocacy to protect traditional crops and local seeds, NESFAS and its partner NGOs support communities to strengthen their local seed system through e.g. seed festivals, seed exchanges and community seed banks. The main objective is to create awareness on the importance of local crops and their seeds, recuperate seed varieties that are lost, promote in-situ and on-farm conservation of PGRFA, raise awareness on the importance of local seeds, traditional knowledge and seed sovereignty. The core interventions include participatory crop diversity mapping, displaying indigenous seed varieties, informative sessions, farmer-to-farmer exchange of knowledge and seeds, and facilitating the creation of farmer seed networks. Seed fairs and seed festivals have served as an important vehicle that acknowledges farmers' effort and traditional knowledge for the conservation of PGRFA.