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Bhoomi Festival: A Reminder That Our Food Is At Stake

In a mark of resistance against industrialised food and farming, women farmers from various states showcased folk seeds at Bhoomi Festival, hosted by Navdanya at IIC, Dilli.
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Bhoomi Festival: A carnival of resistance

EmpireDiaries.com

October 3, 2023: There was plenty of food for thought for guests as Navdanya, a leading food rights monitoring group, hosted the Bhoomi Festival 2023 at the India International Centre (IIC) in Dilli on October 1, 2023. The annual event serves as an awareness campaign seeking to wake urban populations up to the urgent need to stop the corporatisation of seeds, food, and farmland on its tracks.

Bhoomi Festival is a brainchild of Dr. Vandana Shiva, who is one of Bharat’s leading food scientists and environmental activists, battling successfully for decades to stop western powers from unethically patenting turmeric, neem, basmati, and other vital herbs and plants for corporate benefit.

The day-long event featured dance performances and artwork displays by schoolchildren, an exhibition of folk seed varieties by women farmers from various states, a talk session featuring luminaries, and an evening of Hindustani classical music by its doyen, Vidya Rao.

Empire Diaries presents a collection of snapshots from Bhoomi Festival 2023 at IIC.

Bhoomi Festival
The entrance to Bhoomi Festival 2023, which was held at India International Centre (IIC), Dilli (Empire Diaries).
Bhoomi Festival
Women farmers gather under a tree decorated with suspended folk seeds on display, at IIC on October 1, 2023.
Bhoomi Festival
Food and farm rights activist Dr. Vandana Shiva (right), who hosted the Bhoomi Festival, oversees the exhibition at IIC.
Bhoomi Festival
Guests and participants at the festival’s exhibition site.
Bhoomi Festival
Various types of folk seeds on show at Bhoomi Festival.
Bhoomi Festival
A troupe of youngsters concludes an energetic traditional dance performance.
Bhoomi Festival
Schoolchildren showcased their artwork at Bhoomi Festival. Their drawings and paintings bordered on the theme of environment, nature, and climate change.
Bhoomi Festival
Women farmers from Uttarakhand sang folk songs and spoke on the need to protect indigenous seeds from extinction.
Bhoomi Festival
Harish Mishra, a representative from Navdanya’s seed bank initiative in Odisha who works closely with the state’s natural farming groups, displayed various types of folk seeds, such as ones that are drought-resistant, saltwater-resistant, flood-resistant, etc.
Bhoomi Festival
In a digitally overdependent world, this particular variety of folk seed on display won’t be easy to locate on the internet! Knowledge of it is safeguarded by the country’s women farmers.
Bhoomi Festival
Folk seeds on display at the open-air exhibition at the India International Centre.
Bhoomi Festival
Women farmers from Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand wrap up their wares at the open-air exhibition before heading out for other events at Bhoomi Festival.
Bhoomi Festival
Dr. Vandana Shiva (centre, back row), who pilots the Navdanya food rights group, catches up with schoolchildren. She campaigns across the world, trying to make people aware of the escalating corporate takeover of our food system. Dr. Mira Shiva (left) is also seen in the snapshot (Empire Diaries).
Bhoomi Festival
Organic farmers introduce folk seeds for koni, jhangora, and bajra to the guests.
Bhoomi Festival
Farmers from various states watch a performance on the sidelines of the exhibition.
Bhoomi Festival
The exhibition was a learning experience for many a guest at Navdanya’s annual event focused on showcasing indigenous and threatened seed varieties.
Bhoomi Festival
More indigenous seeds on display at Bhoomi Festival.
Bhoomi Festival
Natural farmers from Bundelkhand in Madhya Pradesh welcome guests and acquaintances at the exhibition.
Bhoomi Festival
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, special envoy to the Bangladesh PM on climate change, lights the lamp at the start of a talk session at IIC during Bhoomi Festival. He is accompanied by veteran food rights activists, Dr. Vandana Shiva and Dr. Andre Leu (Empire Diaries).
Bhoomi Festival
Dr. Vandana Shiva launches a book at the auditorium.
Bhoomi Festival
Dr. Arun Gupta, a noted nutrition expert and a staunch critic of the junk food industry, delivers an engaging talk at IIC.
Bhoomi Festival
Hindustani classical singer Vidya Rao delivers a hallmark performance during the last leg of the day-long Bhoomi Festival at IIC, Dilli (Empire Diaries).

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