Event | 28 February to 1 March 2026

Wayanad Community Seed Fest 2026

This annual festival is a unique grassroots initiative that drives on-farm agrobiodiversity conservation through community networks, seed exchange, and knowledge-sharing partnerships. Since its inception in 2015, the Wayanad Community Seed Fest has engaged over 15,000 participants - bringing together custodian farmers, tribal communities, researchers, policymakers, and the wider public to celebrate, protect, and promote indigenous seeds and farmers’ rights.   

The 10th WCSF will take place from 28 February to 1 March 2026 at Athikkolli Seed Village, Vellamunda Panchayath, Mananthavady, Wayanad and is open to public participation. This edition is organized with greater community ownership, leadership, and active participation of the Wayanad District Tribal Development Action Council (WDTDAC) and rural and tribal farming communities. 

On-spot registrations are open to all participants. 

Key Events & Activities

Technical Sessions

Our speakers will unpack women’s roles in agrobiodiversity conservation, women-led agrobiodiversity enterprises, the practical challenges and future pathways for community seed systems, including policy perspectives related to farmers’ rights on seeds. 

Special Session

Senior farmers will share their experiences and traditional knowledge, celebrating Wayanad’s rich agricultural heritage through intergenerational dialogue. 

Community Agrobiodiversity Conservation Awards

Every year, WDTDAC awards a selection of tribal farmers to recognize their contributions to biodiversity conservation.  

Signature Seed Exchange Programme

We will facilitate the exchange of various seed varieties among farmers, which will enable the sharing and continuity of indigenous crop varieties for on-farm conservation.

Exhibitions

We will offer interactive, educational sessions and showcase the rich agrobiodiversity of Wayanad such as bananas, tubers, millets and other indigenous crops for farmers, students, researchers, and the public.

Celebrating Women Farmers as Custodians of Agrobiodiversity

Aligned with the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer, the theme of WCSF 2026 is “Celebrating Women Farmers as Custodians of Agrobiodiversity.” Agrobiodiversity forms the foundation of resilient farming systems, cultural identity, and community stewardship over seeds and natural resources. Indigenous crop varieties, evolved and conserved over generations, embody farmers’ knowledge, ecological adaptation, and collective heritage. However, these living repositories of diversity face increasing pressures from homogenized agriculture, market-driven crop choices, erosion of traditional knowledge systems, and changing socio-ecological contexts. 

Women farmers play a central role in the conservation, selection, storage, exchange, and transmission of traditional crop varieties and associated knowledge systems. In Wayanad, women—particularly elder women in tribal and farming households—have been key custodians of seeds, wild edibles, medicinal plants, and locally adapted crop varieties. Their contributions sustain agrobiodiversity, strengthen community resilience, and ensure the continuity of farming legacies across generations.