Karnataka State Farmers' Association (KRRS) seed festival and seed banks

Since the year 2000, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), a farmer movement working with peasant farmers, pastoralists and breeders, has organized seed festivals on an annual basis to facilitate farmer-to-farmer seed and knowledge exchange and seed sales, along with sessions for sharing information and experiences, e.g. on seed laws. The objective is to improve the exchange and sale of seeds from farmers to farmers and to protect the farmers’ seeds systems as a way to implement Article 9 of the ITPGRFA. The organization further maintains seedbanks, through which farmers can access seed of local varieties, as well as processing units for products made from peasant seeds, such as fabric made from local (‘indigenous’) cotton varieties. KRRS further provides information to farmers and the general public on Indian laws relating to Farmers’ Rights, including seed legislation, plant variety protection, patents and regulations for genetically modified organisms (GMO).