On the occasion of World Food Day 2024, Navdanya hosted the Vasundhara Festival at the Navdanya Biodiversity Conservation Farm in Dehradun, India. This celebration of Mother Earth brought together a powerful gathering of women farmers, Indigenous peoples, and small-scale food producers from India and across the globe, including representatives from Italy, New Zealand, Mexico, and Canada. The bringing together diverse communities from across the globe, united their collective commitment to regenerative life-ways where respect for Nature is at the center. These stewards of biodiversity and defenders of the Earth came together not only to share their unique experiences but to amplify a collective call for transformative change in how humanity relates to food, farming, and mother earth.
Representatives of Navdanya, Navdanya International and Papawhakaritorito Trust (New Zealand) at Navdanya Seed Bank
A key highlight of the festival was the presentation and signing of two pivotal declarations, serving as for the future of food and agriculture. The first, « Seeding the Future of the Earth and Humanity, » boldly critiques industrial agriculture and calls for a return to ecological, small-scale farming. It advocates for seed freedom, biodiversity conservation, and the protection of the living soil beneath our feet. The second declaration, the Māori Women’s Declaration for Soil and Seed—Mana Wāhine Declaration for Hineahuone, presented by Indigenous Māori women, resonated deeply with all present. Both declarations reaffirmed the sacred connection between the Earth and its caretakers, urging humanity to reject extractive, destructive systems and embrace the regenerative power of nature.
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These declarations represent a call for global action. Together, they demand an end to harmful technologies like GMOs, rally for the preservation of soil health, and champion biodiversity as the foundation for a flourishing planet. By re-aligning with nature’s wisdom, they guide us toward a future where agriculture heals rather than harms, and where food sovereignty empowers communities towards a better future.
Above photos by Erika Santoro
The Vasundhara Festival exemplified the power of communities working together to safeguard their ecosystems through organic farming and biodiversity conservation. Participants exchanged knowledge, foods, seeds, and cultural expressions, deepening their shared commitment to building a regenerative world. These are the communities on the frontlines of the fight against climate change, biodiversity loss, and the commodification of food. They stand as living proof that solutions already exist within local, Indigenous, and farming communities—solutions that nourish both people and the planet.
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A prosperous life comes from a healthy Earth: Dr Vandana Shiva, Garhwal Post, 17 October 2024
Campaign: Biodiversity is Life, Not an Asset Class