“Women Reclaim Our Seeds!” is a long-term campaign led by Vikalpani to advocate for farmers’ seed rights while emphasizing the crucial role of women in seed conservation. In collaboration with other networks, Vikalpani played a significant role in the national-level protest against the proposed Seed Bill in 2014, successfully protecting farmers’ seed rights.
Members of Vikalpani maintain both home-based and community seed banks, where they practice a system of seed sharing. Vikalpani also manages seed production farmlands dedicated to supplying seeds for their Seed Production and Marketing Society. The women involved have extensive knowledge and experience in producing quality planting seeds, and Vikalpani actively promotes local seed varieties.
The Seed Production and Marketing Society is officially registered under the Department of Agriculture, following the Seed Act No. 22 of 2003. Agricultural instructors also provide technical support to help women enhance their marketing activities to align with farmers and other like-minded networks. You can support the campaign by purchasing local seeds from Vikalpani women farmers, contributing to promoting local seed diversity and farmer’s rights on seeds.
