By Rohan Mukerjee, Community Wellbeing

On 27th and 28th the Beej Utsav 2025 cum Organic Farming Fair was held in the grounds of Bharat Sevasharm Sangh, Bankura, West Bengal. The Beej Utsav was organized by Panchal Susthye Krishi Udyog Samiti (PSKUS), Panchal, Bankura and Forum for Indigenous Agriculture Movement (FIAM), Raigunj and supported by Bharat Beej Swaraj Manch, WASSAN, Bharat Agroecology Fund (BAF), Keystone Foundation and Revitalizing Rainfed Agriculture. 

The inauguration of the Beej Utsav 2025 was anchored by Dr. Anupam Paul. Dr. Paul has a vast experience of conducting / imparting training and promoting folk rice and traditional seed varieties. He is also an author whose works have been published extensively with his articles and books covering a variety of topics that include Traditional Rice, Food Politics, Corp Biodiversity, Anti-colonialism, Millets and other related subjects. The Welcome address was provided by Chinmoy Das of the Forum for Indigenous Agriculture Movement (FIAM) is a grassroots organisation in West Bengal that works to conserve indigenous varieties of seeds. He highlighted the dream behind the Beej Utsav and the movement as a whole which was moving away from chemical intensive farming and ensuring that the whole of India moves towards organic and natural farming. 

Targeted at highlighting the benefits and positives of traditional crop varieties and natural farming practices and spreading awareness about the efforts being carried out for their conservation and promotion a series of publications were launched at the Beej Utsav. 

The Publications launched included –

Brinjal varieties of West Bengal (Bengali) 

  • Rainfed Realms by Shyamoli & Bhairab Saini, V Swaminathan, Anupam Paul & Soumik Banerjee – which highlighted Rainfed farming systems that offer hope of reviving India’s diverse Seed and Cropping Systems that can bring in resilience, sustainability and health for People and Planet in the Rainfed Realms of India. It covered indigenous varieties of 24 upland rice, 14 finger millet, 13 cotton, 10 maize and 6 pulses varieties. 
  • Banglar Begun, Glimses of some Brinjal varieties of Bengal by Arun Ram, Anupam Paul & Soumik Banerjee – which highlighted the diversity of Brinjal in West Bengal in the face of increased spread of monocultures of hybrid brinjals which have only resulted in profits for the companies, but distressed farmers as well poisoned the environment and our food. Many farmers are reviving the traditional varieties as they offer hope to bring back the richness of our traditional food while also being economically viable. 
  • Posters: Heirloom Wheat and Barley of India (English) 
Millet collage
Sahoday Trust, Kohbari, Banshchatti, Gaya Bihar – represented by Anil Kumar and Sanjay Mondal. Anil shared that he along with his wife Rekha have been promoting Alternative Education which includes environmental education and they have received a Forest Education grant from Keystone Foundation. 

The Beej Utsav involved over 180 participants comprising Farmers, Seed Conservators, Academicians, Researchers, Individuals and organisations working in for the promotion and revival of traditional food systems and promotion of natural farming practices. There were a diversity of stalls comprising both commercial and those of farmers and groups who were displaying their seeds and products. The stalls were from various parts of West Bengal as well as from different states of India like Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujrat, Haryana, Jharkhand, and Odisha. A few of the stalls were as follows – Anna Bhandar / Panchal Susthaye Krishi Udyog Samiti – who had jointly organised the Beej Utsav and brought a variety of organic produce from organic farmers of Panchal village, Bankura district, for sale at the event. Their products included Traditional rice – Sathia (red rice) Chaal, Lalji Super, GobinMuri / Puffed Rice – Hinchi Leby Muri and Khanakchurer Khoi, Sathia and Gobindobog Chira (Flattened Rice), Kodo and Little Millet, Madua (Finger Millet) Atta, Multigrain Flour, Til (Sesame), Millet Laddu, Arhar dal, Masur Dal and Chola dal, Khejur Gur / Date Jaggery, Patali Gur.

In the course of the Beej Utsav several sessions were conducted on a variety of issues that included – 

  • Organic Farming – Challenges and Opportunities
  • Modern Agriculture and Food Politics
  • Food Politics and MSP
  • Marketing of organic produce
  • Ecological Farming and the Honey Bee

These sessions involved participants with expertise in the particular subject, grassroot practitioners, activists and representatives of different organisations working with these issues. The sessions involved active share and interactions with the audiences with multiple points of view shared and discussed and potential solutions explored. 

bankura beej utsav cultural performance
The evenings were dedicated to Cultural performances with artists celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Bankura and West Bengal through song, dance and poetry. 

The efforts of several individuals and organisations to promote the cause of Natural Farming, Traditional seeds and food systems was recognized through the distribution of several Awards. 

The success of the Beej Utsav was ensured by the tireless efforts of the Bharat Sebashram team and many individuals who included Bhairab Saini, Biplab Das, Dhananjay Banerjee, Ramrishna Chand, Santobrato Sen and other volunteers. 

Read the Full Report Below:

Bankura_Beej_Utsav_2025_Report.docx (1)Download

All photos taken by Rohan Mukerjee.