Indigenous Seeds Festival in Mkg from Dec 12

Seen in the image are some of the indigenous containers where seeds are traditionally stored, being kept at Watsü Mungdang office to be exhibited during the Indigenous Seeds Festival as part of the Aowli Benjongmung scheduled for December 12-13 at Imkongmeren Sports Complex, Mokokchung. (Morung Photo)
 

Morung Express News
Mokokchung | December 9

As part of the Aowli Benjongmung or ‘Sustainable Festival’ scheduled for December 12 and 13, 2019 organized by the Watsü Mungdang, there will be an Indigenous Seeds Festival which is being promoted with the objective of creating awareness on conserving the indigenous seeds ecosystem. 

Through the Indigenous Seeds Festival, Watsü Mungdang aims to not only conserve but also revive indigenous seeds as well as to protect traditional wisdom and indigenous knowledge, create a platform for networking among the farmers, ensure agro-biodiversity and bring to the fore the importance of adopting sustainable practices.

During the seed festival, representatives from various villages will be exhibiting their indigenous seeds. The festival also aims to offer an interface for the villagers to exchange their knowledge and ideas as well as the seeds. This is the first time that a seed festival is being organized by the Watsü Mungdang and without any assistance from the government.

During the seed festival, Watsü Mungdang will also be releasing a book titled ‘Metsübong – A Documentation of Indigenous Seeds in Ao Naga’ which was compiled after collecting information from more than thirty Ao Naga villages. 

‘Metsübong’ in Ao Naga is the container used for preserving seeds in the indigenous practice. The book not only lists the names of the indigenous seeds but also the traditional methods of their preservation, storage and sowing. The book also aims to educate the youngsters the indigenous knowledge about seeds preservation and usher in the revival of indigenous heirloom seeds.

According to the Watsü Mungdang, the need for reviving indigenous seeds was also strongly felt in the light of the hybrid and genetically modified seeds overwhelming the market which has rendered most of the indigenous seeds to the brink of extinction.