“Seed is not just the source of life. It is the very foundation of our being.” -Vandana Shiva
FRIENDS OF NAVDANYA was created to support and expand the work of Navdanya, a women-led movement founded 30 years ago by environmentalist Dr. Vandana Shiva to defend seed & food sovereignty of small farmers. Central to Navdanya’s mission is the vision of an EARTH DEMOCRACY, a new agricultural & economic paradigm where seed, food & ecological justice takes precedence over profits in today’s global food system; & where economic security, biodiversity, & the mitigation of climate change are achieved via regenerative agroecology. HELP US SEED THE FUTURE FOR FARMERS & THE EARTH.
As the spring harvest gives way to India’s 2026 summer monsoon season, farmers across the country are preparing for the growing uncertainty linked to El Niño weather patterns. In India, El Niño can weaken or delay the monsoon, bringing prolonged drought, crop failure, water shortages, and extreme heat to already vulnerable farming communities. In other regions, it can trigger sudden, destructive flooding and erosion. For small farmers who depend on seasonal rains, these shifts can devastate harvests, damage soil health, destroy seed stocks, and threaten entire livelihoods. Navdanya’s own reporting from 2024 documented severe flooding, hailstorms, delayed monsoons, crop destruction, and dangerous heatwaves impacting farming communities across multiple states in India.
Navdanya member farmers prepare for these climate extremes through biodiversity, seed sovereignty, and regenerative organic farming practices designed to increase resilience long before disaster strikes. Across India, farmers save and share indigenous climate-resilient seeds adapted to drought, heat, flooding, and changing rainfall patterns. Organic soils rich in biodiversity help retain moisture during drought and absorb excess water during heavy rains, while community seed banks provide critical protection if crops fail. Through Gardens of Hope, seed-saving networks, and farmer training programs, Navdanya communities are working proactively to safeguard food security, local ecosystems, and farmer independence in an increasingly unstable climate future. Learn more here.
Your support provides the vital infrastructure and community seed banks necessary to protect these resilient lineages and keep the ancient cycle of abundance turning. Click here to see how "Friends of Navdanya" helps our farming communities stay one step ahead of the elements.
From Spring to Monsoon Summer
Reflecting on International Day for Biodiversity
On May 22, the world marked the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, recognizing the interconnected ecosystems, seeds, plants, insects, animals, and microorganisms that sustain life on Earth. For Navdanya, biodiversity is not an abstract environmental concept or a once-a-year celebration—it is daily work carried out in fields, forests, seed banks, and farming communities across India. Through the protection of indigenous seeds and traditional farming knowledge, Navdanya farmers are helping preserve the biological diversity that industrial agriculture continues to erase. This work reflects the principles of Earth Democracy: the belief that all species, ecosystems, and communities have the right to thrive within a living, interconnected Earth system.
At the heart of this mission is the understanding that biodiversity and seed sovereignty are essential for climate resilience and long-term food security. Through Earth University and farmer training programs, Navdanya teaches regenerative organic farming, seed saving, soil restoration, and ecological stewardship rooted in generations of traditional knowledge. Across India, farmers are conserving thousands of climate-resilient seed varieties while rebuilding healthy soils and protecting regional food cultures for future generations. Supporting Friends of Navdanya helps sustain this living network of biodiversity protection—where every saved seed represents ecological resilience, cultural survival, and a more sovereign future.
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THE FARM
Since the 1980’s, Dehradun, India has been home to the Navdanya farm and Bija Vidyapeeth/Earth University. The thriving organic farm, biodiversity research center, and seed bank welcomes farmers, students, researchers and thought leaders from all over the world to come learn and engage in nature surrounded by the Himalayas.
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WHY DONATE?
When you contribute to Friends of Navdanya, your support strengthens the mission of Navdanya to create farmer self-reliance, defend seed & food sovereignty, and preserve Earth Democracy. Join us in advancing this vital work for the future of our planet and the well-being of farmers globally.
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THE MOVEMENT
The Navdanya Movement began with a focus on seed freedom and agroecology and has expanded to include food for health, climate resilience, corporate control & economic democracy, and Earth democracy. It began with Navdanya in India and expanded globally with the creation of Navdanya International and the addition of Friends of Navdanya.
