About
Navdanya International, founded in India by physicist and internationally renowned activist Dr. Vandana Shiva, was born out of a vision of peace and non-violence. Navdanya’s aim is to defend and protect nature and the rights of people to access to food and water and dignified jobs and livelihoods. Promoting local and ecological food models is critical to alleviating poverty, hunger, and safeguarding natural resources, including water, especially in this time of climate change chaos.
Articulating rarely heard views from the global South, Navdanya believes that cultural and biological diversity is essential for ensuring creative, peaceful societies throughout the planet.
Vandana Shiva’s work highlights the fundamental connection between human rights and the protection of the environment. Dr.Shiva offers solutions to some of the most critical problems posed by the effects of globalisation and climate change on the poorest and most populous nations.
The International organization she founded, Navdanya is a network of seed keepers and organic producers spread across 16 states in India.
Navdanya has helped set up 54 community seed banks across the country, trained over 500,000 farmers in seed sovereignty, food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture over the past two decades, and helped setup the largest direct marketing, fair trade organic network in the country.
Navdanya has also set up a learning center, Bija Vidyapeeth (School of the Seed) on its biodiversity conservation and organic farm in Doon Valley, Uttranchal, north India.
Navdanya is actively involved in the rejuvenation of indigenous knowledge and culture. It has created awareness on the hazards of genetic engineering, defended people’s knowledge from biopiracy and food rights in the face of globalisation and climate change.