Sep

ASHA announces Mysuru Kisan Swaraj Sammelan 2022 – Nov. 11-13, 2022

You can download the Individual Participant Registration Form here: http://www.kisanswaraj.in/?attachment_id=2767 ; Group Registration Form here: http://www.kisanswaraj.in/?attachment_id=2768 ; Exhibition Stall/Table Registration Form here: http://www.kisanswaraj.in/?attachment_id=2769 . You can use these Forms AFTER you go through the full announcement.

Food Sovereignty, Nutrition Security, Environmental Sustainability &

Farmer Empowerment in the age of Climate Change Crisis

KISAN SWARAJ SAMMELAN 2022

A Confluence of Farmers & Well-wishers of the Farming Community

November 11, 12 & 13, 2022

(Friday, Saturday and Sunday)

Mysuru, Karnataka

Organized by:

Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA – Kisan Swaraj)

INVITATION TO REGISTER!

Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture or the ASHA-Kisan Swaraj network announces its next Kisan Swaraj Sammelan on November 11, 12 and 13 of 2022, (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) in Mysuru/Mysore, Karnataka. (Please note that the earlier announced dates have been changed to Nov.11-13, 2022 now and we regret inconvenience caused). More about ASHA Kisan Swaraj is available as Annexure I and on www.kisanswaraj.in.

ABOUT KISAN SWARAJ SAMMELAN

ASHA has been organizing periodic Kisan Swaraj Sammelans to create an occasion for strengthening the understanding of the highly complex challenges before individuals and organisations working in the field of sustainable agriculture and farm livelihoods, and for rejuvenating our common bonds so that even as we work independently on many fronts, there is a synergy in thought and action. These are also confluences that bring in new people, thoughts, analyses, energies and plans, to collectively move forward towards improving farm livelihoods in India.

In the past, such Sammelans were organized in Bhopal (2013), Hyderabad (2016) and Ahmedabad (2018). ASHA joined hands with OFAI (Organic Farming Association of India) to organize an organic farmers’ convention in Chandigarh (2015), keeping in line with the biennial organic farming conventions of OFAI.

The proposed 5th Kisan Swaraj Sammelan in Mysuru (Karnataka), comes at a time when several issues that ASHA has been advocating for, have become issues of widespread public debates in India (for example, farm incomes, remunerative prices etc), in addition to some issues being adopted into the policies of governments (ecological agriculture, millet systems revival, traditional landraces revival in some states etc.). ASHA acknowledges the unprecedented push to promote ago-ecology (by different names) by Union and State Governments.

On the other hand, many serious challenges remain. Climate Change is now a reality for our farmers and brings forth environmental dimensions to our farming much more starkly than ever before. The increasing feminization of agriculture and the greater visibility of tenancy or sharecropping in our agriculture highlight the vulnerabilities of particular groups of farmers, for our collective action. There are mighty forces working to take away land, seed and government support systems from small farmers and pave the way for corporate-controlled, chemical, mechanized agriculture. Digitisation in Agriculture poses new challenges, while large scale food fortification poses a question on policy thinking related to nutrition security. Free Trade Agreements pose a direct attack on farm economics. There is a looming and increasing threat over farmers’ rights over resources like Seeds, as evident from MNC PepsiCo suing some potato farmers in Gujarat, and from the draft texts of FTAs being negotiated. Our food systems have been affected in numerous ways, leading to different chronic health problems. GMOs are being promoted in numerous overt and covert ways, while deadly pesticides continue to poison our lives. This Sammelan also has the spectacular and historical farmers’ movement in its backdrop, in which ASHA also played its small part.

It is at such a critical juncture that this 5^th Kisan Swaraj Sammelan of ASHA is being organized. Keeping with the inclusive and broad-based approach that we have always adopted, this Kisan Swaraj Sammelan too will not only be a national convention of the ASHA-Kisan Swaraj network for mutual learning, sharing and collective planning, but also an occasion to reach out to various networks, alliances and people’s movements to extend solidarity and draw from their expertise and experience. We hope that the Sammelan will help strengthen the work of everyone involved. The Sammelan is expected to provide spaces for stronger networking and relationship-building between different organisations and individuals who participate, for synergies to be built for future joint work.

It is worth noting that Mysuru and nearby areas in a 200 kms radius are a hub of agro-ecology practice in the country. A significant time and set of activities in the Sammelan will be devoted to agro-ecological alternatives, concepts as well as practice, so that organic/natural farmers across India can share skills, knowledge, techniques and technologies as well as experiences related to production, post-production processing and marketing. Organisers are also planning a scientific conference on agro-ecology where the latest scientific evidence can be shared, to attract the attention of scientists and policy-makers.

Format of the Sammelan

The Sammelan will have plenaries and parallel sessions, in addition to a Seed and Forest Foods Bio-Diversity Festival, Organic Food Festival, Exhibition and Practical Demonstrations on relevant themes, Public Lectures and cultural programmes. The parallel sessions will be the main activity of the Sammelan so that discussions are interactive and participatory and these would focus on agro-ecology practice and techniques, as well as policy developments. Open houses for free-flowing informal discussions will also be attempted. Resource persons will be drawn from various like-minded organizations and platforms. There will be also a special event for scientists and policy-makers, for mutual interaction and learning.

After the 3-day Sammelan, there will be one- and two-day field trips on offer, upon payment of additional costs, to well- known and innovative agro-ecological farmers and FPOs in and around Mysuru. Please read on, for instructions related to post-Sammelan field trips.

PARTICIPATION IN THE SAMMELAN

Participation for most events (except those designated as public events such as the Seed Diversity Festival) in the Sammelan is only by prior registration, following the instructions specified in this note.

Last Date for Registration: With regular fees: 7^th October 2022

With higher fees: Between 8^th and 15^th October, 2022

Kindly note that the organisers reserve the right to close registrations if the planned capacity for the Sammelan is filled up before 7^th October 2022. ASHA will of course try its best to accommodate as many participants as possible, as it had in earlier Sammelans.

The registration will be deemed to be complete only if the registration fee as provided below is paid along with the submission of a fully filled registration form.

Registration Fees

It needs to be noted thatASHA does not rely on government funds, project funds, foreign funds, CSR funds and corporate sponsorship. As is the tradition with ASHA Kisan Swaraj events, we would like to make the event self-supported to the maximum possible extent. In doing so, we would like to be careful that participation does not become impossible due to the fee being requested. Registration fees covers a convention kit, very basic shared accommodation, organic local cuisines from across India for 9 meals in all, access to all plenaries, participation in parallel sessions, visits to festivals, exhibitions and workshops ONLY. It does not cover participants’ travel to and from Mysuru, and any field trips.

Category	For Early Registrants:(Till 7^th October 2022)	For Late Registrants:(From 8^th October to 15^th October 2022)
Registra tion Fees	GST (18%)	Total Payable	Registration Fees	GST (18%)	Total Payable
1	Salaried Urbanites,Researchers and Academicians, Govt. Employees, Entrepreneurs	2966.10	533.90	3500	3389.83	610.17	4000
2	Farmers having income other than farming,Media Representatives,CSO representatives,Farmers’ Organisations’ Representatives	2118.64	381.36	2500	2542.37	457.63	3000
3	Farmers having no source of livelihood other than their farming,Students	1271.19	228.81	1500	1694.91	305.09	2000
4	Women farmers	677.97	122.03	800	847.46	152.54	1000

Genuine organic farmers, single women farmers etc., who cannot afford fees: You may contact the organisers who will attempt to locate local supporters for you.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURE FOR PARTICIPANT(S)

The easiest way to register is to pay on an online link that will be activated soon and shared widely.
In the meantime, if you would like to register by an online transfer into the designated bank account, please write to us with a filled form at asha.kss2022@gmail.com and we will share the required details. The bank account details are not being shared in this Announcement because we would like to trace back each payment to the correct payee and be able to issue receipts.
GROUP REGISTRATION: If two or more persons (upto eleven persons per registration) persons are coming together, then you will have to fill a Form meant for groups to register.
You can also fill in the form entitled “Registration for Individual Participation” form (Annexure II) or “Registration for Group Participation” (Annexure III) as applicable, at the end of this Announcement and send by courier/post along with a Demand Draft with correct fee amount to: Desi Seed Producer Company Limited, No. 38, First Cross, Adi Pampa Road, VV Mohalla, Mysuru 570002 (Karnataka). DD to be drawn in favour of “Desi Seed Producer Company Limited” payable at Mysuru.

Kindly note that only when registrants provide full and accurate information along with payment, can the organisers provide hassle-free accommodation and other arrangements.

NOTE TO ALL REGISTRANTS

We request all participants of Karnataka, especially non-farmers, to make their own accommodation arrangement to free up space for other state participants and farmers. There is no concession in fees for participants who make their own accommodation arrangements however.

Very basic shared accommodation will be provided with or without cots but with bedding, with common washrooms. Those who seek better accommodation may book in nearby hotels at their own expense. The Sammelan venue is centrally located in Mysuru and there are plenty of hotels around. List of suggested hotels will be displayed on www.kisanswaraj.in. There is no concession in fees however.

Accommodation for participants from the same state will be arranged in the same location to the extent possible, keeping in mind possible language constraints. However, this is not guaranteed.

4. Accommodation Facility Time Window: Organisers will take care of 3 days of stay and food at Mysuru, starting from 6 pm on 10^th November to 6 pm on 13^th November 2022 (the Sammelan is for 3 days, from 11^th November 2022) for all those who do not arrange for their own stay in Mysuru. All participants have to vacate their respective accommodation centres by 6 pm on13^th November, unless explicitly otherwise provided for. Request to extend the accommodation facility prior to and after this time window may be entertained for farmers, to accommodate train schedule limitations. In such a case, farmers may need to shift to some other place arranged by the organisers and may have to pay a little extra amount based on actuals.

Pooling and using Vehicles: Organizers request participants who are coming in their 4-wheelers, to utilize their vehicles to the maximum possible extent. Please let us know beforehand if you are coming in a 4-wheeler, so that we can arrange accommodation location accordingly, so that you could support the conveyance of others in distant venues too.

Translation: Language might be a constraint to effective participation and could lead to avoidable disappointment amongst Sammelan participants. We encourage and request you to kindly locate translation help within your state delegation as soon as you arrive at the venue. Some of the sessions will be sought to be run in state-wise groupings wherever possible. A brief translation into Hindi and English from regional language will be provided from the dais during the plenaries.

Organic Food: Groups of organic farmers from various states will run organic food stalls and all participants will take meals for three days at various stalls (on rotation) without any charge. Participants are requested to appreciate the arrangement, which will have multiple benefits like enjoying various recipes representing diverse food cultures, the opportunity to utilize organic farm produce and the money spent on food will go to the organic farmers of ASHA network.

Organizers will send a letter of confirmation for participation along with other logistic details before 25^th October 2022, which will form the basis for participation. Registrants are however requested to book their tickets without waiting for letter of confirmation.

By principle, organizers believe that having no money should not deprive a farmer from participation. Organisers would try and locate local supporters for those genuine organic farmers, single women farmers etc., who are unable to participate due to unaffordable registration fees.

10. Participants are requested to follow all current Covid Pandemic-Related guidelines prevalent in Mysuru and Karnataka.

EXHIBITION DURING THE SAMMELAN

Some exhibition stalls will be arranged for organic farmers, farmers’ groups, registered non-profit organizations, private entrepreneurs and (quasi) Govt departments to sell their organic farm produce, showcase their activities and projects related to organic/natural farming, display tools, implements and small processing units, books literature and other IEC materials, and put out messages related to sustainable farming. AGRI INPUTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE DISPLAYED AND SOLD EXCEPT IF THEY ARE PRODUCED AND SOLD BY GENUINE ORGANIC FARMERS, WOMEN’S SHGs and SMALL FPOs.

REGISTRATION FEES PER STALL, IN RUPEES, FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXHIBITORS

Category	For Early Registrants:(Till 7^th October 2022)	For Late Registrants:(From 8^th October to 15^th October 2022)
Registration Fees	GST (18%)	Total Payable	Registration Fees	GST (18%)	Total Payable
1	Private entrepreneurs,Quasi-Governmental and Government Departments/Agencies	12711.85	2288.15	15000	15254.24	2745.76	18000
2	Non-Profit Organization having 12 A certificate	8474.58	1525.42	10000	10169.49	1830.51	12000
3	Farmers’ group: FPO, Farmers’ Cooperative, SHG, Micro credit group	5084.74	915.26	6000	6355.93	1144.07	7500
4	Kisan Haat: Individual Organic Farmers, living in villages with Farming as the major source of Income	2542.37	457.63	3000	3389.83	610.17	4000

A technical committee will take decision about granting a stall after due verification of documents, claims, costing and genuineness of the product on display/ sale. The applicant will have to submit samples/details as required of the products on display to help technical committee to take decision. Organisers reserve the right to not provide the stall/table space any time including during the Sammelan without giving any reason.

For category 1 and 2, two people per stall and for category 3 and 4 one person per stall/ table will be entitled as Sammelan participants.
For the Kisan Haat, a table space will be provided. For others, stall size will be 50 to 70 sq ft with two chairs, two tables with cloth cover, one light and one 5 Amp plug point.
Registration for Exhibition stalls has to follow the procedure given below.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOOKING A SLOT IN THE EXHIBITION

The easiest way to register is to pay on an online link that will be activated soon and shared widely.
In the meantime, if you would like to register by an online transfer into the designated bank account, please write to us at asha.kss2022@gmail.com along with the filled form, and we will share the required details. The bank account details are not being shared in this Announcement because we would like to trace back each payment to the correct payee and be able to issue receipts.
You can also send a filled Exhibition Registration Form entitled “Registration for Exhibition” annexed at the end of this Announcement (Annexure IV) and send by courier/post along with a Demand Draft with correct exhibition fee amount to: Desi Seed Producer Company Limited, No. 38, First Cross, Adi Pampa Road, VV Mohalla, Mysuru 570002 (Karnataka). DD to be drawn in favour of “Desi Seed Producer Company Limited” payable at Mysuru.

Please note that use of plastic, flex banners and thermocol is prohibited in the Sammelan and all exhibitions. No littering is allowed either. Participants are encouraged to bring cloth banners and eco-friendly materials for display.

POST SAMMELAN FIELD TRIPS

In the Registration Form, there is an option to indicate your interest to participate in 1- or 2-day field trips being organized to well-known organic farmers, agro-diversity conservators and FPOs/collectives after the Sammelan. For any travel plans to be made for booking of your tickets etc., kindly leave a margin of at least 2 hours between your travel time and the end of the field trip, for any unexpected delays.

2-day Trips (2 such simultaneous trips are options to select from) – only 30 participants in all:

(i) One route will start at 8.30am on 14^th November 2022 and end at Mysuru Railway Station on 15^th November evening at 5pm.

(ii) Another route will start at 8.30am on 14^th November 2022 and end at Bangalore Railway Station on 15^th November evening at 5pm.

1-day Trips (2 such simultaneous trips are options to select from) – only 25 participants can join on each route:Both trips will start at 8.30am on 14^th November 2022 and end at Mysuru Railway Station on the same day, on 14^th November 2022 at 5pm.

After receiving an indication of interest with regard to joining these trips, a separate communication would be sent to those registrants who have opted for field trips, with more details about each trip and payment procedure.

HOW TO REACH MYSURU

Mysore/Mysuru is an important tourist destination of India. Bangalore is the nearest metropolitan city located 140 km away.

Train Travel: There are a limited number of direct trains to Mysuru from several parts of India, running only on certain days of the week. A better option would be to take a train to Bangalore and take a bus or train to Mysore from there as there are many (express) trains available to Bangalore. Frequency of trains and buses between Bangalore and Mysuru is also high.

Bus Travel: This might be an option for people in South India. Karnataka State Road Transportation Corporation (KSRTC) website https://ksrtc.in/oprs-web/ will give you more details.

Air Travel: There are very limited direct flights to Mysore. Once again, the option is to fly to Bangalore from different parts of the country. From Bangalore Airport, Fly Bus (luxury) buses are available directly to Mysore. Flybus- https://ksrtc.in/pages/flybus.html

For any queries, please write to: asha.kss2022@gmail.com. In case you need to speak to an ASHA member, call 8105579839 or 7090009911

Annexure I

About ASHA-Kisan Swaraj

ASHA Kisan Swaraj is a national platform created in 2010 through the nationwide 71-day Kisan Swaraj Yatra, starting from Gujarat Vidyapith on Gandhi Jayanti in 2010, drawing attention to the issues of Food, Farmers, Freedom. ASHA-Kisan Swaraj is a volunteer-driven initiative with a mission to strengthen sustainable farm livelihoods and food diversity/safety/nutrition by re-orienting policies, practices and public consciousness towards a holistic vision of social, environmental and economic justice. It is a network that enables, and draws upon the synergies of collective wisdom and action, based on mutual trust and respect. ASHA-Kisan Swaraj believes in a 4-pillared Kisan Swaraj Neeti that provides a framework for a forward-looking agricultural vision and policy for India, and calls on governments to adopt the same. The four pillars of Kisan Swaraj Neeti, with the focus being on the most marginalized/invisible/neglected farmers (ASHA takes an expansive definition of the term Farmer, as has been done in India’s National Policy for Farmers) are: (1) income security for all farm households which guarantees minimum incomes for dignified living; (2) environmental sustainability in agriculture so that resource conservation and sustainable use are ensured for sustainable farm livelihoods; (3) people’s control over agricultural resources like land, water, forest and seed; (4) access to safe, healthy, nutritious & sufficient food for all.

ASHA, in its 12^th year of existence now, remains a unique formation in the country in that it approaches Indian farming in a holistic manner – economic, social and environmental justice issues are integrated seamlessly into our approach to farming and farmers. Importantly, it is also a platform that draws in urban consumers to engage with issues of farming, at least through the lens of food safety. It is also unique in the kind of diversity of ideologies, skills and expertise it is able to draw in. Over the years, key members of ASHA have become advisors and experts to Governments (Central and States) and the network has been involved in policy-making at state/national level, related to the themes that ASHA works on. At the ground level, ASHA’s associates combine advocacy with solid alternatives for a just and sustainable world to be built, in our farming and food systems. ASHA has been viewed by other networks and organisations as an immense pool of knowledge and experience, from where inputs are drawn for their own work. Several interventions of individuals and organisations associated with ASHA have been successful at the grassroots and policy levels.

Objectives of the Sammelan

Exchange of knowledge, perspectives and information about various policy developments impacting farmers, through interactions with chosen resource persons for each theme; Similarly, exchange of knowledge and skills about various ecological agriculture practices, inputs, tools and marketing approaches;
Interaction amongst participants, re-connecting and mutual re-energizing; sharing information about ongoing work;
Building solidarity with like-minded networks and various campaigns that ASHA is involved in;
Learning from each other’s experiences, struggles and strategies; plan future action wherever possible;
Generating public awareness through terrace gardening workshops, seed diversity festival, organic food festival, exhibition, film screenings, public lectures, book releases etc. during the Convention.
Share latest scientific knowledge related to agro-eology and specify further scope of research in the field of agroecology to attract attention of scientists and policy makers.
To review various policies and approaches by Government agencies, civil society players as well as social enterprises, to guide us for better planning in future; specifically, to take stock of the present status of organic/natural farming in the country.

Schedule of Earlier Sammelan: While the Detailed Schedule for this Sammelan will be shared soon, the schedule of previous Sammelan for reference is here: http://www.kisanswaraj.in/2018/11/01/schedule-3days/

Kisan Swaraj Sammelan 2022, Mysore Kisan Swaraj Sammelan 2022

ASHA announces Mysuru Kisan Swaraj Sammelan 2022 – Nov. 11-13, 2022

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