Mararikulam Brinjal Festival

December 27^th 2009 to January 3^rd 2010

Mararikulam, Alleppey District, Kerala

The Mararikulam Brinjal Festival is a 7-day event organised by the Mararikulam North Panchayath in Alleppey District. Mararikulam North Panchayat is quite concerned about the approval being given for the cultivation of Bt Brinjal by the MoEF. This event is the Panchayaths response to the issue. The Panchayath is known for an indigenous variety of Brinjal know by the name of the locality. The grama panchayat is currently preparing to apply for Geographical Indicator Registration of ‘Mararikulam Brinjal’ (Mararikulam Vazhuthana). The panchayat, as part of its annual plan, has taken up a project to expand the cultivation of Mararikulam Brinjal to every household in the village. It is in this context that the grama panchayat is holding ‘Mararikulam Brinjal Festival’ from 27th December 2009 to 3rd January 2010.

The question that is raised is, while there are so many varieties (India is known to have atleast 2500 varieties and farmers continue to grow 400 varieties, many of them native varieties like the Mararikulam Brinjal), why should we introduce a foreign gene into it and destroy its natural property and quality, and also wipe out diversity. Why should the control of seeds, that they have conserved for so long be given away, clandestinely, in the name of science and technology to a few corporate hands ? What are the implications of doing this ? Is it Safe ? For the health and for the environment ?

The Festival show cases the agriculture heritage and strength of the village and the region. A Brinjal Diversity Exhibition, An Agriculture-Science-Industrial Fair, A Documentary Film festival on issues related to GM and Farming, A Childrens Carnival, Nattukoottam ( a meeting of the old and the young about farming), Organic farmers convention, and a Seminar on Bt Brinjal and Sustainable Agriculture are being organised. The programme starts in the evening of 27^th December 2009 and goes on for a week till 3^rd January 2010. With the help of the National Service Scheme, 40,000 sapplings of Mararikulam Brinjal are being distributed to each and every family and institutions in the panchayath as part of the campaign. Three new brands of Marari Brinjal Pickles are to be launched by the Marari Marketing Ltd.

The inaugural ceremony is on the 27^th December 2009 at 3 pm. The following are the details of the programmes.

a) A One-day Seminar on the 2^nd January on “Bt Brinjal and Sustainable Alternatives in Agriculture”. About 150 scientists, farmer leaders and agriculture officers are expected to participate. Dr Pushpa M Barghava inaugurates the event. The seminar is being held in collaboration with the science movements in the country. The co-hosts of this seminar include Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Hyderabad, Thanal, Kerala and the members of All India Peoples’ Science Network such as, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, Tamil Nadu Science Forum, Centre for Ecology and Rural Development, Puducherry, Paschim Banga Vigyan manch and Delhi Science Forum.

b) Agriculture, Science and Industry Exhibition - 27^th December 2009 to 3^rd January 2010 – organised collaboratively with the Kerala Agriculture University.

c) An exhibition of Traditional Brinjal Varieties from Kerala, Tamilnadu and Karnataka from 27^th December 2009 to 3^rd January 2010 organised collaboratively with Thanal.

d) A Film festival on GM issues from 30^th December to 2^nd January – on show are “Poison on the Platter”, “The World according to Monsanto”, “Silent Forests”, “Future of Food”, So shall you Reap” etc. the films will be shown on all days.

e) Childrens Carnival – runs on all days from 27^th december 2009 to 3^rd January 2010

f ) A Discussion on the “Panchayath and agriculture development” - 31^st December 10.00 am – 1.00 pm

g) Nattukoottam – on the 28^th December 4.00 pm – a coming together of old and experienced farmers and the young - students and children on farming.

h) An Organic farmers convention on December 30^th 10.00 am

There will be cultural programmes on all days from 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm

A special cultural night to welcome the New Year on the 31^st December 2009.

About 2 lakh people are expected to visit and participate in the festival.

For more information and to participate contact

Adv Priyeshkumar, President, Mararikulam North Panchayath – Ph : 09847563897

Sridhar R, Thanal, Kerala – Ph : 09995358205