More than 50 seed conservators and members of community seed banks from across Karnataka are participating in the two-day indigenous seed festival that began in Mysuru on Saturday, showcasing over 500 indigenous seed varieties, including rare paddy, millets, vegetables, tubers, and local fruit varieties.Farmers from Kundgol have put on display 25 varieties of wheat, including pigamberi, a variety believed to date back to the Indus Valley Civilisation. Visitors can purchase rare fruit saplings such as juice bilva, shankar red jack, peanut butter fruit, and mulberry.The festival features organic products, value-added food items, traditional grains, fruit varieties, and North Karnataka delicacies. Demonstrations on seed treatment, soil conservation, preparation of organic manure, and organic farming practices by Bengaluru-based ‘Soil’ have drawn considerable public interest.A farmers’ training programme on ‘Bamboo Cultivation: Opportunities and Markets’ was also organised as part of the event. Bamboo expert Jabivulla from Davanagere provided insights into bamboo cultivation methods, value addition, and market opportunities.On Sunday, the festival would host a special training session on ‘Seed Conservation and Organic Seed Production’ for farmers, a drawing competition for children aged between five and 12 years, and a seed-exchange programme that will enable farmers and urban residents to exchange surplus seeds, tubers, and saplings. The festival is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Published - June 13, 2026 08:39 pm IST