Navdanya International

Navdanya International opened in Florence 2011.   It aims to create a strong and independent platform, in the heart of the region in Europe best known for its support and defense of the small farmer and local sustainable agriculture, to help broaden the outreach of Navdanya and Vandana Shiva’s work in Europe and to consolidate and build on the work of a 10-year collaboration between the Region of Tuscany’s Agency for Agricultural Research (ARSIA) and the International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture, chaired by Vandana Shiva and supported by the Region from its creation in 2003.   The former Director of ARSIA, Maria Grazia Mammuccini,  today is the co-Vice-President of Navdanya International. (ARSIA was closed down as a result of a change in government as well as the financial crisis.) Tuscany spearheaded and was the lead Region of the European Network of GMO-free Regions.

Navdanya International promotes the creation of a sustainable food system based on biodiversity and GMO-free agriculture, seed, food, land and water democracy that are central to its activities, system which also provide solutions to the problem of climate change. It works towards the creation of a new paradigm which puts ecology at the heart of a new economic-system, where the economy is in service of people and the planet. In cooperation with its network of organic and GMO-free organizations, it closely monitors the current European discussion on the new Seed legislation and joins in mobilizing action to help influence the discussion's outcome.

Among the first activities carried out by Navdanya International is the international report on GMOs entitled "The GMO emperor has no clothes", in the drafting of which were committed movements and organizations active in various parts of the world, each of which has write its specific contribution.
Navdanya International has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Region of Tuscany, enriched in April 2014 of another protocol with Banca Popolare Etica.
In 2012, Vandana Shiva has launched the "Global Campaign for Seed Freedom " with the aim of raising awareness among people, communities, institutions and governments to the serious risk for the future of food security and seeds worldwide and on what needs to be done to reverse the disappearance of local seeds. The first step of the campaign was "Seed Freedom, a Global Citizens' Report", through a participatory process that involved globally, over 100 individuals between communities, networks and organizations were set up then in the '' Global Alliance of Citizens for Freedom of Seeds ".
In the second year of the campaign was presented the "Law of Seed", drawn up by a working group made up of international experts, under the guidance of Vandana Shiva.
The "Law of Seed" focuses on the scientific and legal systems of the future of rules seed, perennial ecological and biological laws of nature and evolution based on diversity, adaptation, resilience and openness by drawing on the principles of jurisprudence related to human rights, public law and public goods.
In 2014 Navdanya International organized, along with Seed Freedom, Fierucola and with the sponsorship of the Regione Toscana and Banca Popolare Etica, in Florence, the Festival of the seeds, the Food and Democracy Earth. The Festival was a stage of the "Caravan of seeds" a traveling show designed by Vandana Shiva which led in Europe the voice of those who want a GMO-free agriculture and in favor of local seeds and biodiversity.