Paradoxes of Plenty #40, #41, #42 Navdanya (9 Seeds)

Part of the extensive Paradossi dell’abbondanza (Paradoxes of Plenty) series is dedicated to the contradictions of the industrialization of agriculture that occurred with the Green Revolution; the titles of these three works are a direct homage to Vandana Shiva, the activist who, starting with a seed bank, founded Navdanya, a land- and women-centered, farmer-led movement to protect biological and cultural diversity, in 1991. The word Navdanya in Hindi means “nine seeds” and refers to an ancient ritual prevalent in India in which women select the best seeds for community sustenance. These works restore the centrality of female figures within global agricultural processes.