Organic growers often buy hybrids or commercial seeds, bred for intensive industrial agriculture, which are usually not suitable for organic and local growing conditions. Alternatively, they grow their own seeds, or they get seeds from neighbors. These seeds usually do not cover all crop and market needs, are of limited quantity and often of low quality.
Solution
Community participatory selection
Good quality organically bred, locally suitable seeds are needed, that are compatible with organic standards and
certification. Community seed banks safeguard landraces or heirloom varieties, farmers selections, and obsolete
varieties grown by farmers at local level. Participatory organic breeding is a tool for valorising agrobiodiversity in a sustainable way where farmers have the primary role and can benefit from acting as custodians. Good seed, from
the best selected local traditional varieties, means better quality products for consumers, more effective farming, and
low cost of production.
Description
Practical recommendations
• Agronomists can help and train farmers and community seed banks how to select their own best varieties and produce high quality seed.
• Farmers being members of community seed banks can contribute in selection and seed production.
• Researchers supporting farmers in multiactor participatory organic breeding can help to improve suitable variety choice and meet market’s needs.
• Organic seed production initiatives can contribute to the sustainability of community seed banks on local level.
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In order to use the comment function, you must register with the third-party provider "Disqus".
When you activate this function, your browser establishes a direct connection with the servers of the third-party provider. We would like to point out that data is transmitted to the third-party provider after activation, and the latter may set cookies that can also be used for analysis and marketing purposes. For more information, please refer to our privacy policy.
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