Let’s Celebrate Diversity Forum Florence, 2026
This presentation by Marcela Velfl of NGO Cosmic Gardeners describes a participatory on-site approach to increasing genetic diversity and resilience of common crops in rural Croatia. It explains the rationale—addressing inbreeding depression, disease vulnerability and lack of local adaptation—and outlines a multi-year method for developing dynamic plant populations through selection and seed stewardship. Practical steps cover choosing land and crops, assembling diverse varieties, sowing without altering local conditions, allowing natural selection, harvesting seeds from survivors, and progressively adding diversity in subsequent years. The work is situated in low-input organic conditions, aims to support long-term food security and sovereignty, and emphasises community seed exchange and cooperation. Examples from the project include growing 40+ crops on small plots and producing food from low-input trials, with a target expansion by 2026.
Key topics: seed stewardship, participatory plant breeding, on-farm selection, genetic diversity, resilience, low-input agriculture, seed saving and exchange, LLD Forum, LLD2026
