FAO and Bioversity events, Rome, July 2018 (Informal Dialogue and Workshop)
This brief summarises presentations and reflections from FAO- and Bioversity-organised events in Rome (July 2018) on community seedbanks and emerging networks worldwide. It describes how community seedbanks support conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources by improving local access to diverse, locally adapted crops and associated knowledge (selection, storage, multiplication, distribution). The document presents country examples (Austria, Brazil, China, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Peru, Zimbabwe, South Africa and others), highlights functions such as seed archives, seed fairs, seed production, participatory plant breeding linkages, and value-added activities, and documents roles of women and local institutions. It summarises lessons learned and recommendations: legal recognition and protection of community seedbanks, improved seed quality practices, technical support (characterisation, drying, storage), strengthened networking and exchange at local to global levels, better financing mechanisms, and attention to seed policy barriers. The brief emphasises community seedbanks as centres of farmer innovation, agrobiodiversity conservation and resilience in the face of climate change, and calls for policy, financial and technical support to enhance their sustainability and visibility.
Key topics: community seedbanks, seed systems, agrobiodiversity, seed policy, seed quality, networks, farmers’ rights
