Members of the Réseau Semences Paysannes gathered to celebrate two decades of defense and dissemination of farmer seeds, on September 22, 23 and 24 at Sauméjan in South West France.
The festivities began with an exchange between the different species’ groups and a historical round table where everyone was able to tell their memories of moments spent at the Network. The “elders” were able to meet the next generation of the RSP.
Members focused on several subjects on Saturday morning: upcoming legislative reforms, climate change, food autonomy, rules of use of the commons, shared governance, etc. The trad ball on Friday evening and the Sans Interdit concert on Saturday had us dancing in a festive atmosphere.
Activities such as the Seeds and Biodiversity fresk and the workshop to learn how to clean and preserve your seeds were able to attract an audience interested in “practical” questions surrounding seeds. Young and old children were able to listen to the tales of Claire from Biaugerme.
The weekend concluded with a “Memories of the Future” workshop where participants placed themselves in 2033 to tell their “memories” of the Network. Many ideas emerged for the future of the Network. Members want new meetings, particularly international ones, but also to extend training and education around seeds and to expand the number of members of the Network.
Maud Dumont
Chargée de mission 20 ans
