Opportunities for farm seed conservation, breeding and production

About this project

Background 

In recent years, the demand for speciality and conservation seeds has risen due to a number of factors including: consumer demand for locally produced food, increased awareness that endangered agro-biodiversity must be preserved, and a decrease in the use of external inputs (such as pesticides and fertilizer) in organic farming.

However, the survival of local varieties and biodiversity has also been threatened by strict European Union rules on the marketing of seeds, the small market niches for such varieties and the marketing priorities of commercial companies.

Aims 

The overall aims of this project are to:

  • develop methodologies with all relevant stakeholders for participatory breeding strategies
  • facilitate the marketing of landrace, conservation and special amateur seed varieties
  • provide information on scientific results and research in order to address the demand for locally produced food and the conservation of endangered agro-biodiversity
  • stimulate public engagement and citizen involvement in decision-making.

Partners 

We are working with 11 other European partners (research organisations and farmer networks) in this action research:

France
National Institute for Agricultural Research, Réseau Semences paysannes and INRA Transfert 

Italy
Associazione Italiana per l’Agricoltura Biologica Italy and Istituto di genetica e sperimentazione agraria Nazareno Strimpelli 

Spain
Red Andaluza De Semillas

Switzerland
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture

The Netherlands
Louis Bolk Instituut, Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Center for Genetic Resources

Contact 

Michel Pimbert michel.pimbert@iied.org

Funded by 

Co-funding is provided by the European Commission and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs