Resilient seeds for the future of food

According to a  report by the Global Alliance for the Future of Food; diverse and robust seed systems are central to sustainable food systems that are renewable, resilient, equitable, diverse, healthy, and interconnected. The report perceives that there is an urgency to supporting community based and farmer managed seed systems in order to protect and enhance seed diversity. To do so, however, there are a number of significant hurdles that must be overcome. Such as farmers not having adequate representation within the international governance systems that regulate seeds; and the negative impacts of the increasing privatisation of seeds among others.

The report, 'Future of Food: Seeds of Resilience A Compendium of Perspectives on Agricultural Biodiversity from Around the World'  focuses on the role seeds and seed diversity can play in sustainable agriculture, food security, and nutrition.

The report released in September 2016 also includes a series of commentaries from experts around the globe about community-based seed systems, the role of women and indigenous farmers, and farmer involvement in policymaking.
But while the contributors and authors of this report come with different world views, have diverse perspectives, and offer differing opinions, there is consensus that the value of resilient and diverse seed systems goes far beyond any economic measure: community based seed systems are connected to diverse cultural and culinary traditions, health and wellness, resilient agroecological landscapes, and sustainable local economies.

What’s more, maintaining and enhancing agricultural biodiversity is critical in light of global challenges such as climate change and food and nutrition security.

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(Bioversity International/Ob)