1st Edition

Community Seed Banks Origins, Evolution and Prospects

Edited By Ronnie Vernooy, Pitambar Shrestha, Bhuwon Sthapit Copyright 2015
    296 Pages 32 Color & 19 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    296 Pages 32 Color & 19 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    296 Pages 32 Color & 19 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Community seed banks first appeared towards the end of the 1980s, established with the support of international and national non-governmental organizations. This book is the first to provide a global review of their development and includes a wide range of case studies. 

    Countries that pioneered various types of community seed banks include Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Zimbabwe. In the North, a particular type of community seed bank emerged known as a seed-savers network. Such networks were first established in Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA before spreading to other countries. Over time, the number and diversity of seed banks has grown. In Nepal, for example, there are now more than 100 self-described community seed banks whose functions range from pure conservation to commercial seed production. In Brazil, community seed banks operate in various regions of the country. 

    Surprisingly, despite 25 years of history and the rapid growth in number, organizational diversity and geographical coverage of community seed banks, recognition of their roles and contributions has remained scanty. The book reviews their history, evolution, experiences, successes and failures (and reasons why), challenges and prospects. It fills a significant gap in the literature on agricultural biodiversity and conservation, and their contribution to food sovereignty and security.

    1. Introduction 

    Ronnie Vernooy, Pitambar Shrestha and Bhuwon Sthapit 

    Part 1: Comparative Analysis of Key Aspects of Community Seed Banks 

    2. Origins and Evolution 

    Ronnie Vernooy, Pitambar Shrestha and Bhuwon Sthapit 

    3. Functions and Activities 

    Pitambar Shrestha, Ronnie Vernooy and Bhuwon Sthapit 

    4. Governance and Management 

    Bhuwon Sthapit, Ronnie Vernooy and Pitambar Shrestha 

    5. Technical Issues 

    Pitambar Shrestha, Bhuwon Sthapit and Ronnie Vernooy 

    6. Support and Networking 

    Ronnie Vernooy, Bhuwon Sthapit and Pitambar Shrestha 

    7. Policy and Legal Environment 

    Ronnie Vernooy, Pitambar Shrestha and Bhuwon Sthapit 

    8. Sustainability 

    Pitambar Shrestha, Bhuwon Sthapit and Ronnie Vernooy 

    Part 2: Case Studies from Around the World 

    9. Bangladesh: the Mamudpur Nayakrishi Seed Hut 

    M. A. Sobhan, Jahangir Alam Jony, Rabiul Islam Chunnu and Fahima Khatun Liza 

    10. Bhutan: the Bumthang Community Seed Bank 

    Asta Tamang and Gaylong Dukpa 

    11. Bolivia: Community Seed Banks in the Lake Titicaca Area 

    Milton Pinto, Juana Flores Ticona and Wilfredo Rojas 

    12. Brazil: Gene Banks, Seed Banks and Local Seed Guardians 

    Terezinha Aparecia Borges Dias, Irajá Ferreira Antunes, Ubiratan Piovezan, Fabio de Oliveira Freitas, Marcia Maciel, Gilberto A. P. Bevilaqua, Nadi Rabelo dos Santos and Cristiane Tavares Feijó 

    13. Brazil: the Minas Gerais Seed Houses for Conservation in Times of Climate Crisis 

    Anna Crystina Alvarenga and Carlos Alberto Dayrell 

    14. Canada: the Toronto Seed Library 

    Katie Berger, Jacob Kearey-Moreland and Brendan Behrmann 

    15. China: The Xiding Gene Bank in Yunnan 

    Yang Yayun, Zhang Enlai, Devra Jarvis, Bai Keyu, Dong Chao, A. Xinxiang, Tang Cuifeng, Zhang Feifei, Xu Furong and Dai Luyuan 

    16. Costa Rica: Unión de Semilleros del Sur 

    Flor Ivette Elizondo Porras, Rodolfo Araya Villalobos, Juan Carlos Hernández Fonseca and Karolina Martínez Umaña 

    17. Guatemala: Community Seed Reserves Restore Maize Diversity 

    Gea Galluzzi and Isabel Lapeña 

    18. India: Community Seed Banks and Empowering Tribal Communities in the Kolli Hills 

    E. D. Israel Oliver King, N. Kumar and Stefano Padulosi 

    19. India: From Community Seed Banks to Community Seed Enterprises 

    G. V. Ramanjaneyulu, G. Rajshekar and K. Radha Rani 

    20. Malaysia: Exploring the Utility of a Community Seed Bank in Sarawak 

    Paul Bordoni and Toby Hodgkin 

    21. Mali: An Overview of Community Seed and Gene Banks 

    Amadou Sidibe, Raymond S. Vodouhe and Sognigbe N’Danikou 

    22. Mali: The USC Canada-supported Gene and Seed Banks of the Mopti Region 

    Abdrahamane Goïta, Hamadoun Bore, Mariam Sy Ouologueme and Ada Hamadoun Dicko 

    23. Mexico: Community Seed Banks in Oaxaca 

    Flavio Aragón-Cuevas 

    24. Nepal: the Historical Dalchowki Community Seed Bank 

    Bharat Bhandari, Surya Thapa, Krishna Sanjel and Pratap Shrestha 

    25. Nepal: the Community Seed Bank in Tamaphok 

    Dilli Jimi, Manisha Jimi and Pitambar Shrestha 

    26. Nicaragua: La Labranza No. 2 Community Seed Bank — ‘We are a Network’ 

    Jorge Iran Vásquez Zeledón 

    27. Rwanda: the Rubaya Community Gene Bank 

    Leonidas Dusengemungu, Theophile Ndacyayisenga, Gloria Otieno, Antoine Ruzindana Nyirigira and Jean Rwihaniza Gapusi 

    28. Sri Lanka: The Haritha Udana Community Seed Bank in Kanthale 

    C. L. K. Wakkumbure and K. M. G. P. Kumarasinghe 

    29. Trinidad and Tobago: SJ Seed Savers 

    Jaeson Teeluck and Satie Boodoo 

    30. Uganda: The Kiziba Community Gene Bank 

    Mulumba John Wasswa, Rose Nankya, Catherine Kiwuka, Joyce Adokorach, Gloria Otieno, Marjorie Kyomugisha, Carlo Fadda and Devra I. Jarvis 

    31. United States of America: Native Seeds/SEARCH 

    Chris Schmidt 

    32. Burundi: Community Seed Banks and the Welthungerhilfe Program in Kirundo 

    Christian Ngendabanka, Godefroid Niyonkuru, Lucien D’Hooghe and Thomas Marx 

    33. Honduras: Community Seed Banks Established by Local Agricultural Research Committees 

    Orvill Omar Gallardo Guzmán, Carlos Antonio Ávila Andino, Marvin Joel Gómez Cerna, Mainor Guillermo Pavón Hernández and Gea Galluzzi 

    34. Nepal: LI-BIRD’s Approach to Supporting Community Seed Banks 

    Pitambar Shrestha and Sajal Sthapit 

    35. Norway’s Development Fund: Supporting Community Seed Banking Practices 

    Teshome Hunduma and Rosalba Ortiz 

    36. Spain: The Seed Network, Resembrando e Intercambiando 

    Members of the Red de Semillas 

    37. USC Canada’s Experience in Supporting Community Seed Banks in Africa, Asia and the Americas 

    Sarah Paule Dalle and Susan Walsh 

    38. Zimbabwe: the Experience of the Community Technology Development Trust 

    Andrew T. Mushita, Patrick Kasasa and Hilton Mbozi 

    39. Brazil: Community Seed Banks and Brazilian Laws 

    Juliana Santilli 

    40. The Role of Community Seed Banks in Adaptation to Climate Change in Mesoamerica 

    Gea Galluzzi, Evert Thomas, Maarten van Zonneveld, Jacob van Etten and Marleni Ramirez 

    41. Nepal: Government Policies and Laws Related to Community Seed Banks 

    Pashupati Chaudhary, Rachana Devkota, Deepak Upadhyay and Kamal Khadka 

    42: Community Seed Banks in Mexico: An In Situ Conservation Strategy 

    Karina Sandibel Vera Sánchez, Rosalinda González Santos and Flavio Aragón-Cuevas 

    43. South Africa: a New Beginning for Community Seed Banks 

    Ronnie Vernooy, Bhuwon Sthapit, Mabjang Angeline Dibiloane, Nkat Lettie Maluleke Tovhowani Mukoma and Thabo Tjikana 

    44. Epilogue: Visions of the Future 

    Ronnie Vernooy, Bhuwon Sthapit and Pitambar Shrestha

    Biography

    Ronnie Vernooy is a Genetic Resources Policy Specialist at Bioversity International, Rome, Italy. 

    Pitambar Shrestha is a Program Officer with Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), Pokhara, Nepal. 

    Bhuwon Sthapit is a Senior Scientist and Regional Project Coordinator for Bioversity International, based in Pokhara, Nepal.