Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 Community Seed Banks Community seed banks first appeared towards the end of the 1980s, established with the support of international and national nongovernmental 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 Global 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 have grown. In Nepal, for example, there are now more than 100 self-described community seed banks whose functions range from pure con- servation 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, recog- nition of their roles and contributions have remained scanty. This 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. Ronnie Vernooy is a Genetic Resources Policy Specialist at Bioversity International, Rome, Italy. Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 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. Issues in Agricultural Biodiversity Series editors: Michael Halewood and Danny Hunter This series of books is published by Earthscan in association with Bioversity International. The aim of the series is to review the current state of knowledge in topical issues associated with agricultural biodiversity, to identify gaps in our knowledge base, to synthesize lessons learned and to propose future research and development actions. The overall objective is to increase the sustainable use of biodiversity in improving people’s well-being and food and nutrition security. The series’ scope is all aspects of agricultural biodiversity, ranging from conservation biology of genetic resources through social sciences to policy and legal aspects. It also covers the fields of research, education, communication and coordination, information management and knowledge sharing. Published titles: Crop Wild Relatives A Manual of in situ Conservation Edited by Danny Hunter and Vernon Heywood The Economics of Managing Crop Diversity On-Farm Case Studies from the Genetic Resources Policy Initiative Edited by Edilegnaw Wale, Adam Drucker and Kerstin Zander Plant Genetic Resources and Food Security Stakeholder Perspectives on the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 Resources for Food and Agriculture Edited by Christine Frison, Francisco López and José T. Esquinas Crop Genetic Resources as a Global Commons Challenges in International Law and Governance Edited by Michael Halewood, Isabel López Noriega and Selim Louafi Community Biodiversity Management Promoting Resilience and the Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources Edited by Walter S. de Boef, Abishkar Subedi, Nivaldo Peroni and Marja Thijssen Diversifying Food and Diets Using Agricultural Biodiversity to Improve Nutrition and Health Edited by Jessica Fanzo, Danny Hunter, Teresa Borelli and Federico Mattei Community Seed Banks Origins, Evolution and Prospects Edited by Ronnie Vernooy, Pitambar Shrestha and Bhuwon Sthapit Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 Community Seed Banks Origins, Evolution and Prospects Edited by Ronnie Vernooy, Pitambar Shrestha and Bhuwon Sthapit Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 First published 2015 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2015 Bioversity International All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Community seed banks : origins, evolution, and prospects / edited by Ronnie Vernooy, Pitambar Shrestha, and Bhuwon Sthapit. pages cm. — (Issues in agricultural biodiversity) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Seeds—Collection and preservation—Citizen participation. 2. Germplasm resources, Plant. 3. Germplasm resources conservation—Citizen participation. I. Vernooy, Ronnie, 1963– SB123.3.C63 2015 631.5'21—dc23 2014042159 ISBN: 978-0-415-70805-0 (hbk) ISBN: 978-0-415-70806-7 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-88632-9 (ebk) Typeset in Bembo by Keystroke, Station Road, Codsall, Wolverhampton Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 Contents Notes on contributors xiii Acknowledgements xxiii GIZ: an innovative partner for the global challenges of tomorrow xxv 1 The rich but little known chronicles of community seed banks 1 RONNIE VERNOOY, PITAMBAR SHRESTHA AND BHUWON STHAPIT PART I Comparative analysis of key aspects of community seed banks 9 2 Origins and evolution 11 RONNIE VERNOOY, PITAMBAR SHRESTHA AND BHUWON STHAPIT 3 Functions and activities 20 PITAMBAR SHRESTHA, RONNIE VERNOOY AND BHUWON STHAPIT 4 Governance and management 26 BHUWON STHAPIT, RONNIE VERNOOY AND PITAMBAR SHRESTHA Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 5 Technical issues 34 PITAMBAR SHRESTHA, BHUWON STHAPIT AND RONNIE VERNOOY 6 Support and networking 42 RONNIE VERNOOY, BHUWON STHAPIT AND PITAMBAR SHRESTHA 7 Policy and legal environment 49 RONNIE VERNOOY, PITAMBAR SHRESTHA AND BHUWON STHAPIT viii Contents 8 Sustainability 56 PITAMBAR SHRESTHA, BHUWON STHAPIT AND RONNIE VERNOOY PART II Case studies from around the world 61 9 Bangladesh: the Mamudpur Nayakrishi Seed Hut 63 M. A. SOBHAN, JAHANGIR ALAM JONY, RABIUL ISLAM CHUNNU AND FAHIMA KHATUN LIZA 10 Bhutan: the Bumthang community seed bank 69 ASTA TAMANG AND GAYLONG DUKPA 11 Bolivia: community seed banks in the Lake Titicaca area 74 MILTON PINTO, JUANA FLORES TICONA AND WILFREDO ROJAS 12 Brazil: gene banks, seed banks and local seed guardians 80 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 85 ANNA CRYSTINA ALVARENGA AND CARLOS ALBERTO DAYRELL 14 Canada: the Toronto Seed Library 88 KATIE BERGER, JACOB KEAREY-MORELAND AND BRENDAN BEHRMANN 15 China: the Xiding gene bank in Yunnan 94 YANG YAYUN, ZHANG ENLAI, DEVRA I. JARVIS, BAI KEYU, Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 DONG CHAO, A. XINXIANG,TANG CUIFENG, ZHANG FEIFEI, XU FURONG AND DAI LUYUAN 16 Costa Rica: Unión de Semilleros del Sur 99 FLOR IVETTE ELIZONDO PORRAS, RODOLFO ARAYA VILLALOBOS, JUAN CARLOS HERNÁNDEZ FONSECA AND KAROLINA MARTÍNEZ UMAÑA 17 Guatemala: community seed reserves restore maize diversity 104 GEA GALLUZZI AND ISABEL LAPEÑA Contents ix 18 India: community seed banks and empowering tribal communities in the Kolli Hills 106 E. D. ISRAEL OLIVER KING, N. KUMAR AND STEFANO PADULOSI 19 India: from community seed banks to community seed enterprises 113 G.V. RAMANJANEYULU, G. RAJSHEKAR AND K. RADHA RANI 20 Malaysia: exploring the utility of a community seed bank in Sarawak 120 PAUL BORDONI AND TOBY HODGKIN 21 Mali: an overview of community seed and gene banks 125 AMADOU SIDIBE, RAYMOND S.VODOUHE AND SOGNIGBE N’DANIKOU 22 Mali: the USC Canada-supported gene and seed banks of the Mopti region 131 ABDRAHAMANE GOÏTA, HAMADOUN BORE, MARIAM SY OUOLOGUEME AND ADA HAMADOUN DICKO 23 Mexico: community seed banks in Oaxaca 136 FLAVIO ARAGÓN-CUEVAS 24 Nepal: the historical Dalchowki community seed bank 140 BHARAT BHANDARI, SURYA THAPA, KRISHNA SANJEL AND PRATAP SHRESTHA 25 Nepal: the community seed bank in Tamaphok 144 DILLI JIMI, MANISHA JIMI AND PITAMBAR SHRESTHA 26 Nicaragua: La Labranza no. 2 community seed bank – ‘We are a network’ 148 Downloaded by [New York University] at 14:35 18 August 2016 JORGE IRAN VÁSQUEZ ZELEDÓN 27 Rwanda: the Rubaya community gene bank 153 LEONIDAS DUSENGEMUNGU,THEOPHILE NDACYAYISENGA, GLORIA OTIENO, ANTOINE RUZINDANA NYIRIGIRA AND JEAN RWIHANIZA GAPUSI 28 Sri Lanka: the Haritha Udana community seed bank in Kanthale 156 C. L. K.WAKKUMBURE AND K. M. G. P. KUMARASINGHE x Contents 29 Trinidad and Tobago: SJ Seed Savers 161