Steps in setting up and maintaining CSB (Ramanjaneyulu et al., 2015)
In the current scenario the industrial governed agriculture changed the face of sustainable agriculture to commercial agriculture. The commercial agriculture system is the single most important threat to biodiversity. The promotion of genetically uniform high yielding varieties (HYV) and hybrids leads to cultivation of few major improved varieties of a specific crop. As a result the cultivation of diverse traditional landraces reduced to considerable extent and several important traditional landraces are lost and some are on the verge of extinction (FAO 1999, van de Wouw et al., 2009). As a consequence genetic erosion has taken place up to a considerable extent (Ficiciyan et al., 2018). For example number of rice cultivars declined from about 4,00,000 before colonization to 30,000 in mid -19th century, with unknown thousands lost after green revolution. These traditional landraces harbor the various important resistance genes/alleles against abiotic and biotic stresses (Azeez et al., 2018). These landraces are the source of genetic variability for quality traits such as taste, aroma, softness, high nutrient content. Each traditional landraces have their unique specialty for which it has been grown and maintained by farmers in traditional way from ancient time. In general landraces are less productive as compared to HYV, but in recent years, importance of traditional landraces has increased owing to their high potential to adapt to specific environment and presence of tolerant genes for various biotic and abiotic stresses (Azeez et al., 2018). North east India is hot spot of biodiversity (Myers N. 1988). Farmers of this region have conserved so many diverse traditional landraces of cereals, vegetables and horticultural since time immemorial. Use of HYVs and hybrids of crops in this region also displace locally adapted and valuable landraces of various crops. Biodiversity of North East India is also under threat as farmers are moving towards commercial agriculture. Therefore there is a need to conservation all available diversity of various crops insitu on-farm by farmers and tribal communities’ to achieve the sustainable agriculture for their effective use in future.
Indigenous landraces are more compatible with local farming system, economically viable and environmentally sustainable than the high yielding varieties being used today. The availability of the appropriate kind of seed is highly significant for agriculture because without viable seed, the survival of rural households is endangered. The ways that farmers obtain seeds are as old as agriculture, and most small-scale farmers routinely save their seed from one harvest to the next. At one time, India was believed to have been home to about 1,10,000 rice varieties (Richharia and Govindasamy 1990, Nelson et al., 2019). IRRI gene bank preserves nearly 1,00, 000 accessions. India alone has 86,330 accessions, of which 42,004 are in the national gene bank (Rai, 1999). Scented millets were once a popular crop because they are drought-resistant, highly nutritious, and capable of cultivation in poor soil. Therefore, these important landraces have to be preserved and maintained by farming community through insitu conservation method which provides opportunity for further evolution in crops for adaptability according to change in climate pattern.
Interventions to strengthen informal seed supply systems, such as establishing seed banks, and seed breeding and multiplication are gaining popularity among non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public sector institutions engaged in the area of seed supply. Community seed banks are one of the important methods used to provide seed security and conserve agro biodiversity. They also guard against depletion and pollution of water, mono-cropping and farmers’ indebtedness which are among the many disadvantages of using high yielding varieties that require the use of large amounts of pesticides. Conservation of all gene pools is a high priority for sustaining food security and coping with current and future climate change effects. This could be easily accomplished through establishment of community seed banking system extensively throughout the world.
Community Seed Bank
Community Seed Banks (CSBs) are mainly informal institutions, locally governed and managed, whose core function is to preserve seeds for local use. They have existed for about 30 years, conserving, restoring, revitalizing, strengthening, and improving local seed systems, especially, but not solely, focused on local varieties. They are known by a variety of names: community gene bank, farmer seed house, seed hut, seed wealth centre, seed savers group, association or network, community seed reserve, seed library, and community seed bank. The women and men farmers who run community seed banks handle major crops, minor crops, and neglected and underutilized species, sometimes in small quantities of a few hundred grams per accession, sometimes storing hundreds of kilograms (Vernooy et al., 2020).
CSBs are trying to regain, maintain, and increase control over seeds by farmers and local communities and to strengthen or establish dynamic forms of cooperation among and between farmers and others involved in the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity, such as researchers, extension agents, gene bank staff, and development workers. Increasingly, a community seed bank is seen as the place to obtain seeds of local crops and varieties, as commercial seed companies, extension input depots, and private dealers are marketing only modern varieties and hybrids of a limited number of crops (Vernooy et al., 2020).
CSB is an important self-help strategy for maintaining genetic diversity in crop and plant species on farms. It is also a system in the process of community agriculture which includes village level facilities, a garden or field where traditional varieties are safeguarded. Through this system, farmers have played a key role in the creation, maintenance and promotion of genetic diversity. They have developed skills to meet their specific needs such as quality, resistance to pests and pathogens, adaptation to soils, water and climate etc. Under this system local farmers have established their own seed networks to facilitate seed supply to their families and local markets. It provide seeds that are better adapted to farming systems that “tend to be diverse, located in marginal, very dry or mountainous areas. Community seed banks are more beneficial for small and marginal farmers who are involved in subsistence agriculture for their self-sustenance rather than commercial agriculture. Community participation in maintaining local genetic diversity provides pride to farmers and sense of belonging for local landraces.
As climate change has a significant impact on agricultural production, growing local varieties, which have a high degree of genetic diversity, is highly important because these varieties have the ability to better withstand and adapt to environmental stresses and changes. Setting up community seed banks may help farmers to acquire varieties that are adapted to local conditions; these varieties may not be accessible through formal seed systems, may be costly or may suffer from erratic supplies. If farmers, in particular small holder farmers with poor resources, can access these locally adapted varieties, it can help them to get access to seeds for the next planting season as well as provide them with an emergency seed supply in times of crisis, thus making them less dependent on the formal seed systems.
CSBs will help to preserve seed of the most adapted varieties for the region, either local varieties or new ones coming from breeding programs. The selection of the most suited varieties for a region needs time and trials with technical support, but after the identification of best varieties, the community seed bank plays a very important role in maintaining the availability of quality seed. Seed diversity is enhanced and additional income is generated when seeds are exchanged and sold to neighbouring communities. Diversification of crops and varieties is also highly important in terms of people’s food security, because it reduces the risk of total production failures and contributes to strengthening communities’ resilience.
How Community Seed banking are working
Seeds are given free of cost to members of a seed bank. Any one from the community can become a member by paying a nominal annual fee. The member then sows the seed, harvests the crop, and later returns to the seed bank a particular quantity to replenish the store. The seed bank also works on seed treatment, seed selection, maintaining a record of needs, and planning for the next season.
Functions of CBD
Main functions of community seed banks are (a) Renewal of crop and genetic diversity in locations characterized by monoculture of commercial crops; (b) conservation of crop and genetic diversity in locations where diversity still exists but where farmers are facing the threat of excessive use of chemical and monoculture; (c) periodic mapping of diversity in the village and renewal of varieties that have lost their purity and vigour; (d) participatory varietal selection and participatory plant breeding of specific crops, such as paddy, cotton, groundnuts and vegetables, that are under threat due to erosion of diversity; (e) selection of varieties suited to local conditions through participatory varietal selection; documentation of value for cultivation and use data for each variety and every agro-ecological situation; (f) development, with innovative farmers and seed savers, of an inventory of available seed varieties along with information on their performance; (g) organizing seed sharing and exchange, conservation of crop and genetic diversity and networking with similar bodies at the state and national levels; (h) procuring breeder seeds from cooperatives and universities, mainly commercial crops, and multiplying and supplying them to farmers; (i) assessment (by the seed bank committee) of village seed requirements and planning for seed production; (j) encouraging farmers to produce/save/reuse seed carefully selected from their crops; helping farmers learn how to select and use farm-saved seed; (k) holding enough stock to meet cropping requirements in case of crop failure or low rainfall, particularly in rainfed areas. For example Navdanya is a NGO encouraging biodiversity conservation through a network of seed conservation and production. Navdanya has helped set up 54 community seed banks, as well as the largest direct marketing, fair trade organic network in the country. Green foundation established early in 1990s, presently about 4200 households of small and marginal farmers spread across 109 villages in Thally Block, Dharmapuri District, Tamilnadu and Kanakpura Taluka, Ramanagara District, Karnataka are involved. Deccan Development Society (DDS) works with voluntary associations of poor village women, mostly dalit agricultural laborers in 60 villages in the Medak District of Andhra Pradesh. Annadana Seed and Soil Savers conserving food plant diversity and support sustainable natural farming. The Annadana Seed Bank conserves and distributes 101 varieties of organic open-pollinated vegetable seeds. The Centre for Sustainable Agriculture has established community seed banks in 70 villages in the state of Andhra Pradesh and 20 villages in Maharashtra since 2004.
Some of the community seed banks have entered into informal marketing arrangements known as Seed growers’ associations. An SGA is made up of about 15 farmers, 50 per cent of whom are women. At the beginning of every crop season, the association prepares a plan and procures seed from various sources; multiplication is carried out by the members.
Harvest, storage and treatment methods adopted by seed banks
• Pulses (red, green and black gram): After healthy seed harvest treat with 1 per cent neem oil or mixed with ash and neem leaves. The treated seeds are stored in earthen pots covered with cow dung. Stored this way, the seeds remain viable and free of pests for a year
• Millets: Healthy seed heads are selected at harvest time, threshed manually and stored in gunny bags. If they become infested with pests, the seeds are sun dried between 11 am and 3 pm
• Cereals (maize/paddy): Maize farmers first identify healthy plants with a cob. These cobs are harvested separately and stored by hanging them from the roof at the entrance to the house. Seed for sowing is selected from the mid-portion of the cob
• Vegetables: To prevent cross-fertilization, farmers cover the flower with a paper bag. At maturity, the self-fertilized vegetables are harvested separately, seeds are separated from fruits that have been dried in the sun, ash is added and the seeds are stored in cotton bags.
References
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Eliazer Nelson ARL, Ravichandran K & Antony U (2019). The impact of the Green Revolution on indigenous crops of India. J. Ethn. Food 6:8
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Article contributed by Harendra Verma1, Amit Kumar2, Patu K Zeliang3, D J Rajkhowa1
1ICAR RC for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema
2ICAR-Research Complex for North East Hill Region, Meghalaya
3KVK Peren
