Global Networking for the custodian farmers of underutilized crops
Stefano Padulosi Bioversity International
International Seminar on NUS, Córdoba, 10-13 December 2012
Content
1. Project introduction2. Who are custodian farmers3. Why we need them4. Why we need a global network
“Reinforcing the resilience of poor rural communities in the face of food insecurity, poverty and climate change through on-farm
conservation of local agro-biodiversity”
MSSRF
Participating Countries: Bolivia, Nepal, India Global Coordination: Bioversity International National Coordination: MS Swaminathan Research Foundation- MSSRF (India); Local Initiative for Biodiversity, Research and Development -LIBIRD (Nepal); Fundación Promoción e Investigación de Productos Andinos -PROINPA (Bolivia)Budget: 1.5 M USD (IFAD, EU-CGIAR, CCAFS)Duration: 3 years (March 2011- February 2014)
Project’ s GOAL
To facilitate more effective and sustainable use, management and conservation of local agrobiodiversity/ NUS by communities and stakeholders, particularly in the context of food security, nutrition, income-generation potential and adaptation to climate change
Project’ s Objectives
1. Develop and test new methods and tools in close partnership with farmers and value chain actors aimed at enhancing their capacities to sustainably conserve traditional crops and associated knowledge at the farm level;
2. Explore ways of integrating the monitoring of diversity on-farm, along with use-enhancement goals, through inter-disciplinary and multi-sector approaches;
3. Promote a more balanced complementary conservation agenda in national programmes, based on the need to combat genetic erosion and to meet the needs of agrobiodiversity users; and
4. Provide useful findings to guide further research related to climate change and its impact on species and varieties deployed in local production systems.
Content
1. Project introduction2. Who are custodian farmers?3. Why we need them?4. Why we need a global network?
Mrs. Adelaja, a champion custodian of quinoa (125 accessions maintained in her farm in Puno, Peru)
Mr Julio C. Paco Jove, Puno, Peru (champion farmer of Andean crops)
9
Custodian farmers, Mandla, Madhya Pradesh (India), 20 Nov 2012
10
http://www.archeologiaarborea.org/
Champion farmer: >100 varieties of melons safeguarded in his farm (2002)
Mr. Muhamadjon (Uzbekistan)
12Mr. Abdelkader, champion custodian of IK of date palm (Algeria))
Who are the custodian farmers?
Conservation of seed common practices since the dawn of Agriculture
Dependence on commercial seed has reduced conservation, but in traditional production systems this still relevant
Custodians are a special category of farmers who distinguish themselves for their conservation efforts..
We know very little of custodians farmers and even less about those dealing with NUS !!
Who are the custodian farmers?
Attributes Description1. Highly motivated Strong personal motivation in conserving local varieties and not depending upon
external support for continued conservation + use
2. Advocate motivation Use varieties themselves and encourage others to do the same
3. Consistency attitude Grow the variety (even on small amount of land) for at least the last 3 years even without immediate use or income generation from it
4. Succession planning attitude Even if he/she cannot continue conserving the variety, will transmit seeds and knowledge so that someone else (children, other farmers, etc.) can continue the process
5. Knowledge value holder Holds the knowledge about medicinal, social, economic and/orenvironmental values of the varieties conserved
6. Knowledge use holder Holds the knowledge about production, storage, processing and use of the local varieties and seeds
7. Knowledge traits holder Holds the knowledge on the usefulness of traits of varieties
8. Motiv. from social recognition He/she is recognized by his neighbors or community members as someone who conserves local seeds and knowledge.
9. Basic conservation attitude Needs to be a guardian of at least one variety- value, rarity and difficulty in conserving material are also factors to be considered
10. Curator attitude Understand why varieties conserved are unique and are in the business of taking care of it like curators in a museum
Content
1. Project introduction2. Who are custodian farmers?3. Why we need them?4. Why we need a global network?
Gene Bank(ex situ)
Breeding Seed production
Seed quality control
Distribution
Seed
Planting
Cultivation
Harvest
Storage
INFORMALSYSTEMS75-97%
Exchange
Consumption
Market
FarmersForest / wild
1. Saved own
2. Barter/gift 3. Sale/purchase
FORMALSYSTEMS
3-25%
Management of informal seed systems
53
26OS
182
18181 115
48
OSOS
Madhese
PurchaseEklePurchase
Rato anadi
Gift
Jeth
o bu
dho
GiftPakhe
Gift
GurdiPurchase
EklePurchase
Mansara
Purchase
Dudhe
anad
iGift
Kat
he g
urdi
Purc
hase 173
172
Ekle, anadi
ExchangeMadhese
Exchange
47151
23
152
67
199
125
126
EkleGiftGurdiExchagne
Kat
he g
urdi
Exch
ange
Mad
hese
Purc
hase
Kathe gurdiExchange
PanheleExchange
K. g
urdi
Exch
ange
Seto
gur
di
Exch
ange
37110
389144
Sano madhesePurchase
Man
sul i
Exch
ange
MadheseExchange
Man
a m
uri
Exch
ange
Radh
aEx
chan
ge156
157
158
159
90
RadhaExchangeMixed grainExchange
MadheseExchange
Radha
Exchange
Thulo madhese
Gift
Man
suli
Gift
Pakh
e jar
neli
Purc
hase
788
206
207 OS
Pakhe jarneli
ExchangeMansuli
Exchange
NaltummeGift
Naltum
meGift
MansuliGift
16
41
76
40
165
164
205
204
OS
OS
163
OS OS
111
167
Radha 9Exchange Radha 9Exchange
Radha 9Exchange
Radha
9
Excha
nge
RadhaExchange
Thul
o m
ansu
liEx
chan
ge
Radha 9Exchange
Radha
Exchange
Radha 9
Gift
Exchange
Food grain
ExchangeFood grainExchange
Radha 9
Exchange
Rad
ha 9
Gift
Mad
heGift
Khumal 4
GiftSabitri
Gift
Safeguarding and sharing diversity & knowledge
By-and-large ABD is conserved in situ/ on farm along with IK!
Large portfolio of 7000+ food crops / NUS scarcely represented in ex situ collections..
While we witness silent loss of species and varieties pushed aside by major/commodities crops along with IK..
Edible usesFresh 494 Cooked 478 Pickled 76 Spice 36
Lebanon: ethno botanic study on wild NUS (2003), involving 12 villages. 60 plant Families >260 vernacular names with 1,400 use citations recorded !
GREAT LOSS OF IK NO MORE TRANSMITTED TO YOUNGER GENERATIONS !!!
Experimenting and stewardship role
• They maintain diversity in a dynamic way where
varieties can evolve, adapt to climate, pests, diseases as well as evolve along with cultural preferences
• Help keeping healthier agro-ecosystems
• Help safeguarding IK and culture associated to healthy food systems
• Help keeping identity of territory and people..
21
“Tamazight” language of the Amazigh people
of N.Africa
Content
1. Project introduction2. Who are custodian farmers?3. Why we need them?4. Why we need a global network?
Why we need a global network? • Complement networks now dealing
solely with ex situ conservation;• Give voice to silent stakeholders
whose role is highly strategic to our food security;
• Help making roles of women more visible and appreciated
• Help synergies at nat/int level;• Facilitate exchange of knowledge on
resilient crops; • Help addressing needs with policy
makers at int. fora / Agreements
Celebrate & exchange
“the power of social movement”WOMEN Seed and Culinary Fair
Mandla, Madhya Pradesh (India), 20 Nov 2012
Community seed bank in Kachorwa, Nepal
Community gene bank- Mali
28
CBRMethods and tools for
documenting and monitoring NUS
Other considerations
• Seed savers associations do exists but poorly linked to one another;
• The idea is not to create a bureaucratic structure, but promote direct linkages among custodians;
• Community seed banks can be instruments to facilitate networking among custodians, sharing of experiences, material and knowledge.
riceFoxtail millet Kodo millet
Singarpur Village, Madhya Pradesh (India), 22 March 2012
Thank you!