Community Seed Banks

Community Seed Bank initiative has grown and is a multi-state initiative and farmer groups involving farmers actively in Seven states – Kerala, Bihar, Chhattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab and West Bengal. Community level seed-saving initiatives enhance the resilience of farmers with effect to climate change. The Community Seed Banks in Karnataka have revived the traditional social seed networks of seed saving, exchange and giving, that existed over decades back. CSBs have turned into effective farmer organizations. Seeds are now more accessible to marginal communities and women are more empowered financial with income derived from seeds. Women are more prominent in conserving local landraces, preserving traditional seeds is intrinsically linked to the food security, livelihoods and culture of these tribal farmers. With greater involvement in local seed systems, women have gained and built deep knowledge on native varieties in the Periyapatna taluk, where seed bank had been established. Malangi Seed Bank has won the Biodiversity Award 2019 for outstanding work on seed conservation.