Seed work in the Philippines

30 June 2002
Seed Savers participation in a National Seed Congress on Local Seed Systems for Genetic Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture.

National Congress on Local Systems for Genetic Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture

A woman farmer speaks at one of the communities visited on the field trip

Michel was invited to the National Congress on Local Seed Systems for Genetic Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture in the Philippines to talk about seed saving efforts in the various countries in which Seed Savers has worked. He was able to talk with some and most of the 120 participants who represented seed conservation efforts at the village and regional level.

Field trips in Negros and Cebu Islands were the first Congress activity. Well-established sustainable agroecological or seed/PGR-related initiatives which are at different levels of sustainability, community participation and scope of operation were showcased.

One of the places they visited was Kabakalan in Negros where Father Gore was held hostage for two years (and converted to their cause!). After people fought for the return of their fertile land from the grip of giant landowners, they were ready for a poison free agriculture with what was left of their own rice seed varieties their families had saved for centuries.

They have started many small local organisations to organise the preservation of their traditional seeds and promote organic agriculture methods. Now they are looking at vegetable rescuing as their supply is a real problem.

A symposium was held to present selected pressing topics. These include:

• impact on local/informal seed systems, genetic conservation and sustainable agriculture of, for example, international agreements, development programmes and GMOs,

• reshaping the national seed program and seed industry toward sustainable agriculture for example the status of organic vegetable and seed production, local seed business issues and concerns, status of forest seed industry,

• sprouting ground level initiatives on various related aspects