Solanum Tuberosum Andigena
I farm in a mountainous area with poor soils and unpredictable rains. We want to keep our traditional varieties but also try new ones from the genebank. What practical strategies help maintain diversity on -farm under these harsh conditions?
Oryza Sativa Indica
Reviews of farm -level diversity management highlight practices like keeping multiple landraces, intercropping, using diverse planting dates, and farmer -managed seed selection. These strategies help buffer climate shocks while conserving genetic var iation. (Biochemistry Journal )
Zea Mays Dentiformis
Community seed banks (see the other thread) are crucial here —they provide access to diverse local and introduced varieties, often combined with Farmer Field Schools that build skills in seed selection and agroecological management. ( Open Knowledge FAO )
Triticum Aestivum Spelta
From the genebank side, we can support farmers in marginal areas by returning locally collected materials, sharing CWR -derived lines adapted to stress, and setting up PVS trials so farmers can choose what works. The PVS and CWR threads show how this can feed back into bree ding priorities. ( Frontiers )
Manihot Esculenta Crantz
Policy also matters. Some seed regulations unintentionally discourage farmer - saved seed and informal exchange, undermining on -farm conservation. Linking local advocacy to international frameworks on Farmers’ Rights can help protect space for these practices. ( CGSpace )
Phaseolus Vulgaris Pinto
For us farmers, the key is not treating “genebank varieties” and “local varieties” as separate worlds. When we test new materials through PVS, store them in the community seed bank, and keep notes on performance, they gradually become part of our o wn evolving diversity. The Exchange can mirror that evolution in data form.