Growing Diversity – Latin America

TITLE OF EXPERIENCE: Community seed banks

AUTHOR: Antonio José da Silva - Solânea Farmworkers' Union, Maria Paula Almeida - AS-PTA

COUNTRY AND REGION: BRAZIL, Solânea, State of Paraíba

ECOLOGICAL ZONE: semi-arid

ABSTRACT

Northeastern Brazil is home to 28.5% of the country's population and 60% of its land area is in the semi-arid zone. Its inhabitants experience droughts during which it does not rain for two to three years, and whose impacts can be devastating: a general breakdown of water supply for human and animal consumption, major cutbacks in cattle herd size and the decapitalization of families, causing chaos for many farms. In some cases this finally leads to the exodus of the local population to other regions. In terms of biodiversity, the pressure on local genetic resources is intense. During drought years, there is very little or nothing to harvest, meaning a significant drain on family food and seed supplies. In extreme situations, seeds are eaten when they are the only food available. The region's adversities are exploited by those who are better off, the "bosses" who provide seeds in return for half or a third of the harvest. There is also political exploitation, when campaigning politicians or local mayors trade seeds for votes.

Since 1992, the Solânea Farmworkers' Union, in the State of Paraíba, has worked to create seed banks in order to guarantee the autonomy of small farmers in their seed supply. Their association with the AS-PTA in 1994 allowed for an expansion of this work which today has moved from the recovery and multiplication of the diversity of local varieties to also include crop diversification, the planting of trees and an increase in the reserves of forage for livestock.

CONTACT : Click here for updated contact details

Sindicato de Trabalhadores Rurais de Solânea (Solânea Farmworkers' Union), Rua Josefa Crispim, 50  - Solânea – Paraíba - 58.225-000 – BRASIL, Tel.: (55-83) 363 2379

AS-PTA Paraíba – Centro Agroecológico São Miguel, CP 33 - Esperança – Paraíba – 58.135-000 – BRASIL, Tel.: (55-83) 361 2090     E-mail: asptapb@uol.com.br