Seeds are the beating heart of our food system. And in any system, diversity equals resilience. The UK & Ireland Seed Sovereignty Programme is restoring seed diversity by reskilling growers in seed saving, creating seed sharing networks, and reviving the ancient varieties adapted over millennia.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
75% of the world’s crop diversity has been lost in the last 100 years. And with it, our food system's ability to weather the changing climate. While it was normal to save locally-adapted seeds a few generations back, this skill has been largely lost and today four petrochemical corporations control 60% of the world's seeds, which are sold alongside the soil-destroying chemicals they've been bred to rely on.
Solution
The Seed Sovereignty Programme is unearthing a lost art. Our team provides seed saving training from beginner to advanced, helps market gardeners to diversify into seed production, & accompanies communities wanting to reconnect with earth. It has become clear that, when people are supported to produce seed, they naturally go on to grow regional seed sharing networks. By providing foundational skills, then supporting those networks to connect & evolve, we create the conditions for more to emerge.
