The fast development of community seed banks in different parts of the world is increasingly contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of crop genetic diversity, and thus to the implementation of the Plant Treaty. At the side event two major studies that shed light on this current development will be presented: Community Seed Banks – Origin, evolution and prospects from Biodiversity International and Survey of community seed banks in Europe by the EU Horizon 2020 project DIVERSIFOOD.

Program

13:15 Lunch for participants of the side-event

13:25 Welcome and brief introduction to the side event on behalf of the organizers. Regine Andersen, Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI), and partner in DIVERSIFOOD.

13:30 Community seed banks: Origin, evolution and prospects. Presentation of a Biodiversity International Review of community seed bank case studies by Ronnie Vernooy, Pitambar Shrestha and Bhuwon Sthapit. Pitambar Shrestha, LI-BIRD.

13:45 The fast growing movement of Community Seed Banks in Europe. Presentation of a survey of 85 community seed banks by DIVERSIFOOD. Regine Andersen, FNI/DIVERSIFOOD.

14:00 Community seed banks – some examples:

• Japan: Yoshiaki Nishikawa, Ryukoku University, Kyoto, Japan
• Uganda: Gloria Otieno, Biodiversity International, Uganda
• Zimbabwe: Andrew Mushita, Community Technology Development Trust
• Nepal: Pitambar Shrestha, LI-BIRD
• Europe: Slideshow with photos and music from DIVERSIFOOD

14:25 Feed-back and summing up

14:30 Closing the side-event