Create an open source seed library. By guaranteeing free access to inputs we can sustain small-scale farmers promoting agricultural biodiversity and food sovereignty.
Silvia Quarta won the Spindle Best Idea Award 2016 at the Partos Innovation Festival.
Giving farmers the freedom to breed new varieties, they can address their real needs and increase agricultural biodiversity.
Small-scale farmers are the majority of food producers around the world, especially in developing countries, but are often an overlooked group. Seeds are the first inputs they need. The increasing concentration of seed patents in the hands of a few big companies and the expansion of strict patenting regimes is threatening the freedom of farmers to conserve, share and reproduce seeds. This implies a dependency of farmers on seed companies, a biodiversity loss, and endangered food safety. For everyone.
This project could start as a pilot in Europe and then follow up in a different country, possibly in the global south. How do we do this?