ABSTRACT
Individual community seed banks are mainly confined to a geographic area, based on local food needs, cropping patterns and specific agro-climatic conditions including soil types and rainfall. The community seed bank is managed by a committee of five volunteers chosen by the villagers. During the growing season, members organize visits to seed plots to monitor management quality. At the end of the season, based on requirements, seed is procured by the seed growers' associations (SGA) and stored in seed banks or retained by farmers. Community seed enterprises are extensions of the SGAs. Groundnut seed produced in Anatapur district is intended mainly to fulfill local needs. However, some seeds might be shared with other network partners. Local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), community biodiversity organizations and self-help groups facilitate such initiatives. The Centre for Sustainable Agriculture organizes state- and national-level seed fairs where all stakeholders are invited to share seeds and information.
