ABSTRACT
In Brazil, public policies geared towards traditional indigenous agriculture, especially in terms of strengthening on-farm conservation and the promotion of local seed banks, are still incipient. There is tremendous potential for on-farm conservation in Brazil, given the 215 indigenous communities and the large number of non-indigenous farmers, most of whom practice subsistence agriculture. The Kraho local seed bank conducts on-farm conservation through a network of farmers and guardians who maintain varieties by practising their traditional agriculture. The Uniao das Associacoes Comunitarias do Interior de Cangucu e Regiao (UNAIC), in the municipality of Cangucu, Rio Grande do Sul, is an association of family farmer groups. It was founded in March 1988 and its principal objectives are the protection of the rights of family farmers and the promotion of sustainable rural development based on agro-ecological practices. To increase crop diversity, farmers are using diversity kits with several types of cassava, pineapple and soft maize.
