ABSTRACT
South Africa's smallholder seed systems are increasingly coming under pressure. South Africa has a well developed ex-situ conservation facility, the National Plant Genetic Resources Centre (NPGRC), where accessions of plant material are maintained. The centre's mandate has recently been extended to include community seed banks as a strategy to promote on-farm management and conservation. To fulfill this mandate, NPGRC considers capacity development of its frontline staff an important step. Capacity building should empower farmers by strengthening informal seed systems, supporting the conservation of traditional farmer varieties and maintaining seed security. NPGRC has joined forces with Bioversity International to develop a national plan for the establishment and support of community seed banks. Trust is a key factor in seed exchange. However, the women say that they welcome seed exchange with farmers of different communities and cultures and they are interested in developing a conservation strategy based on a community seed bank.
