ABSTRACT
The 1991/92 drought that ravaged southern Africa and was declared a national disaster in Zimbabwe was instrumental in the establishment of community seed banks in country. The Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) officer works in close consultation with the management committee, CTDT field officers and local agricultural extension (AGRITEX) and the government agriculture department but is also part of the farming community. Community seed banks are managed by local farmers with support from CTDT and government agencies. The Zimbabwe Seeds Act regulates production of high-quality seeds by corporate seed companies for both domestic and export markets. However, a new seed variety can only be registered and marketed commercially after its distinctiveness, uniformity and stability (DUS) and value for cultivation and use (VCU) have been determined by a variety-release committee. A proposed framework will cover the establishment of community seed banks interacting closely with the national gene bank and the South African Development Community (SADC) regional gene bank.
