ABSTRACT
Community seed banks are mentioned across all sections and associated with a number of priority activities reflecting their multifaceted purposes and legitimacy as local institutions that promote community-based conservation and sustainable use. The ex-situ section of the strategic action plan outlines activities aimed at restructuring the conservation system in the region to boost efficiency and foster synergies among actors and institutions while reducing duplication of effort. The importance of fostering connections and exchanges between community seed banks, including links with farmers from local communities not served by seed banks, is also stressed. The emphasis placed on strengthening seed systems highlights the role of community seed banks as decentralized repositories of locally adapted genetic diversity and associated traditional knowledge in the hands of farmers. The section on policy recognizes the importance of providing institutional support to community seed banks by formally recognizing their role in conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity, food security and climate change adaptation.
