ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the minimum set of technical criteria and the technical issues that must be addressed by those who wish to operate community seed banks. The basic requirements for seed management are: the seed should be physically and genetically pure; it should be free from diseases and pests; and it should be accompanied by useful information and knowledge. Community seed banks are not only repositories of large numbers of seeds and planting materials, but also places where traditional knowledge and associated information about local varieties can be found. To ensure good-quality seed, community seed banks employ various measures. Some establish a small technical committee for this purpose, while, in other cases, the bank's executive committee is responsible for seed quality in the field and in storage. In Nepal, a local person is hired by the community to be in charge of materials and quality assurance in the seed bank.
