Community-based agrobiodiversity systems for the realisation of Farmers’ Rights

The Development Fund (DF) has supported local initiatives on conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources and the strengthening of Farmers’ Rights for almost two decades in collaboration with local partners in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, Ethiopia and Malawi. These programmes, designed in a collaborative way involving farmers’ and civil society organizations and research institutes, started between 2003 and 2009. The main objective was to strengthen community-based agrobiodiversity systems in order to improve food security and climate adaptive capacity. The programmes followed a holistic approach, and included measures such as Participatory Plant Breeding, Participatory Variety Selection, recovery and rehabilitation of lost varieties, Community Seed Banks, capacity building on Farmers’ Rights, participation of farmers in decision-making, and advocacy at local, national and international level. Main outcomes were improved food security and livelihoods among poor rural households. More than 46,000 farmers and their families increased their access to seeds through a network of 81 Community Seed Banks. Sixty-nine new varieties were developed through Participatory Plant Breeding, resulting in increased yields for maize, beans, sorghum, rice and wheat by at least 25%. Civil society and farmer organizations gained space in decision-making at local level, and in some cases at national level.