Farm seed opportunities : a project to promote landrace use and renew biodiversity

Farm Seed Opportunities (FSO), a specific targeted research project in the FP6 European programme (2007-2009), was conceived to support the implementation of seed regulations on conservation varieties (directive 98/95/EC and new directive 2008/62/EC for agricultural species). For this purpose, FSO has been developing coherent definitions of the different kinds of varieties cultivated in farm fields following a survey and evaluation of practices at the national level. Partners in the project included diverse stakeholders concerned with the conservation and use of varieties that do not fit the DUS (Distinction, Uniformity, and Stability) criteria of the current seed regulations. Participants were researchers involved in organic agriculture (FiBL and LBI), genetic resources (CGN, IGSA and INRA), seed quality (PRI) and participatory plant breeding organizations (IIED and WUR), organic farmers' organizations (AIAB) and seed networks (RAS and RSP). The partners from IIED and WUR (WU, PRI and CGN) have extensive experience, including policy research, in developing countries.