On October 11, 2002, SAMUHA-KWP, Tavaragera, in conjunction with the Green Foundation, Bangalore, organised the Seed Bank Members Conference. The conference began with a sung invocation, after which Roopashree, Head - Sustainable Agriculture, SAMUHA-KWP spoke on the local varieties of seeds that are available. With such few local seed varieties remaining, she stressed on the importance of each village having its own seed bank.
In his address, Krishna Prasad of the Green Foundation said that this programme has been implemented in two villages of SAMUHA-KWP - Vitlapur and Juelkunti, where two community seed banks are functioning. However, insufficient knowledge on the importance of seed banks has resulted in its lack of spread to other areas. This trend has to be reversed through generation of greater awareness on the preservation of local seeds.
Therefore, according to Prasad, there is a great need to preserve local seed varieties. Local seeds required for sowing and consumption, which were carefully preserved by our elders, are now in danger due to the onset of hybrid seeds. In such a situation, seed banks must be established in every village.
Seeds collected from farmers of different villages were displayed at the conference. The participants - 30 women and 20 men - discussed other issues of seed conservation at the conference, which was also attended by 13 people from SAMUHA and six from the Green Foundation.
