Theme: Participatory Plant Breeding
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Seeds of the Future: Agrobiodiversity Exchange Connects Generations in Cusco
From 27 to 29 May 2025, Cusco was the epicentre of an international meeting to rethink the present and future of agrobiodiversity in a context of climate change and rural transformation. More than 70 people—including farmers, young people, researchers, and representatives of national and international organisations—participated in the Agrobiodiversity Knowledge Exchange Workshop, an event that […]
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From Fields to Vaults: How Zimbabwe’s farmers are safeguarding crop diversity for the future
On the 25th of February 2025, representatives from the National Gene Bank of Zimbabwe and Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) deposited 1110 accessions of different crop varieties in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, ensuring long-term conservation of important crop diversity. Some of these seeds came directly from farmers’ community seed banks, showcasing the value of […]
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From Fields to Vaults: How Zimbabwe’s Farmers Are Safeguarding Crop Diversity for the Future
On the 25th of February 2025, representatives from the National Gene Bank of Zimbabwe and Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT)deposited 1110 accessions of different crop varieties in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, ensuring long-term conservation of important crop diversity. Some of these seeds came directly from farmers’ community seed banks, showcasing the value of their […]
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Seeds Knowledge Repository
In this repository you will find all the material produced over the 8 years of the Sowing Diversity = Harvesting Security program. The gathering of the knowledge by many groups, over different geographies, in varying formats, is a testament to the importance of our work on seed sovereignty centering farmers and their communities. We hope […]
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Facilitator Field Guide for Farmer Field Schools on PPB – Plant Selection Techniques module
This field guide module presents one of the most valuable techniques for plant breeders: the selection of plants to improve local varieties (landraces) or develop entirely new ones. Although often seen as the exclusive domain of professional plant breeders in research stations, this guide translates basic and more advanced techniques from the science of plant […]
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Cultivating Change for Tomorrow: The Successful Handover and Closing of SDHS
Prepared by Aakash Koirala, Senior Program Officer, LIBIRD Reviewed by Lok Pd. Poudel, Technical Coordinator Oxfam Nepal The “Sowing Diversity = Harvesting Security (SD=HS),” a four-year collaborative initiative involving Oxfam Novib, Oxfam Nepal, and LIBIRD, launched from 2019 to 2023 (with a one-year, no-cost extension) was funded by SIDA. The primary objective of this initiative […]
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Case Studies from Laos
Sowing Diversity= Harvesting Security Phase II (2019-2022) The case studies presented under the Sowing Diversity equals Harvesting Security (SD=HS) Program in Laos from 2019-2022 showcase successful initiatives and outcomes in different provinces. The program has contributed to food security and economic well-being in the region. There are a total of six case studies that highlight […]
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Sowing Resilience: Women Farmers Transform Agriculture in Nepal
By Lok Pd Poudel, Technical Coordinator, Oxfam Nepal The Progressive Seed Producer’s Farmer’s Field School in Jorayal Gaupalika Ward No. 2, Budar Doti, was established three years ago with the active participation of 33 dedicated women members. The school’s primary focus has been on Participatory Plant Varietal Enhancement (PVE) practices, especially for the local wheat variety, Seto Dabdi. Additionally, they have taken up […]
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Learning for Change
“Change is the end result of all true learning” -Leo Buscaglia The journey of learning that began in the second phase of the Sowing Diversity = Harvesting Security (SD=HS) program for Zambia has come to an end by the year 2023. Since 2019 Zambia has strived to achieve change through learning, unlearning, and relearning together […]
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Seeds of Hope: Pahalman’s Journey to Prosperity
By Lalita Ale, LI-BIRD and translated by Lok Pd Poudel, Oxfam in Nepal Pahalman Chaudhary, a 41-year-old resident of Kailari Rural Municipality, Kailali District, Sudurpaschim Province, underwent a remarkable transformation in just two years. Contrary to the general notion that small landholding farmers cannot engage in seed production, Pahalman stands as a compelling example, demonstrating […]
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The government of Zimbabwe pledges to utilize the services of Farmer Field School Master Trainers
By Manata Jeko and Pardon Sithole The Government of Zimbabwe through the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development (MLAFWRD) has pledged to fully utilize the services of Farmer Field School Master Trainers and facilitators trained under the SD=HS program with the support from Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The […]
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Enhancing and supporting resilient Farmers’ Seed Systems in Zimbabwe: Findings from the National End of Season Evaluation
By Manata Jeko and Pardon Sithole Outcomes from the just-ended National end-of-season evaluation in Zimbabwe have demonstrated that the Sowing Diversity Equals Harvesting Security (SDHS) program in Zimbabwe has transformed farmers’ seed systems. A group of 30 participants from the six operational districts convened at Chibhanguza Hotel over three days to evaluate the performance of […]
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Annual Report 2022
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly lower in 2022, with restrictions being gradually lifted and more teams and activities returning to “normal”. But the year was also marked by the war in Ukraine and a worldwide economic crisis, with inflation and disruptions to the global food supplies. This came on top of a […]
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Zimbabwean Farmer Muzamani Lihinga’s Success with New Sorghum Seed Sales
By Jeko Manata The tale of success in Matihwa village, situated within Chiredzi’s Chilonga area in the semi-arid southeastern region of Zimbabwe, revolves around the remarkable journey of Mr. Muzamani Lihinga. His collaboration with the Sowing Diversity equals Harvesting Security (SDHS) program in Zimbabwe has resulted the opportunity to increase the income for smallholder farmers […]
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Elevating Food Variety in Zimbabwe: Sylvia Zimboko’s Local Food Plant Journey
By Pardon Sithole Women in Africa have played a crucial role in ensuring household food and nutrition security. They have taken on responsibilities in crop production, meal preparation, and diversifying family diets to meet varying nutritional needs. Sylvia Zimboko, a farmer from Zimbabwe’s southeastern lowveld, faced challenges due to recurrent droughts and long dry seasons […]
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Peru’s Vibrant Events: A Medley of Diverse Experiences
By Angel Villavicencio, Milagros Ysuhuaylas, Kelly Alvarez, Pavel Lozano (Fovida) and Ana Lucía Núñez (Oxfam) Agrobiodiversity and Barter Fair – Paucará 2023 On July 20, the “First Agrobiodiversity and Barter Fair – Paucará 2023” was held in the province of Acobamba, in the Huancavelica, central highlands of Peru. Barter is an ancestral mechanism local communities […]
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An Insight into the Diverse Farmer Field School Trainings Arranged in Uganda
Clustered Refresher Training on Farmer Field School (FFS) Methodology Refresher training sessions on the Farmer Field School (FFS) Methodology were organized in clusters. In Omoro district, a total of 14 FFS facilitators (8 females and 6 males) underwent reorientation on FFS methodology during the period from 28- 31 August 2023. The primary objective of this […]
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Books 4 Life: Empowering Communities through Community Seed Banks
By Eco Matser, Project Lead SD=HS Community seed banks play an important role in the SD=HS program approach to safeguard the genetic diversity of local crops and increase community food and nutrition security. They provide farmers with a safe storage for seeds as well as a source for seed that disappeared in the community. The […]
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SD=HS Newsletter | May 2023
Sowing Diversity=Harvesting Security newsletter Campaign URL Copy Twitter 0 tweets Subscribe Past Issues RSS Translate English العربية Afrikaans беларуская мова български català 中文（简体） 中文（繁體） Hrvatski Česky Dansk eesti keel Nederlands Suomi Français Deutsch Ελληνική हिन्दी Magyar Gaeilge Indonesia íslenska Italiano 日本語 ភាសាខ្មែរ 한국어 македонски јазик بهاس ملايو Malti Norsk Polski Português Português – Portugal Română Русский Español Kiswahili Svenska […]
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Farmer Field School training workshops towards Crop Diversity for Food Security in West Africa
Environmental and socio-economic conditions in many zones of West Africa are rapidly changing. The outcomes are unstable governments and unprecedented variability of weather conditions that adversely affect millions of farmers, many of whom already face food insecurity on a regular basis. When conflict meets disaster, having access to good quality seeds that will provide food […]