Sowing Resilient and Culturally Relevant Seeds

By April Jones
Updated on October 24, 2024
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by April Jones
Rhonda Freeman and Walter Eubanks examine the ‘Shintokiwa’ cucumber vines.

Seed sovereignty is a movement of caring for the Earth and for our neighbors. It empowers each of us to know and save our own seeds and to grow crops that are both resilient and culturally relevant.

Building Resiliency

Quality seeds that yield predictable and desirable foods are a vital part of a healthy food system. The more we can trust and encourage farmers to have access to good seeds, the better able they’ll be to excel in the marketplace and bring nutritional security to communities. It’s not getting any easier to be a farmer – farmers face soil degradation, droughts, unpredictable severe weather, and more. Climate-resilient growing practices are increasingly necessary, and procuring robust, adaptable seed is a key step. Importantly, many of these climate-adapted seeds are proving to be uniquely suited to thrive in their own terroir. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all variety of watermelon that’ll thrive across the country, but watermelon seeds saved from a plant that’s grown in your own garden may be specifically suited to withstand your climate.

Sharing Culture

In a strong seed-sovereignty movement, our seeds must not only be able to thrive in challenging and unpredictable conditions, but also be culturally relevant to the communities they’re grown for. Food and recipes are inextricably intertwined with our history, our current well-being, and our shared future.

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