Training on Community Seed Bank in Nagaland

To assist women farmers of Nagaland establish and strengthen Community Seed Banks (CSB), NEN organised a 2 day Training on CSB at NEN resource center, VTC Hall, Chizami on 3rd & 4th February. This effort to strengthen women collectives was attended by 27 participants from 11 villages.

Community Seed Bank is a system of community agriculture which includes village level facilities a garden or field where traditional varieties are safeguarded. Through this system, farmers play a key role in the creation, maintenance and promotion of crop genetic diversity.

The programme was facilitated by NEN staff where a number of sessions were held for assisting these women in setting up CSB’s and for strengthening their already-existing seed banks. Gender Analysis activities were also carried out for Understanding Indigenous Women’s Role in Food & Farming Systems. In addition, seed exchanges between women of different communities were also carried out

Resource person Ptambar Shrestha, of LIBIRD Nepal graced the programme with his virtual presence and sensitised the women participants on traditional technologies and practices in seed saving and the challenges that follows in traditional seed saving practices. In addition, Shrestha also shared on some of the current practices and technologies used for storing seed around the world, drawing from his past experience in working with Agri Farms, seed companies and genebanks. According to Mr. Shrestha some of the key things to consider for preserving seed are: moisture content of the seed, room temperature and humidity off seed store room.