Abstract
The paper interrogates the role of community seed banks (CSBs) and related initiatives in the realization of farmers’ rights in Uganda and the policy and legislative space for the functioning of CSBs. The study finds that although community seed banks are a relatively new phenomenon in Uganda, there have been community based seed banking initiatives that have been instrumental in the realization of farmers’ rights to save and exchange seed and information; and especially providing a wide range of diversity of seed to farmers and improving access to good quality seed. Through partnerships with local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), research and government institutions, CSBs have received technical and financial support for conservation and seed production activities, thus enabling them to participate in seed value-chains through production of quality declared seed (QDS) and participate in decision making. Although the policy and legal environment for the functioning of CSBs is not well defined, various pieces of draft legislation provide positively for ways through which CSBs can be recognized and supported for the benefit of farmers. The study recommends that CSBs activities should be rolled-out to other parts of the country through a government financing mechanism that is suggested in the draft national policy on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. The development of a policy and legal environment that includes an act that has provisions for the recognition of CSBs and the protection of farmers’ rights is important. Secondary information, interviews with key informants and Focus Group discussions (FGDs) are the primary sources of data used.
Highlights
Farmers‟ rights were first developed in the 1980‟s primarily to secure recognition of their role in the conservation and continuing development of local plant varieties; and to protect their rights to these varieties i.e. to save, sell and exchange seeds from their harvest (ACIPA 2014)
The census reveals a total of 13 community seed banks and related inititatives. 13 key informants in the respective CSBs are interviewed to provide information about their roles and activities as related to seed production and dissemination; the number of crops and varieties they conserve or share in their community seed banks; the number of farmers benefiting from the initiatives; and the partnerships they have and whether they receive any support from local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and government
Policy documents related to farmers‟ rights, seed policies and plant genetic resource management and conservation are analyzed to provide insights into the provisions that support the realization of farmers‟ rights or those that support the development of community seed banks
Summary
Farmers‟ rights were first developed in the 1980‟s primarily to secure recognition of their role in the conservation and continuing development of local plant varieties; and to protect their rights to these varieties i.e. to save, sell and exchange seeds from their harvest (farmers‟ privilege) (ACIPA 2014). They were developed as a means to minimize the impact of plant breeder‟s rights on local farmers. These rights are enshrined in a variety of legal instruments regulating access to and use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge. Community seed banks and other local seed initiatives provide a robust system both in terms of locally-adapted seeds, diversity of crops and strengthened local institutions that ensure accessibility of seed by poor farmers (Development Fund, 2011)
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