SAVING WHAT SEED IS LEFT

Kay Baxter

1) Saving what seed is left

Individual family level

• do not bring in overseas seed, emphasis on important food plants
  • learn from elderly gardeners – Maori, Pakeha & other ethnic groups
  • training others – schools, preschools and secondary
  • seeds multipliers
  • local A.M.P shows
  • open our gardens
  • mentor children
  • write articles for local papers
  • join or visit garden clubs
  • sell it

Regional

• actively going out and observing gardens
• ride on energy of media and national coverage
• effective ways of recording stories
• effective ways of keeping seeds alive
• paid staff/voluntary
• workshops, education seeds, trees
• media coverage
• sell it (create employment)

National

• articles in magazines, papers & T.V
• write books
• educate people about the value of heirloom seeds
• follow leads
• go actively looking
• effective documentation
• acquire resources to do adequate job of multiplying seed
• research – growing, processing, storage, documentation
• investment
• input in government policy
• workshops

2) Commercial seed grown organically

• Choosing/trailing some of the heirloom seeds for commercial growers
• How much seed do we need to grow?
• Richard Cook (water) – facility for seed testing, treating land
• Pam Atkinson
• Kay Baxter – Kaitaki
• Colin Walker – management consultant, research trialling, market research
• Peter Alexander – National Association, trialling with growers
• National Web Site – education

3) Getting the seed out there

• Home gardens
• Regional Seed Saving/ swapping/stalls
• Regional seed businesses
• National Seed Saving organisations
• National businesses
• Investment in – Research, breeding, models for processing, models for storage, education & training.

The biggest challenge is to bring all of this into business

Koanga took up the challenge of becoming a business because it seemed like the safest and most effective way of saving and getting back out into the gardens. Here live the seeds, the spirit of this wonderful path.

We have been wildly successful – 3500 members and have saved 300 N.Z heirloom vegetables and 300 Northland Heirloom fruit trees. Sold 100,000 packets of Heirloom seeds and given away 30,000 preservation packs.

We employ 9 local people, with a local C.S.A happening local green market 30 stalls organic and working with the local Maori community.

We have achieved this largely without funding and with hard work, personal investment and ethical vision.

Personal cost is too high because of lack of support from the government to become an eco-nation. Therefore we must become mainstream, create employment, investment, must be inclusive, and have positive solutions, not looking at the problems, with the support of government.

4) Key Issues

1. How to save what seed is left.
2. How to get seed out there on a commercial basis – to mainstream.
3. Loss of biodiversity.
4. Differentiation between hybrid and non- hybrid seeds.
5. Preserving and saving existing varieties (heirloom).
6. Breeding and trialing for organic growers.
7. Demand for seed.
8. Coordination.
9. Stable effective organisations that create businesses around saving seeds.
10. No producers of organic seed – What seeds are needed?.
11. Investment.
12. Resourcing work that needs to be done.
13. Moving from home level to a regional level.
14. Genetic Engineering.
15. Education.
16. What is an organic seed?  

Solutions/Actions Who

Seed saving / Growers, gardeners

• Boycott seed merchants, buy non hybrid seed
• Genetic Engineering Royal commission - ANZFA
• Submissions to government government

Hybid v non-hybrid / Certifiers, seed companies

• Certified organic growers to use non-hybrid seeds and seed exchange
• Consumer pressure

Bio diversity / Seed exchange, Koanga community

• List of existing varieties gardens, national seed bank
• Seed banks
• Establish networks

Supply of organic seed (purity) / Growers, industry

• Seed communities
• Seed exchange
• Breeding trials

Education/Information transfer / Industry, Seed exchange

• Extension courses and training Koanga community gardens
• Public awareness of importance & Seed saving network

desirability of non hybrid seed Seed exchange, Koanga

• Public campaign

Breeding/trialling for organic growers / Bio-gro

• Bring in overseas varieties to trial in N.Z

Saving what seed is left

• Seed banks
• Education

Seed security – G.E / Biodiversity

• Trials
  • Boycott seed merchants
  • Stable effective organisation
• Consumer pressure

Education

• Various individual/regional levels
• Communities
• Public awareness
• Media
• Local community action
• Training

Investment/employment resources

• Develop seed businesses
• Stable, organisations effective
• Access funds
• Lobby M.Ps and businesses
• Encourage participation by focus on benefits

Co-ordination

• Working together at individual and community levels
• Link networks

5) What Can Regions Do?

1. Actively go out and look.
2. Connect with Tangata Whenua.
3. Keys to finding materials.
4. Effective ways of keeping seeds & stories alive.
5. Education/workshops.
6. Voluntary work – need to be able to pay people.
7. Regional commissioners WINZ.
8. Seed saving organisations.
9. Create employment.
10. New attitudes.

At a National Level

1. Advocacy (National Advocate for seeds).
2. Writing books.
3. Education about value.
4. Documentation.
5. Access funding, resources.
6. Research (big gap).
7. Investment and commitment.
8. Workshops.
9. Input- government policy
10. Coordination.

What Can Individuals Do?

1. Talk to elderly gardeners.
2. Education – visit schools, pre schools.
3. Seeds multiplers for seed banks.
4. Start showing (A&P show).
5. Open out gardens.
6. Mentor children/friends.
7. Lessons based on seeds.
8. Seeds as toys.
9. Resource kits.
10. Seeds as gifts.
11. Schools gardening programs.
12. Fundraising – propagating tomatoes.
13. Apprenticeships/research projects
14. Writing books for children.
15. Connections with M.Ps.

6) Strategies

1. Consumer pressure
2. Education
3. Link networks/coordination
4. Use the media
5. Establish seed saving businesses to get seeds into the public
6. Bulk seeds need to be available – seed saving (heritage), commercial (seed lines)
7. A framework for biodiversity.

www.koanga.org.nz