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Farmer seed networks make a limited contribution to agriculture? Four common misconceptions

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Title Farmer seed networks make a limited contribution to agriculture? Four common misconceptions
 
Creator Coomes, O.T.
McGuire, S.J.
Garine, E.
Caillon, S.
McKey, D.
Demeulenaere, E.
Jarvis, D.
Aistara, G.
Barnaud, Adéline
Clouvel, P.
Emperaire, L.
Louafi, S.
Martin, P.
Massol, F.
Pautasso, M.
Violon, C.
Wencelius, J.
 
Subject seed
supply
networks
farmers
policies
social participation
 
Description The importance of seed provisioning in food security and nutrition, agricultural development and rural livelihoods, and agrobiodiversity and germplasm conservation is well accepted by policy makers, practitioners and researchers. The role of farmer seed networks is less well understood and yet is central to debates on current issues ranging from seed sovereignty and rights for farmers to GMOs and the conservation of crop germplasm. In this paper we identify four common misconceptions regarding the nature and importance of farmer seed networks today. (1) Farmer seed networks are inefficient for seed dissemination. (2) Farmer seed networks are closed, conservative systems. (3) Farmer seed networks provide ready, egalitarian access to seed. (4) Farmer seed networks are destined to weaken and disappear. We challenge these misconceptions by drawing upon recent research findings and the authors’ collective field experience in studying farmer seed systems in Africa, Europe, Latin America and Oceania. Priorities for future research are suggested that would advance our understanding of seed networks and better inform agricultural and food policy.
 
Date 2015-10
2015-08-24T13:27:14Z
2015-08-24T13:27:14Z
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Coomes, O.T.; McGuire, S.J.; Garine, E.; Caillon, S.; McKey, D.; Demeulenaere, E., Jarvis, D.; Aistara, G.; Barnaud, A.; Clouvel, P.; Emperaire, L.; Louafi, S.; Martin, P.; Massol, F.; Pautasso, M.; Violon, C.; Wencelius, J. (2015) Farmer seed networks make a limited contribution to agriculture? Four common misconceptions. Food Policy 56 p. 41-50 ISSN: 0306-9192
0306-9192
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/68005
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030691921500086X
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2015.07.008
 
Language en
 
Rights CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0
Open Access
 
Format p. 41-50
application/pdf
 
Publisher Elsevier
 
Source Food Policy