Oxfam’s Experiences with Supporting Community Seed Banks to Enhance Local Seed Security

Community Seed Banks in Nepal: Past, Present, Future, 2012, Oxfam, Nepal, Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal, Corresponding email: skhadka@oxfam.org.uk

Availability and use of quality seeds can play an important role in increasing agricultural production and productivity thereby contributing to improved food security. However, poor availability and access of bountiful quality seeds is a key constraint to agricultural productivity, especially for farmers who are residing in remote areas of Nepal. Traditionally, farmers in remote areas retain seed from each harvest thus maintaining local genetic materials while reducing the need to buy seeds every season. But this practice also hampers the introduction and use of new varieties and can result in a decline of seed quality in many areas following a poor harvest. Moreover, lack of improvements in seed storage at the farmers’ level accounts for considerable storage losses (up to 20%). Considering this as a pertinent issue, since 2009, Oxfam and its partners imbedded the community seed bank (CSB) approach in Oxfam’s Sustainable Livelihood and Food Security (SLFS) programme to provide a community managed ‘social safety net’ for seeds.