Traditional seeds are an important tool for strengthening the resilience of farming families in the face of climate change. And they offer food sovereignty and security at lower cost. However, the range of seed varieties is shrinking all the time. This is due to market domination by agro-industrial groups and regulations in their favor. Farmers can no longer freely plant, exchange and sell the seeds they have multiplied on their own farms. In its projects, SWISSAID promotes local seeds and encourages farmers to preserve, conserve and exchange their seeds. At the same time, it fights to ensure that seed regulations are more respectful of farmers’ rights, and opposes the privatization of seeds, both in developing countries and in Switzerland.
60%
of the global seed market is held by 4 multinationals: Bayer, Syngenta, Corteva and BASF.
75%
of seed varieties have disappeared over the last century. Of the 6,500 plant species cultivated throughout history, only 170 varieties are now grown on a large scale.
3
varieties – wheat, rice and corn – provide 40% of the world’s daily calorie intake!
Below, we explain how we are committed to preserving traditional seeds, both in the North and the South. A flagship project in Colombia provides an overview of our work in the field for populations in need. An article on our expertise in the field of seeds presents the philosophy behind our work and our knowledge of the subject. Finally, each theme has its own expert, interviewed below.
