Farmers’ managed seed systems must be suited for industrial farming, food processing and markets

Today Peasant seeds are left to extinction mostly by the threat of industrial seeds, and are losing interest despite their potentials for exchangeability, sustainability, quality and nutritious and tasty food, medicinal and cultural values, resilience to climate change and fitting in the local agroecological environment. Though there is an astonishing distinction between peasant seeds and industrial seeds, farmers, consumers, state and nonstate actors do not share a harmonized conscience on the linkages between food production systems and quality seeds and on the danger of health risk from long term use of industrial, processed and fortified seeds.

The Law n°005/2016 of 05/04/2016 governing seeds and plant varieties in Rwanda open a wide window to the privatization of seeds with a large scope of the plant breeder’s right and dictate how seeds can be marketed, and intellectual property laws, which give monopoly rights to breeders. Before its too late for SHF to regain their sovereignty over seeds, this alert note is timely to launch the debate and draw attention of all stakeholders, policy makers in a prospect of integrating of peasant seeds in the national policy framework, strategies and programs. In deeds, the seed industry must enhance the farmers’ managed seed systems to be suited for industrial farming, food processing, food markets, instead of supporting monopoly of multinational seed companies.

For this to happen, Farmers and their associations should be empowered for effective influence and participation in decision-making in relation to peasant seeds recognition, productivity, certification, germoplasm, management and control. Beyond the loss of cultural seeds value, farmers’ business (loss of sovereignty) and the public health risk are at stakes.