Vitality Brought by Seeds: Participatory Plant Breeding

Author: (Dutch) Vernooy R.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features: Contemporary agriculture resembles a huge inverted pyramid, built on a narrow and unstable foundation from a global perspective. Among the approximately 250,000 crop species, less than 3% are cultivated and utilized by human society. In the top-down agricultural research system, farmers are merely seen as recipients of research rather than participants, leading to a situation where research is limited to a relatively small number of plant varieties. This trend, combined with the increasing industrialization of agriculture, is a major factor in "genetic erosion." To protect diversity, improve crops, and produce high-quality food for all humanity, a new approach to agricultural research and development is needed. This book explores one such approach: participatory plant breeding. By describing a decade of agricultural biodiversity research conducted by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Canada, the book delves into key issues such as field research design and the rights of farmers and breeders. It highlights the necessity of formulating new, constructive policies and regulations. It showcases detailed project implementations to illustrate how farmers and breeders collaborate in remote regions, from the Andes to the Himalayas. By analyzing both successful and unsuccessful outcomes, the author provides specific recommendations for governments and organizations involved in participatory agricultural research and development. Finally, the author offers speculative prospects for participatory plant breeding in the next decade. The book covers the following topics: Challenges; Solutions; Field Research; Lessons Learned; Recommendations; and Future Outlook.