Seeds of hope: community seed banks forge path to agricultural empowerment

In a transformative learning exchange, farmers, researchers, crop breeders, foresters and agricultural experts from five Southern African countries convened in Zimbabwe for the first GEF-7 Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program ( DSL-IP) regional learning event on community seed banks.  The event emerged as a beacon of hope for rural farmers struggling with seed access and agricultural sustainability.

DSL-IP Representatives from Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Namibia and Tanzania, converged in Mudzi from 24 to 28 March 2025, to learn more on how local communities are developing innovative solutions to transform seed production and distribution, through community seed banks (CSBs).

Zimbabwe’s community seed banks empower local communities to address their unique agricultural needs through a farmer driven approach to seed production and conservation. This approach offers a promising model for other African nations.

“The success of community seed banks in Mudzi is linked to the existence of strong farmer field schools (FFS) which serve as learning platforms for farmers to integrate the local knowledge into seed production. These have enabled the contracting of farmers to multiply seeds through the Participatory Variety Selection (PVS) and Participatory Variety Enhancement (PVE),” said Benjamin Mweri from the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), Nairobi Kenya. “Through the FFS approach breeders, universities, seed companies have formed partnership with farmers in the art of marketing, seed multiplication and production,” he added.

The exchange visit also revealed several key best practices for addressing seed access challenges in Southern Africa. Critical among these was the importance of local empowerment. “What I have learned here is that the effective seed policies must be developed with direct input from local communities through farmer field schools, ensuring they address genuine local needs and challenges,” said John Lobulu Loatha, a Senior Research Officer at the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute.

Another key takeaway was the power of collaborative thinking and local innovation.  The visit demonstrated what can be achieved when stakeholders come together, share knowledge, and commit to solving complex agricultural challenges.

“At Chimukoko seed bank we are engaging directly with different government departments, universities, civil society organisations, breeding institutes and drawing inspiration from the corporate sector,” said Juliet Antonio a member and treasurer of the seed bank. “This strategy demonstrates the potential for creating tailored, locally driven solutions that respond to specific community needs,” said Erikka Mokanya, the Project Management Unit's, Regional Implementation Officer, from the Okavango Sub-division landscape in Namibia.

The other best practice was the power of government support. The Chimukoko Community Seed Bank (CSB) was a perfect example of how the government of Zimbabwe through partnerships is actively involving farmers in climate smart seed breeding, storage and distribution.

Participants also shared profound insights into the interconnectedness of agricultural challenges. The discussions extended beyond simple seed distribution, delving into how seed production is linked to environmental conservation, economic sustainability, and community empowerment. One speaker emphasized the importance of strategies that not only provide seeds but also support regreening efforts and sustainable land management.

A representative from Namibia offered an inspiring perspective, framing challenges as learning opportunities rather than insurmountable obstacles. This approach encapsulated the workshop's spirit of collaborative problem-solving and continuous improvement. The message was clear: “failure is not an endpoint, but a stepping stone to innovation.”

The need for a holistic approach to seed production was underscored.  Nyuma Mercy Mughogho, National Project Coordinator for the Malawi DSL-IP Country Project highlighted that seed production cannot exist in isolation but must be integrated with broader environmental and economic strategies. “This means considering the entire ecosystem of agricultural production, from seed development to market access and environmental sustainability,” Nyuma said.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), lead agency of the DSL-IP, played a crucial role in the workshop, reaffirming its commitment to supporting local initiatives. Winfred Nalyongo, the DSL-IP Regional Coordinator for Southern Africa, emphasized the “strength of bringing together diverse stakeholders – including research institutions, practitioners, extension services, and farmers themselves – to develop comprehensive solutions.”

The discussions fostered a vision for sustainable agricultural transformation across the region, focusing on empowerment, collaboration, and local knowledge. The Community Seed Banks represent a model of what can be achieved when diverse stakeholders work together towards a common goal of agricultural resilience.

Next steps

The workshop identified several key action items for moving forward. Participating countries committed to expediting the development of community seed banks under the DSL-IP project, engaging with their local leadership to create local CSB frameworks, and promoting knowledge sharing across the region.

There was a strong call for an African-grown seed sector initiative aimed at serving local agricultural needs, reducing reliance on corporate seed industries. “The goal is to protect rural farmers from being at the mercy of corporate seed industries and instead build a system that truly serves local agricultural needs,” said Stephen Mwangi, from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

As the workshop concluded, there was a palpable sense of hope and possibility. The collective wisdom shared represented a powerful promise for rural farmers – a commitment to more responsive, sustainable, and empowering agricultural policies.

“By prioritizing local knowledge, sustainable practices, and collaborative policy development, the participants laid the groundwork for a more resilient and self-sufficient agricultural sector across the Southern Africa region,” said Winfred Nalyongo.