Keeping seeds alive: traditional leadwood ash seed preservation in Botswana

Across Botswana’s dryland farming communities, traditional ecological knowledge continues to shape how families safeguard their livelihoods. In this context, the practice of preserving seeds using Leadwood (motswiri) ash has supported households for generations ensuring farmers maintain access to viable, pest-free seeds from one season to the next. As climate change intensifies and land degradation pressures increase, this indigenous technique remains a simple, effective, and locally grounded solution.

During a recent community documentation exercise, Ms Mothibi, a seasoned farmer and respected knowledge holder in the Mosetse Village, explained how she uses Leadwood ash to protect her sorghum, cowpeas, millet, and indigenous vegetable seeds, highlighting not only the practical value of the method but also the cultural significance it carries for rural households.

This practice also contributes to achieving broader Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) goals by supporting increasing soil productivity, protecting local biodiversity, promoting sustainable farming cycles, and encouraging communities to replant Leadwood trees to ensure the practice continues without threatening the species.

Understanding the challenge

Many farmers in the Miombo-Mopane region struggle with:

• High rates of pest damage during seed storage;
• Dependence on costly commercial seeds;
• Loss of traditional seed handling practices; and
• Limited youth participation in indigenous knowledge systems.

In communities like Ms Mothibi’s, pests can damage nearly half of stored seeds, forcing families to buy replacements that may not be suited to local soils. At the same time, much of the ecological wisdom held by the elders in the communities’ risk being lost as younger generations migrate to urban areas or aren’t interested in farming / using indigenous pest control measures. 

Learning from Ms Mothibi

Ms Mothibi explained how her grandmother taught her to use Leadwood ash. She scooped a handful of the fine ash and allowed it to run between her fingers. “This protects our seeds,” she said. “It keeps them safe until the rains come.”

She walked us through the steps:

1. Collecting firewood from fallen and dried leadwood trees;
2. Burning the wood until it becomes ash;
3. Letting the ash cool down and sieving it until fine;
4. Drying and cleaning the seeds thoroughly;
5. Mixing the ash with the seeds until fully covered; and 
6. Storing the seeds in dry sealable containers  

Leadwood ash works because it is alkaline, moisture-absorbing and naturally repels pests. The method is low-cost, chemical-free and ideal for communities with limited access to commercial and more often costly seed treatments.

Why this practice matters

Farmers who use the Leadwood ash method report:

• Better seed survival and improved germination; 
• Reduced household spending on seeds and chemicals;
• Availability of drought-tolerant local varieties;
• Strengthened household food security; and
• Reinforcement of cultural identity.

Women, youth, and knowledge transfer

When asked who usually performs the seed preservation work, Ms Mothibi emphasised the role of women: “Women are the ones who store the seeds. We know which ones survive and which ones don’t.”

Yet she also expressed concern about declining youth involvement. She hopes that by demonstrating and documenting the practice, young farmers who are part of her Farmer Field School (FFS) in the Mosetse community will carry the knowledge forward. “If the youth don’t learn, this knowledge will disappear,” she said. “But if they learn, our seeds will never die. We need to preserve this knowledge because it is part of who we are”.

Author:  Mpho Tapela, Knowledge Management and Communication Officer, Botswana Sustainable Miombo-Mopane Landscape Management Project