European agriculture faces some serious challenges from climate change, environmental degradation and rural social decline. In this context, maintaining the diversity of the natural resource base and the multi-functionality of agriculture keeps options open for...

This article analyses the consequences of regional legislation in Italy on protecting local and autochthonous varieties. In accordance with the objectives of the FAO treaty on plant genetic resources (ITPGRFA), these laws have...

European seed policies and legislation have contributed to fostering a system in which fewer varieties are traded in ever bigger markets in accordance with the law of economy of scale. Informal seed systems...

The Farm Seed Opportunities (FSO), a research project in the FP6 European Research Framework (2007-2009), was targeted to support the implementation of seed regulations on conservation varieties (directive 98/95/EC and new directives...

Over three decades, a number of international and national organizations have provided technical and financial support to community seed banks around the world. Only a few of these organizations have developed and published a practical guide about how...