Community seedbanks in Europe: their role between ex situ and on-farm conservation

This article enlightens the role of community seedbanks (CSBs) in Europe within the plant genetic resources for food and agriculture community and their role in the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity in complementarity with the ex situ management system. For more than 40 years, CS...

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Main Authors: Riccardo Bocci, Béla Bartha, Helene Maierhofer, Michaela Arndorfer, Michele Salvan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bioversity International 2025-04-01
Series:Genetic Resources
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.genresj.org/index.php/grj/article/view/252
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author Riccardo Bocci
Béla Bartha
Helene Maierhofer
Michaela Arndorfer
Michele Salvan
author_facet Riccardo Bocci
Béla Bartha
Helene Maierhofer
Michaela Arndorfer
Michele Salvan
author_sort Riccardo Bocci
collection DOAJ
description This article enlightens the role of community seedbanks (CSBs) in Europe within the plant genetic resources for food and agriculture community and their role in the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity in complementarity with the ex situ management system. For more than 40 years, CSBs around the world have emerged as part of the so-called informal seed system to counteract the loss of locally adapted varieties through the development of collective seed systems. Most of the studies and articles refer to experiences from the Global South, whereas a comprehensive analysis of the impact and role of CSBs on seed systems in industrialized countries is still missing. This paper provides three case studies describing the community seed banking experience of different European organizations: Pro Specie Rara (Switzerland), Arche Noah (Austria) and Rete Semi Rurali (Italy). These organizations exemplify the diversity among European CSBs and their efforts to engage with genebanks and the formal seed system.
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issn 2708-3764
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publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Bioversity International
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series Genetic Resources
spelling doaj-art-7be9b3dfde214ec7987f8d7f06ac0f602025-08-20T03:05:45ZengBioversity InternationalGenetic Resources2708-37642025-04-01S210.46265/genresj.OHNK3179Community seedbanks in Europe: their role between ex situ and on-farm conservationRiccardo Bocci0Béla Bartha1Helene Maierhofer2Michaela Arndorfer3Michele Salvan4Rete Semi Rurali ETS, Scandicci, ItalyPro Specie Rara, Wildegg (AG), SwitzerlandArche Noah, Seed Savers Association in Central Europe, Schiltern, AustriaArche Noah, Seed Savers Association in Central Europe, Schiltern, AustriaRete Semi Rurali ETS, Scandicci, Italy This article enlightens the role of community seedbanks (CSBs) in Europe within the plant genetic resources for food and agriculture community and their role in the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity in complementarity with the ex situ management system. For more than 40 years, CSBs around the world have emerged as part of the so-called informal seed system to counteract the loss of locally adapted varieties through the development of collective seed systems. Most of the studies and articles refer to experiences from the Global South, whereas a comprehensive analysis of the impact and role of CSBs on seed systems in industrialized countries is still missing. This paper provides three case studies describing the community seed banking experience of different European organizations: Pro Specie Rara (Switzerland), Arche Noah (Austria) and Rete Semi Rurali (Italy). These organizations exemplify the diversity among European CSBs and their efforts to engage with genebanks and the formal seed system. https://www.genresj.org/index.php/grj/article/view/252community seedbanksagrobiodiversityparticipatory plant breedingon-farm conservationseed networks
spellingShingle Riccardo Bocci
Béla Bartha
Helene Maierhofer
Michaela Arndorfer
Michele Salvan
Community seedbanks in Europe: their role between ex situ and on-farm conservation
Genetic Resources
community seedbanks
agrobiodiversity
participatory plant breeding
on-farm conservation
seed networks
title Community seedbanks in Europe: their role between ex situ and on-farm conservation
title_full Community seedbanks in Europe: their role between ex situ and on-farm conservation
title_fullStr Community seedbanks in Europe: their role between ex situ and on-farm conservation
title_full_unstemmed Community seedbanks in Europe: their role between ex situ and on-farm conservation
title_short Community seedbanks in Europe: their role between ex situ and on-farm conservation
title_sort community seedbanks in europe their role between ex situ and on farm conservation
topic community seedbanks
agrobiodiversity
participatory plant breeding
on-farm conservation
seed networks
url https://www.genresj.org/index.php/grj/article/view/252
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