Recognising the Value of Local Seeds

Across many parts of the world, farmers have created their own crop lineages over generations by saving, selecting, and exchanging seed locally. These traditional seed collections often hold high levels of genetic diversity, which in turn provides valuable traits such as resilience to climate variability, pests, and diseases. However, because they are not uniform in the way commercial seed varieties are, these locally adapted crops rarely fit into current formal seed certification systems. This limits their ability to be recognised, registered, and traded, preventing farmers from benefiting from the value of their own improved varieties.

At the same time, international agreements such as the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) emphasise the importance of protecting indigenous genetic resources and ensuring fair benefit-sharing with the communities that steward them. To make these policies actionable, practical tools are needed that can accurately distinguish and document local crop varieties at low cost and in low-resource environments.

The GenePrint project addresses this challenge by developing simple, rapid genetic fingerprinting methods that can be used directly in the field or in local laboratories. Focusing initially on local bean varieties in Zambia, the project combines scientific, legislative, and business expertise to test how these tools can support certification, small-scale seed enterprises, and equitable recognition of community-developed varieties. By bridging research, policy, and practice, GenePrint aims to help local farmers strengthen seed security, improve yields, and participate more fully in local seed markets.