Community perspectives in Managing Crop Biodiversity

1. Community perspectives in Managing Crop Biodiversity • Pablo B. Eyzaguirre, Senior Scientist, Anthropology & Socioeconomics, IPGRI • Bhuwon Sthapit, Scientist, In Situ Crop Conservation • Rachael Wamae, Kyanika Adult Women Group • Yasuyuki Morimoto, Associate Scientist, Ethnobotany

2. Mosaic landscapes • Good practices for strengthening community-based PGR management • Selected participatory approaches and methods • Community sensitization • Diversity fair, diversity block, diversity kits • Community biodiversity register

3. Visions of Landscape Definitions that recognize the ideologies of people who share a particular place as fundamental drivers of transformations of bio-physical components within and across environments: • an area as it is perceived by people (IUCN) • a transformation of social ideology into physical form (Pearson) • Material objects, social creations, and mental representations (La Tour, from Pearson)

4. Mosaic landscapes Variations in land use and deployment of agricultural biodiversity characterize culturally maintained landscapes. Ex. Andean landscape mosaics (Terrazas and Valdivia 1998)

5. Seed networks in Nepal Farmers network analysis in Kachorwa ecosite Subedi et al., 2003

6. Community sensitization Foundation elements for community awareness: • Village workshop • Social and resource mapping • Rural diversity drama • Rural poetry journey • Folk song competition • Traditional food fair • Diversity fair

7. Diversity Diversity fair fair ..community based competitive event to display local crop diversity • locating diversity and recognizing custodians • enhance exchange of materials and knowledge • rapid assessment of varietal diversity • sensitize community • enhance farmer participation • collection of germplasm

8. Diversity blocks non-replicated blocks (by ecological domain) under farmer’s management • characterization and evaluation of • farmer’s varieties and preferred traits • assessment of consistency of farmer’s descriptor in naming and describing farmer-named cultivar • selection for parent • seed multiplication for diversity kits • community sensitization

9. Diversity Kits a set of small quantity of seeds for informal research and development • encourage farmers to search, select and maintain preferred local genetic resources • deployment diversity for managing pests and diseases stresses • strengthening seed networks for improved gene flow • enhance farmer participation

10. Community Biodiversity Register • a register (farmer information database) maintained by community based organizations for keeping inventory and monitoring local crop diversity for the community benefits and needs

11. Community Biodiversity Register Difference in approach?: • recognition that community controls information, materials and decision making process • strengthen local capacity for conservation and utilization decisions • decentralization of farmer information database at community level • local commitment and a sense of ownership • address the needs of rural livelihoods and income • code of conduct for access to and benefit sharing

12. Community Biodiversity Register Objectives: documentationmonitoring marketing exchange biopiracy ownership

13. What data should be in CBR? • Passport data • Numbers of farmer-named cultivars at HH or village level • Area of each cultivar and source of seed initially • Reasons for cultivating each cultivar (value-public and private) and custodians • Name of custodians for unique, rare and economically valuable cultivars, digital picture of distinguishing traits, photo of custodian, audio interview

14. Indicators for monitoring genetic diversity in situ • Numbers of farmer-named cultivars or farmer unit of diversity at HH or village level • Monitor changes in number and area of common and rare and unique cultivars

15. Community Biodiversity Register Monitoring of changes in population size (area, HH number) of crops or farmer’s variety over time

16. Challenges: Benefits to farmers • a sense of social responsibility amongst community members • promote exchange of materials and knowledge • income generation by promoting marketing of unique and economically valuable genetic resources • monitoring genetic erosion at local level and make conservation decisions • develop options for adding benefits and setting breeding goals • awareness on risk of biopiracy and protectfarmers’ rights

17. Steps for implementing farmer information database, CBR Analysis and sharing of information and link with R&D Recording of CBR for understanding diversity Agreement on roles and responsibilities and code of conduct for sharing information and benefits Steps/ Process Setting objectives of CBR with community Training for CBR documentation Diversity fair for locating diversity and custodians Sharing ideas with community and grassroots institutions

18. National Formal Breeding Genebank Household seed store Strengthening local capacity for management of local crop diversity for rural livelihoods and income Options Community bio-diversity register • PVS • PPB Diversity fair/ block* Farmer’s seed supply system Community-based PGR management (Source: Sthapit and Jarvis, 1999)

19. Local knowledge documentation and exchange to preserve the varieties of the bottle gourd (Kitete) in Kenya

20. Plastics are spoiling our environment We have need containers, food, money Old people are not passing knowledge to the young people sufficiently Why is it important to conserve bottle gourd diversity in Kitui?

21. The many uses of bottle gourds For music Seed container Bowls Chick’s house Cloth box Milk container

22. Kitete is food Mongu types are edible Young leaves are edible

23. How did we document and keep information? • Writing on note books, tape recording, video taking, taking photos • Community resource center • Group participation • Group Demonstration field Training by experts Tape recording Group work

24. How we benefited as a community Kitete museum and resource centre Money from sales Kyanika in Internet Visitors

25. Using kitete experience to conserve cowpea varieties Kyanika Group has collected over 20 cowpea varieties from all over the district • Cowpea is both a leafy vegetable crop and a pulse (seed) • It is the most important vegetable in Kitui and very nutritious • There are many types; creeping, erect, early or late maturing, some good for seed and other good for vegetable.

26. Thank you Welcome to Kyanika Kitui, Kenya Kitete song