Cultivating Knowledge Genetic Diversity, Farmer Experimentation and Crop Research

About this book

The international debate on biodiversity has resulted in renewed interest in role of farmers and local communities in the management of natural resources and crop genetic diversity. In recent years it has become apparent that local crop diversity in the South is threatened by the promotion of modern varieties promising higher yields. This book reflects new approaches and concepts in the field of conservation and the development of local crops.

Contents

Part 1 Understanding Farmers Knowledge: Local knowledge and scientific knowledge; Developing a dialogue; Implications of farmer and household strategies on organization of a development project; Selection strategies of rice farmers in Sierra Leone; Farmer experimentation and change in farm ecology in Krobo district Ghana; Farmer experimentation and cosmovision paradigm. Part 2 Developing Local Groups: Linking farmers and plant breeders in local crop development; the science of plant breeding - support or alternative to traditional practices; Linking genetic resources conversion to farmers in Ethiopia; Strengthening the informal seed system in communal areas of Zimbabwe; Small-scale farmers and sorghum genetic resources in Zimbabwe. Part 3 Building Linkages: Mobilizing local expertise in plant genetic resources research; Seed fairs in the Andes - a strategy for conservation of local plant genetic resources; A study of farmer criteria of non-rice food crops in Indonesia; Participatory approaches to management of local resources in South India; Linking local knowledge and agricultural research - the role of NGOs; The conservation and utilization of food and medicinal plants in Botswana; The consequences of interventions on local agricultural development in South Africa. Part 4 Challenging Policy: Revalidating womens knowledge on indigenous vegetables - implications for policy; Rediscovering local varieties of maize - challenging national policy in Brazil. Exploiting local knowledge - international policy implications.

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