P7: Agrobiodiversity and seed systems of indigenous root and tuber crops in Ethiopia: biological and social adaptive capacity of smallholders farming systems

Description

In the smallholder-based farming systems (SFS), agricultural biodiversity (agrobiodiversity) sustains hand in hand with seed exchange systems. The inter- and intra-specific diversity of crops in SFS is maintained through complex social networks of seed exchanges among farming communities. In this way, seed systems (formal or informal) serve as gateway to much of the crop diversity used in agricultural systems. On the other hand, the scales and strength of these social seed networks (SSN) and pathways are influenced by the extent and distribution of the agrobiodiversity available on farmers’ fields. This agrobiodiversity-seed systems nexus implies that the level of resilience to changes in SFS is a function of both biological (agrobiodiversity) and social (seed exchange systems) adaptive capacity. The biological and social processes often dynamically organize and structure themselves over temporal and special scales in SFS.

Developing knowledge about existing dynamic agrobiodiversity-seed system relationship and its contribution to resilience of farming systems is necessary to: (i) identify the socio-cultural processes and community practices that drive the maintenance and exchange of agrobiodiversity in SFS; and (ii) plan effective intervention to facilitate social seed exchanges networks and thereby promote community based complementary in situ and ex situ biodiversity conservation strategies.

To address these issues the study focuses on SFS of Ethiopia specifically considering indigenous root and tuber crops (iRTC). The Ethiopian SFS are appropriate study target for inquiries linked to agrobiodiversity-seed system nexus because they are one of the world’s centers of crop origin and diversity where farming communities follow de facto conservation of crop genetic resources for their livelihood needs with very limited external interventions. In addition, they are also well suited for seed system studies as agriculture in these farming systems is based on diversity of crop species and farmers’ varieties (landraces) for which up to 100 % seeds including vegetative planting materials are accessed informally. The iRTC are important elite fits for the study as they are originated in the farming system where they have been evolving dynamically over years with their seed/planting material system limited to informal exchange networks.

Involved persons

• Dr. Meseret Tessema
• Dr. Bizuayehu Tesfaye
• Postdoc Scholar Dr. Temesgen Magule Olango

Involved institutions

• School of Plant and Horticultural Sciences
• College of Agriculture
• Food Security Center (791)

Sponsors

Supported by the DAAD program Bilateral SDG Graduate Schools, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)