Celebrating Smallholder Farmers and Seed Diversity in South Africa: Report from the National Seed Dialogue and Celebration

On 8-9 December 2017, the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) hosted a national seed dialogue and celebration. The purpose of the event was to celebrate the role of smallholder farmers in maintaining and nurturing seed and life in South Africa and regionally, as well as to facilitate discussion on different aspects of seed systems in South Africa. It included dialogues interspersed with drama and music, and displays and sharing of seed and literature. Participants included farmer and civil society organisation (CSO) representatives from 8 provinces, government and public sector, as well as a few farmers and practitioners from the region and internationally. Dialogues were held on the political context; seed laws and policies and proposed amendments; seed, knowledge and culture; seed banks and seed saving; smallholder farmers and crop improvement; seed management at the national gene bank; and smallholder farmers in seed multiplication and quality control (see Annex 2: event programme).This report provides a record of the proceedings.