Due to climate change, the period of drought is increasing. In Nepal, the farming type is still primitive type and the history of modern agriculture is not very long. Population is increasing. In case of Nepal, only 17 percentage of the total land is cultivable and rainfall is highly variable. Access to irrigation is poor. Soils are of low fertility, hindered by rocks and a stone in hilly region which occupies major portion of the total area (42%).There is a strong link between sustainable food production and seed accessibility, especially in case of climate change due to which rainfall amount is decreasing. Actually, community seed banks must be based on groups of people, in a community. Each member contributes to the bank with deposits of seed of each variety they grow. At planting season, members withdraw part of their own deposit and the reminder is used by the group for income generation. So the establishment of seed bank generates income in the community. Thus generated income can be invested for development of other sectors in community. All seed should be checked for quality. Training needs for groups waiting to run seed banks includes leadership skills and group development. Training should also cover technical aspects of seed production and storage.
The seed banks enable community members to gain access to seeds at the right time enhancing food security. The establishment of seed bank can conserve the primitive varieties of crops that are tolerant to variable climate pattern and awareness on seed security arises.
Additional benefits include income generation through the seed bank and the income can be invested for the development of other infrastructures in the community. For the establishment of seed bank training should be conducted which include.
Selection of most suitable varieties of seed for banking.
Seed crop husbandry to enable farmers to provide sufficient seeds for their community: planting, soil fertility, pests, diseases, and weeds.
Seed harvesting and processing.
Post harvest management of seed.
Implementation
Formed by groups of peoples in a community.
Each member should deposit two portions of each variety of crops they grow, one portion for their own use, one for group. The group can use its portion for income generation.
The group seeks other seeds from local seed keepers to conserve local seed diversity.
Seed for storage should be of top quality, clean, dry pest and mould free.
Records are kept of varieties.
Reasons for establishment of community seed bank for ensuring food security
Nepal is rich in agricultural biodiversity. . There are 200 cultivated species,
500 wild edible plants and 120 cultivated plants species reported in Nepal (Upadhyay and Joshi, 2003).Tauli, Marsi and Thapachinia the popular rice varieties of Kathmandu valley are no longer available(Upadhyay,1995).Due to adverse climatic condition ,these varieties are reported to be disappeared. In other words this can be called genetic erosion. Thus climate change is causing genetic erosion. Similarly now a days the cultivation of crops like sorghum and finger millet is decreased drastically. Sorghum and millet can withstand adverse climatic condition than other crops. The germplasm of these crops should be conserved because if the effects of climate change and global warming continues to be seen in the farming field, there is not certain that all peoples can get rice in order to kill their food hunger. In that case the alternatives of staple food should be searched and crops like triticale, sorghum, millet can be best alternative for ensuring food security. Today many peoples in different districts of Nepal face food starvation all round the year. The main reason for that the growing interest of people on rice as staple food. Thus in this case the alternatives of rice, which can not be grown in adverse climatic condition i.e. in hilly areas, the seeds of sorghum, millet can be cultivated so that Government must not depend upon others nations for feeding up own citizens. For cultivation of these crops, their seeds should be conserved as the cultivation of these crops is drastically decreased by last 5 years.
References:
.Upadhyaya MP. 1995. Food crop genetic resources.
In: Plant genetic resources: Nepalese
Perspective (MP Upadhyay, HK Saiju, BK
Baniya and MS Bista, eds). Proceedings of
National Workshop, 28 Nov-1 Dec, 1994.
NARC, IPGRI. Pp. 35-41.
Upadhyay, MP and BK Joshi. 2003. Plant Genetic
Resources in SAARC countries: Their
conservation and management. Nepal chapter.
SAARC Agriculture Information Center. Pp.
297-422.
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