Local Breeders' Super Varieties

Farmers derive their livelihood from seedlings. Sadly, they are losing control over that domain. In 2007 the Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration indicated that in less than three decades, international companies would gain control over the seedling distribution across the world. This has been the case in Indonesia.

The best way to counter that trend is to encourage farmers to produce their own seedling varieties, including through the breeding of plants. In Indonesia, local initiatives have arisen, though they are still limited. According to Dwi Andreas Santosa, chair of the Indonesian Farmers' Seedling Banks Association, so far breeder farmers have remained concentrated in Java, where facilities are higher quality. But the crop bred is generally only paddy. "It's because paddy is the staple food of the Javanese," Dwi said.

November 11, 2014