FINDING AND PLANTING LOCALLY ADAPTED SEEDS

FINDING AND PLANTING LOCALLY ADAPTED SEEDS

In an ideal world, our farmers would plant only locally adapted seeds—the ones that have evolved and thrived in our specific soils, climates, and micro-ecosystems. These are the seeds that have learned, through time, how to live in harmony with the rain, the wind, and the sun of their own homeland.

But in the real world, our farmers are often forced to plant whatever seeds are available—many of which come from foreign suppliers or hybrid systems that demand expensive fertilizers and chemicals. They know, deep inside, that these “imported” seeds may not give the yields they hope for, but what choice do they have when local seeds are hard to find, or when they’re told that the foreign varieties are “superior”?

The Real Problem: Information and Influence

As I see it, the root of this issue is not just about supply and cost—it’s about information and influence.
 If our farmers truly knew that locally adapted seeds could perform better under their natural conditions—without the heavy dependence on imported inputs—they might never have abandoned them in the first place.

Sadly, many have been, for lack of a better term, “seed-brainwashed.” Over decades, commercial marketing and institutional policies have convinced them that imported hybrid seeds are the only way to achieve higher yields. In the process, traditional seed varieties—our heirloom rice, native corn, and local vegetables—were sidelined, and with them, much of our biodiversity and food sovereignty.

Isn’t it time to ask: What does it take to help our farmers break free from these foreign influences?

Seed Sovereignty is Food Independence

Around the world, the movement for seed sovereignty is gaining strength. The idea is simple but powerful: communities should control their own seeds, save them, share them, and replant them.

In the Philippines, organizations such as MASIPAG (Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura) and Global Seed Savers Philippines have been doing excellent work in helping farmers reclaim this right. They promote the saving and sharing of locally adapted and heirloom seeds—a quiet revolution in the name of resilience.

It’s not just about nostalgia for old varieties. Locally adapted seeds are often more resistant to pests, diseases, and extreme weather, because they’ve co-evolved with local conditions for generations. In a time of climate change, that makes them our first line of defense against hunger.

Where to Find Local Seeds Today

Fortunately, several initiatives are now helping bring these seeds back to our communities:

  • The “Sow, Grow, Share” Seed Library Initiative of the Ilocos Norte Agricultural College (INAC) and Energy Development Corporation (EDC) have built a community-based seed library that promotes biodiversity and food security.

  • The Department of Agriculture (DA), through Administrative Order No. 09, Series of 2021, is encouraging the local production of hybrid rice seeds to enhance climate resilience.

  • Allied Botanical Corporation, a Filipino company, distributes regionally adapted vegetable seeds nationwide.

  • And many LGUs, barangay agriculture offices, and state universities—like UP Los Baños and Visayas State University—run small seed banks or trial plots for native crops.

These are positive developments, but we need to go further. Every barangay should have its own community seed bank, supported by cooperatives and linked through an inter-barangay exchange network.

A Barangay-Level Model for Seed Sovereignty

Here’s a simple framework that can work anywhere:

  1. Seed Mapping: Identify which traditional seeds used to grow well in your locality. Talk to elders, farmers, and local cooks.

  2. Seed Trials: Plant small batches in different microclimates—near rivers, uplands, shaded areas—to see which ones thrive best.

  3. Seed Bank: Build a modest storage area using low-cost climate control to keep seeds viable for the next season.

  4. Education and Training: Conduct workshops on seed saving, drying, and proper labeling.

  5. Legal Protection: Explore how to protect indigenous seed names and varieties under intellectual property frameworks.

Technology Can Help Too

Digital tools could play a big role in connecting local seed networks. A national seed registry website could list available local varieties, locations of seed banks, and farmer testimonials. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) could easily host such a platform, integrating it into the national e-agriculture strategy.

Imagine a simple web-based app that lets a farmer in Nueva Ecija find locally adapted mung bean seeds from Ilocos, or a barangay in Samar exchange heirloom rice with a cooperative in Bukidnon. That’s technology serving sustainability—not replacing it.

Our Way Back to Food Independence

The path to food independence starts with the seed. If we continue to depend on imported or genetically modified seeds, we will always be tied to foreign supply chains and input systems. But if we rebuild our local seed diversity, we reclaim not just our food security, but also our cultural identity and economic freedom.

It is not too late. We still have farmers who remember the taste and resilience of native crops. We still have NGOs, scientists, and cooperatives working quietly in the background. What we need now is policy support, local action, and national pride.

Because every time a Filipino farmer plants a locally adapted seed, he is not just growing food—he is growing freedom.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com

02-18-2026

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