Regmaíz Community Seed Fund
Donation protected
Help back the installation of a community seed fund in the community of Coyuca de Benítez, Guerrero, Mexico and support the local campesino families to continue their traditional milpa agriculture.
Southern Mexico is known to be a center of origin and diversity of maize, where indigenous people have been stewarding this sacred crop for thousands of years.
(Turn on English subtitles)
In the state of Guerrero, specifically in Coyuca de Benítez, community seed funds arise through concerns about the displacement and disappearance of some landrace/native maize varieties in campesino communities. These concerns have to do with the appearance of hybrid or 'improved' maize varieties, and in the worst case, with the introduction of GMO maize by some public and private institutions, as well as the signing and entry of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Network of Campesino Guardians of Native Maize (Regmaíz) of Costa Grande, Guerrero germinates as an alternative to the agro-industrial model, for the defense of native and landrace seeds, for the strengthening of campesino family agriculture and for the eradication of agricultural chemicals.
In 2009, a handful of twenty campesinos from the communities of Coyuca de Benítez and Acapulco de Juárez decided to organize themselves to protect, conserve and improve their native maize grown under the milpa system. Committed to rescuing their seeds through a process of observation and generation of knowledge, they have been able to bring about a better selection and adaptation of their seeds to local conditions.
The main objective of the community seed fund is to conserve and defend the landrace/native seed genetic diversity of campesinos and shareholders of common land in Coyuca de Benítez and other regions of the state of Guerrero. In addition they work to rescue the traditional knowledge of their ancestors, which motivates the rescue of varieties or colors that have been lost in the last 40 years.
This traditional way of making use of genetic reservoirs is not based on banking or monetary logic, therefore, a price cannot be set, since it is a sacred patrimonial inheritance, which increases family heritage and promotes the generational passing of knowledge within domestic and community spaces.
For decades, families have passed seeds from their grandparents to their parents, and from parents to their children. The family tradition is to inherit the cultivation of maize and milpa from generation to generation. Regionally, the importance of native seeds is closely connected to their relational and natural knowledge, that is, from the sowing of seeds to the organizational work -a whole social process- for their protection.
To continue these efforts, the community seed fund in Las Lomitas needs a renovated space to safely house the seeds before they are to be grown out again by various campesino families. The money will be used to renovate a room and purchase shelves and storage materials for keeping the seeds safe, dry and away from insects. Any extra money donated above the goal will go towards the next community seed fund build-out in La Lima.
More information on how the community seed fund is organized:
Criteria for the seed fund
- The seeds are from the community and have been grown there for various years
- The seeds are resistant to pests and diseases.
- The maize is grown within the traditional milpa system in association with other crops like beans, squash, ect.
- The varieties yield motives for their preservation and family use.
- Knowledge of the varieties of how they are used for food, animal consumption and value-added products (tortillas, atoles, tamales).
Important aspects of why form the seed fund
- Reject hybrid, GMO seeds and agricultural chemicals because they make you depend on the companies that sell them.
- Maintain our traditions with landrace/native seed varieties, improve our own seed with practical and traditional methods, implement alternative practices to improve the fertility of our soils and ensure the harvest of our seeds.
- Exchange seeds with other campesino farmers from similar regions and climates, organize to produce and maintain reserve seeds in case of accidents and constantly train and inform ourselves.
Operational Aspects
- The seeds have to be sown every year and if there are seeds left, just leave them for one more year so that they do not lose their viability in the annual sowing.
- The fund is managed by a committee appointed by the work group, family or community depending on the size of the community or group.
- The committee agrees to its own rules or regulations for the control and management of the seeds.
- Training workshops take into account the traditional knowledge of the communities, rescue practices and methods for improvement and selection of seeds that allow adaptation to the climatic conditions of each region.
- Accompaniment and monitoring of groups and communities involved in this activity or others that have an interest in the defense and preservation of landrace or native maize.
- A commitment letter is prepared, which expresses the interest in acquiring a certain quantity and variety of seeds, as well as the amount to be returned, which will be double what was lent to them. Said letter is signed by the beneficiaries and the representatives of the funds.
- Instruments are designed for the management and control of seeds.
- The loans are annual, from one liter to 5 liters. Later it will be evaluated if the loans are increased, that will depend on the response that exists from those who request the loan and return the seed to the fund in a timely manner.
¡Gracias for your donations and Hagamos milpa agroecológica! (Let’s make agroecological milpa!)
Organizer
Steve Larson
Organizer
Akron, OH