Nayakrishi concept for the management of CSB in BADC
Training of Trainers (TOT) on formation and management of Community Seed Bank (CSB) was held during 23 to 27 July, 2025 in Central Seed Testing auditorium, BADC (Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation), Gabtoli, Dhaka, The course was intensive and comprising of 20 officers from BADC. Jahangir Alam Jony, Director, UBINIG participated in the class as resource speaker at 25 July on the topic of a) Importance of local varieties in Bangladesh and b) Role of community seed bank for biodiversity conservation.
The discussion was focused from the experiences of Nayakrishi Seed Network (NSN) on importance of local varieties Plant Genetic Resources (PGR), resilient of PGR in the changing climatic situation, corporate control over seeds, loss of seed sovereignty,, TRIPs vs CBD: a clash of interests and role of Community Seed Bank (CSB).
In the beginning of the discussion it was clearly discussed that instead of Community Seed Bank (CSB) it could be Community Seed Wealth (CSW). The word of ‘Bank’ is very much commercial term which does not suit for seed management and farmer seed system.
It was discussed that the seed resource conservation could be very innovative form of farmer led seed management. The responsibility of the CSB, within the ecological food production practices should ensure collection, conservation, distribution and enhancement seeds/ germ plasm among the farmers who will be primarily women. The CSB would play role with specific responsibility of ensuring both in situ conservation of biodiversity and genetic resources in the farming field and ex situ conservation at the household and community level.
Dr. Md. Nazmul Islam, Chief Coordinator, Research Cell, BADC said, we have started working on CSB with the support from ‘Program on agricultural and rural transformation for nutrition, employment and resilience’. For establishment of CSB, BADC developed a design of 11 different steps including: a. farmers’ selection, b) Implementation of Participatory Research Approval, c) area selection d) crop and variety selection e) farmers training f) seed collection g) seed production h) seed conservation i) seed exchange and j) information collection.
Dr. Nazmul further said, UBINIG have been working on CSB for a long and very rich collection of PGR germ plasm. BADC have recently collected three varieties of local aman rice including Patjag, Chamara and Bhawiladigha from UBINIG for seed production. BADC have planted these aman rice seed in the seed production unit of Gabtoli, Dhaka for seed production.
In course of discussion regarding CBD, Dr. Akhtar Hossain Khan, Chief Seed Technologist, Seed Wing, Ministry of Agriculture said in CBD there are opportunities for conservation of biological diversity and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. UBINIG participation in the training course create enable environment to working together for sustainable use of seed and genetic resources.
The idea and concept of Nayakrishi Seed Network (NSN) should be reflect and replicate for promotion of Community Seed Bank (CSB) of BADC. BADC Community Seed Bank will play with specific responsibility of ensuring both in situ conservation of biodiversity and genetic resources in the farming field and ex situ conservation at the household and community level.