- Title: Chile's 'seed guardians' aim to protect forgotten foods
- Date: 18th November 2024
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (RECENT - NOVEMBER 4, 2024) (REUTERS) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL MARK RUTTE AND GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZ ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, SAYING: “Well, North Korean troops being deployed in Russia against Ukraine, this is a significant escalation and it makes us even more focused and determined to make
- Embargoed: 2nd December 2024 10:48
- Keywords: Chile environment food fruits sedd guardians seeds vegetables
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Chile
- Topics: Environment,South America / Central America
- Reuters ID: LVA002012615112024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A growing group of “seed guardians” are emerging in Chile to protect traditional crops unaffected by industrial agriculture and genetic modification.
The guardians are collecting, trading, and planting hundreds of seeds to preserve forgotten varieties of tomatoes, corn and other vegetables in tradition with the indigenous Mapuche people.
The guardians are collecting, exchanging and planting hundreds of seeds to preserve forgotten varieties of tomatoes, corn and other vegetables.
The Chilean seed guardian Ana Yanez said that the varieties they're aiming to protect were dwindling due to changing environments or farmers opting for higher-yield species.
"We are rescuing seeds and knowledge from our ancestors," said Delfin Toro, another guardian. "How they harvested, how they sowed, the dynamics of the moon, when to plant, when to harvest."
Despite not being sought after by industrial farms, the guardians are finding exclusive clients at high-end restaurants around the country.
Pablo Caceres, a seed guardian and chef at Santiago's Vik Vineyard restaurant says he normally finds no more than 5 varieties of tomatoes at markets or fairs.
"This year we'll have 26 varieties of tomatoes and we think that there are more than 200," Caceres said.
This diversification could also help crops adapt to new terrain and areas affected by a changing climate. Ricardo Pertuze, an agronomist at the University of Chile, said new varieties are needed when a climate change makes a crop's current location unsuitable.
FAO official Wilson Hugo said the trend of safeguarding traditional seeds exists in other nations such as India, China, sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in countries of the former Soviet Union.
(Production: Nicolas Cortes, Liamar Ramos) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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