Seed Saving: A Comparison of Three Seed Saving Organizations in Support of Social-Ecological Resilience

This project explores the significance of seed saving as an integral part of sustainable agriculture through the lens of social-ecological resilience. In order to take a deeper look at seed saving and its relationship to social-ecological resilience on a regional scale, this research examines the practices of three culturally distinct seed-saving organizations in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado—an indigenous pueblo organization, a multi-generational Hispanic family, and an Anglo family farm. Guided by Participatory Action Research methods, interviews were conducted and an exchange of knowledge and ideas among farm managers was encouraged. Interviews focused on understanding the farms reasons for saving seed, their seed saving projects, and their perspectives on their role within the larger regional seed system. Through qualitative data analysis and concept mapping, this research also works towards revealing existing contributions to the resiliency of the regional seed system as well as limitations and possible steps for the future. The findings range, from contributions to the diversity and ecological knowledge to the region's seed system through crop choice and growing practices, to the discussion of limitations such as the difficulty in sharing agricultural knowledge between generations. Future steps are then shared through the mention of seed swaps, seed libraries and ways to open up new pathways of communication between farmers and the community