African Farmers urged not to abandon traditional seed varieties
Thursday, September 17th, 2009African farmers have been warned against abandoning traditional seed varieties because they are more cost effective. Researchers say the seeds are drought and pest resistant as opposed to those developed in laboratories and subsidised by governments.
The researchers are from Kenya, Peru, Panama, India and China and are attached to the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).
“Where farming communities have been able to maintain their traditional varieties, they are already using them to cope with the impacts of climate change,” says the project leader, Ms Krystyna Swiderska of IIED.
