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The Power Of Seeds
A seed is.....
a microcosm of life
the carrier of genes from generation to generation
the link between the past and the future
a means of dispersal both in space and in time
the beginning and the end
the agent of change
a maker and unmaker of civilizations
.....cheap seed is never cheap
You see, it is the power of self-replicating seeds that have allowed the world to function as we know it. You may not have heard the term SELF- REPLICATING SEEDS before. Some people also refer to these types of seeds as open pollinated, traditional, heritage or heirloom seeds. I personally prefer the term self-replicating as it expresses more accurately the true nature of the seeds themselves. They have two incredible traits – firstly the power to multiply exponentially (as demonstrated in the pumpkin graph below) and secondly the power to remain true to type.
one pumpkin seed's potential
A single pumpkin seed has the potential to feed the world’s population in less than 5 years
As we can see in a mere 4 ½ years – the entire world could be fed from one pumpkin seed. There’s no reason that any person should go hungry. I think most people would agree that’s an amazing fact – just by saving and using traditional self-replicating seed, you can feed the world in an incredibly short space of time.
The problems associated with feeding the world and food security in general, have nothing to do with the seed resources that has been available to us for millennia. But firstly, a lack awareness of what’s going on behind the scenes with global agriculture and secondly a lack of will up till this point of time on the part of humanity to do something about it.
Locally adapted, self-replicating seed (Heritage Varieties) are now a precious resource. They have been the foundation of food security throughout agricultural history but that priceless resource is now at crisis point.
It’s been just over one hundred years since the start of the 20th century and already it has been estimated that a staggering 93% of the worlds heritage food crops that once existed as seeds in the hands of farmers, seed merchants and gardeners are now lost.
As we loose more and more of these heritage varieties, our collective ability to secure the worlds’ food security future will become an impossible task.
For me personally, when someone promotes new technology in seed manipulation in the form of commercial hybridisation, genetic modification (GM) or patenting as being beneficial to humanity and food security – I’m not convinced.
We have had traditional self-replicating seed varieties FEEDING THE WORLD successfully for thousands of years, and to quote a common saying, “ If it isn’t broken don’t try to fix it. “
It’s TIME for the world to ACT.
WE REAP WHAT WE SOW
Have you ever heard the quote “we reap what we sow”? If we sow apathy and inaction we will guarantee ourselves a bleak and hungry future. If we sow interest and action we will reap a bountiful harvest of plenty. It’s as stark and simple as that – I hope and pray we choose the latter option.