Seeds are the origin and the future of agriculture. And yet, we keep losing so much...
To date, following more than sixty years of restrictive legislation on the marketing of seeds at EU level, a very limited number of plant varieties and breeding materials are being placed on the market, threatening food sovereignty and security.
The erosion of cultivated biodiversity is linked to the accelerated development of an industrial food and farming system favouring intensive monoculture, patents on the living world, the concentration of means of production, the internationalisation of exchanges and loss of local specificities…
Faced with growing climatic pressures, this system must be questioned for its glaring lack of equity and capacity to adapt.
Two issues that seed diversity and autonmy can help solve!
In July 2023, the European Commission tabled two proposals for legislation that will be decisive for the future of our agri-food systems (on Plant Reproductive Material, on Plants produced by certain new genomic techniques). In this context, we are engaged in policy analysis and advocacy work, sharing voices and demands from the field in collaboration with key partners.
Seeds4All documents the challenges and opportunities of bringing greater plant diversity into our fields and diets!
- We spotlight agroecological initiatives that contribute to the transition of agri-food systems from a seed perspective;
- We facilitate cooperation between players striving to make agrobiodiversity an economic reality;
- We amplify voices from the field within political institutions at EU, national and local levels;
- We raise awareness among decision-makers and eaters!
what we offer
All the legislative information you need to understand the EU negotiations and debates on the marketing of seeds.
Our field reports from across Europe, using the seed angle to tackle issues relating to the agricultural transition.
A library of artistic resources to awaken your senses and knowledge of seeds, plants, agriculture and many more!
Find out about our partners' upcoming events, workshops, seed exchanges, publications, petitions, key reports, etc!
latest articles
In collaboration with the SITO Seed network, Seeds4All embarked on a Greek journey to collect stories of farmers and gardeners committed to saving seeds and promoting agrobiodiversity. Traveling from North to South, we aimed to explore various approaches to seed preservation, gaining insights into how traditional varieties and agricultural practices can be sustained and valued despite economic challenges. Continue reading...
From 3 to 5 October 2024, Seeds4All took part in the International Farmers' Seeds Meeting organised by Réseau Semences Paysannes, with the support of local associations and the EC-LLD—3 days of international exchange and mobilisation, emphasising the link between human rights and the right to seeds. In this article, we reflect on the event's highlights and share updates and insights from our partners. Continue reading...
In this article Hannes Lorenzen speaks to Frank Adams, master gardener and co-founder of the SEED association, who has long been involved in the legislative battle waged by seed savers to gain recognition for the necessity and specific nature of their work. In the movie Seeds of Europe, he particularly mounts the bureaucratic hurdles making it increasingly difficult for small-scale seed breeders and growers to thrive. Continue reading...
main partners
Seeds4All is a project run by the Agricultural and Rural Convention for 2020 (ARC2020). As a hub for policy analysis and ground research, ARC2020 documents the socioecological transition of agriculture, building bridges between the local and the European.
Seeds4All is a member of the Global Bean
Network gathering a hundred of partners from all over the world. Together they implement a range of activities to increase the cultivation and consumption of
legumes around the world, highlighting their benefits for agricultural transition.
The Seeds4All project is supported by the European Coordination Let's Liberate Diversity (EC-LLD), bringing together national seed saving organisations to encourage, develop and promote the dynamic management of cultivated biodiversity on farms and gardens.
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