Latest Resources

Value of Household and Community Seed Banks

In South Africa, different initiatives are under way to build farmer-based seed bank networks both in the public sector and by civil society. At the National Seed Dialogue and Celebration, hosted by the African Centre for Biodiversity at Constitution Hill in December 2017, participants shared their experiences and discussed options and priorities. This is the […]

Spiritual and Cultural Value of Seed in South Africa

Spiritual and Cultural Value of Seed in South Africa is the second video in a six part series covering discussions from the National Seed Dialogue and Celebration, an event hosted by ACB. The seed, like the big bang, or evolution, or the atom … bears the mystifying tale of a beginning. We fill our bellies […]

Politics of seed in South Africa

Hosted by the African Centre for Biodiversity at Constitution Hill in December 2017, the National Seed Dialogue and Celebration honoured the role of smallholder farmers in maintaining and nurturing the diversity of seed in South Africa and regionally, who are being displaced and overridden by a growing private seed sector. The event included thought-provoking dialogues […]

A tale of neo-apartheid plans, dodgy dealings and corporate capture: Government support to South ...

Press Release from the African Centre for Biodiversity Johannesburg, Thursday 5 April 2018 Limited transparency, weak accountability, and capture by corporations and politically-connected individuals. These are features of the current South African landscape found in government’s smallholder farmer support programmes, according to a research report by African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) released today. The report, […]

Seed policy paper: Towards national and regional seed policies in Africa that recognise and suppo...

The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) has prepared this policy discussion document as a contribution towards national and regional seed policies in Africa that recognise and support farmer seed systems. The document is an effort to synthesise the policy issues emerging from our research and advocacy work on farmer seed systems in the past few […]

Insights into our food system: Why did catering indigenous local food at the National Seed Dialog...

On December 2017, the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) hosted a National Seed Dialogue and Celebration at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. The event brought together farmers and civil society organisations from eight provinces, as well as from across the region, to celebrate the work that small-scale farmers do as custodians of seeds, and to share […]

Celebrating smallholder farmers and seed diversity in South Africa: Report from the national seed...

On 8 and 9 December 2017 the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) hosted a national seed dialogue and celebration at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. Farmer representatives from eight provinces, along with civil society organisations, academics, and officials from the Agricultural Research Council and Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) participated in cultural events and […]

Comments on the Competition Amendment Bill 2017

ACB has responded to the Economic Development Department (EDD) call for comments on the Competition Amendment Bill 2017. The amendments aim to strengthen the powers of the competition authorities to proactively investigate and develop remedies to deconcentrate markets. Although we do not agree with EDD’s entire approach to concentration (for example, that concentration and economies […]

Art, Seed Sovereignty and Activism: Weaving New Stories

Preparing for the National Seed Dialogue and Celebration, hosted by the African Centre for Biodiversity, smallholder farmers, activists and government officials are crowded into the atrium of the Women’s Jail at Constitution Hill and a drum is beating. A performer, Simo Mpapa Majola, dressed in blankets, is praying and singing and imploring the audience. He […]

Seed capture in South Africa: A threat to seed freedom but the seed movement is fighting back

Simangele Siko, a member of the central committee at Izindaba Zokudla, in her thanks to ACB after the workshop said, “The farmers have got power, immense power, but you have just unearthed the power!” Who can claim to own a seed? In these kernels lie the genetic wisdom of millions of years, co-created within specific […]