Seed Sharing

Commonly discussed as seed saving or seed keeping, as seen in some sources below, we decided to use the language of seed sharing in “Borderless Seed Stories” for a variety of reasons. The first is an attempt to avoid the saviorism of “seed saving;” the seeds may need our help, but they certainly do not need us to save them. Secondly, we wanted to avoid the possessive nature of “seed keeping;” we don’t keep seeds anymore than they keep us. The language of seed sharing promotes stewarding seeds as beings with whom we are inextricably linked and the generosity these connections imply in our lived and remembered experiences.

a watercolor illustration of strawberries

Seed Poetry

small hand, outstretched

reaching through sunbeam to grasp

at the papery wings tumbling to the ground

to plant roots somewhere, anywhere

small hand peels away the outer layers, revealing fresh green promise, the hope

for a better tomorrow

— Julian Creutz

Institutions and Seeds

Seed saving/keeping/sharing can be a process for community and for people, but it can also be co-opted by and for institutions. Some such institutions include, but are not limited to, governments, seed banks (meant to store seeds indefinitely), and even things such as seed libraries or swaps, which may be more inherently community-focused but can lack functional and reciprocal dialogue, support, or long-term facilitation due to systemic institutional barriers related to Colonialidad del Poder. Catherine Phillips in her book “Saving More Than Seeds: Practices and Politics of Seed Saving” begs several questions pertaining to these politics of sharing seeds: “[W]ho has access to seed and for what purposes?; whose knowledge is valued and how?; who/what participates in arranging seed relations and how?” (Phillips 4).

In the article “Inside Kenya's Seed Control Battle - Why Smallholder Farmers Want to Share Indigenous Seeds,” the Kenyan government’s current policies surrounding seeds are examined for their harm on the Kenyan population, most of whom are small farmers. Anne Maina, the biodiversity and biosafety association of Kenya national coordinator, explains: “The Seed and Plant Varieties Act prohibits the selling of uncertified seeds, thereby technically locking out the indigenous varieties from the market.”

Damaris Kiloko Mutiso, a farmer, expands: “Seed sharing is an old-age tradition passed on from our forefathers. Unlike certified seeds, the use of indigenous seeds is cost effective as it does not require the use of chemical-based inputs.”

“Certified seeds,” according to the Kenyan government, are supposed to promote the use of high quality seed, which are deemed to be things such as hybrid maize and high production tomatoes. The Seed and Plant Varieties Act, by allowing only these seeds to be bought and sold, actively harms the environment and the livelihoods of Kenyan farmers.

Their Indigenous traditions of seed sharing (and note the language of sharing here) are actively made illegal and suppressed by the institution of the government, purportedly for the sake of “quality” but truly for the sake of profit.

A painterly image of a shadow of a tree on a sunlit dirt floor

Urban Seed Sharing

a veggie collage with central text that reads "small hand outstretched to plant roots somewhere, anywhere"

Seed sharing takes place all around the world, in rural and urban communities alike. “Seeds of change? Social practices of urban community seed sharing initiatives for just transitions to sustainability” by Anna R. Davies, Monika Rut & Jane K. Feeney seeks to explore the modernity of seed sharing in urban centers and the ways in which seed sharing takes place today, shifting and taking inspiration from the ancient tradition. Through their research, the authors assert that seed sharing also includes a transmission of knowledge and skill, helping to forge better relational foodways and promote sovereignty in urban centers, which are often so disconnected from their food and the seeds that produce it: “In fact, acknowledging that the processes of urbanization are destructive to biodiversity, seed sharing initiatives create a form of bio-cultural refugia…” (Davies et al. 795). They also note that in the modern day, seed sharing is often facilitated online, through websites, social media, and other online communication channels. This modern approach highlights the importance of accessibility, not only just to seeds but to the knowledge and skillset involved in sharing them. Overall, seed sharing in urban spaces promotes a connection back to nature and land, between people, and with seeds that build complex and meaningful matrices and relationships.

Interactive Activity: What's Missing?

A black and white image depicting the steps to save tomato seeds

Figure 2.1, Catherine Phillips, “Saving More Than Seeds: Practices and Politics of Seed Saving"

“In the above depiction of saving tomato seeds much is lost. This lack is a reflection of partial – in the dual sense of incomplete and non-neutral – connections between me and the seeds, other savers, seed saving more broadly, and you as a reader.” – Catherine Phillips, “Saving More Than Seeds”

The steps included are described by Phillips as 1. Choose tomatoes from selection, 2. Slice off tomato tops, 3. Squeeze into container, add water (if necessary), 4. Label, wait for seeds to ferment, 5. Rinse and drain, 6. Spread to dry, wait, 7. Test if dry, 8. Label and store.

Can you identify some things that might be “lost” or “missing” from this depiction of what Phillips calls seed saving, i.e. the labor or emotions involved, or anything else?

Feel free to right-click the image above and hit "download" or "save" for a printable mini version of this Theme Exploration! Click here for a helpful tutorial for how to fold a one-page zine.

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