Pablo B. Eyzaguirre, Senior Scientist, Anthropology & Socioeconomics, IPGRI Bhuwon Sthapit, Scientist, In Situ Crop Conservation Rachael Wamae, Kyanika Adult Women Group Yasuyuki Morimoto, Associate Scientist, Ethnobotany Community perspectives in Managing Crop Biodiversity

Good practices for strengthening community-based PGR management Selected participatory approaches and methods Community sensitization Diversity fair, diversity block, diversity kits Community biodiversity register Mosaic landscapes

Visions of Landscape an area as it is perceived by people (IUCN) a transformation of social ideology into physical form (Pearson) Material objects, social creations, and mental representations (La Tour, from Pearson) Definitions that recognize the ideologies of people who share a particular place as fundamental drivers of transformations of bio-physical components within and across environments:

Mosaic landscapes Variations in land use and deployment of agricultural biodiversity characterize culturally maintained landscapes. Ex. Andean landscape mosaics (Terrazas and Valdivia 1998)

Farmers network analysis in Kachorwa ecosite Subedi et al., 2003 Seed networks in Nepal

Village workshop Social and resource mapping Rural diversity drama Rural poetry journey Folk song competition Traditional food fair Diversity fair Foundation elements for community awareness: Community sensitization

Diversity Diversity fair fair..community based competitive event to display local crop diversity locating diversity and recognizing custodianslocating diversity and recognizing custodians enhance exchange of materials and knowledge rapid assessment of varietal diversity sensitize community enhance farmer participation collection of germplasm

non-replicated blocks (by ecological domain) under farmer’s management characterization and evaluation ofcharacterization and evaluation of farmer’s varieties and preferred traitsfarmer’s varieties and preferred traits assessment of consistency of farmer’s descriptor in naming and describing farmer-named cultivar selection for parent seed multiplication for diversity kits community sensitization Diversity blocks

a set of small quantity of seeds for informal research and development encourage farmers to search, select and maintain preferred local genetic resourcesencourage farmers to search, select and maintain preferred local genetic resources deployment diversity for managing pests and diseases stressesdeployment diversity for managing pests and diseases stresses strengthening seed networks for improved gene flowstrengthening seed networks for improved gene flow enhance farmer participation Diversity Kits

a register (farmer information database) maintained by community based organizations for keeping inventory and monitoring local crop diversity for the community benefits and needs Community Biodiversity Register

recognition that community controls information, materials and decision making process strengthen local capacity for conservation and utilization decisions decentralization of farmer information database at community level local commitment and a sense of ownership address the needs of rural livelihoods and income code of conduct for access to and benefit sharing Difference in approach?: Community Biodiversity Register

Objectives: documentation monitoring marketingexchangebiopiracyownership Community Biodiversity Register

Passport data Numbers of farmer-named cultivars at HH or village level Area of each cultivar and source of seed initially Reasons for cultivating each cultivar (value-public and private) and custodians Name of custodians for unique, rare and economically valuable cultivars, digital picture of distinguishing traits, photo of custodian, audio interview What data should be in CBR?

Numbers of farmer-named cultivars or farmer unit of diversity at HH or village level Monitor changes in number and area of common and rare and unique cultivars Indicators for monitoring genetic diversity in situ

Monitoring of changes in population size (area, HH number) of crops or farmer’s variety over time Community Biodiversity Register

a sense of social responsibility amongst community members promote exchange of materials and knowledge income generation by promoting marketing of unique and economically valuable genetic resources monitoring genetic erosion at local level and make conservation decisions develop options for adding benefits and setting breeding goals awareness on risk of biopiracy and protect farmers’ rights Challenges: Benefits to farmers

Steps for implementing farmer information database, CBR Analysis and sharing of information and link with R&D Recording of CBR for understanding diversity Agreement on roles and responsibilities and code of conduct for sharing information and benefits Setting objectives of CBR with community Training for CBR documentation Diversity fair for locating diversity and custodians Sharing ideas with community and grassroots institutions

Community bio- diversity register National Genebank Options PVS PPB Diversity fair/ block * Household seed store Formal Breeding Farmer’s seed supply system Community-based PGR management (Source: Sthapit and Jarvis, 1999) Strengthening local capacity for management of local crop diversity for rural livelihoods and income

Local knowledge documentation and exchange to preserve the varieties of the bottle gourd (Kitete) in Kenya

Why is it important to conserve bottle gourd diversity in Kitui? Plastics are spoiling our environment We have need containers, food, money Old people are not passing knowledge to the young people sufficiently

The many uses of bottle gourds Seed container Cloth boxChick’s house Milk container Bowls For music

Kitete is food Mongu types are edible Young leaves are edible

How did we document and keep information? Writing on note books, tape recording, video taking, taking photos Community resource center Group participation Group Demonstration field Tape recording Group work Training by experts

How we benefited as a community Visitors Kyanika in Internet Money from sales Kitete museum and resource centre

Using kitete experience to conserve cowpea varieties Cowpea is both a leafy vegetable crop and a pulse (seed) It is the most important vegetable in Kitui and very nutritious There are many types; creeping, erect, early or late maturing, some good for seed and other good for vegetable. Kyanika Group has collected over 20 cowpea varieties from all over the district

Thank you Welcome to Kyanika Kitui, Kenya Kitete song