Trax Ghana has intensified efforts to preserve indigenous seeds through the establishment of community seed banks under the Beela Project.
The Field Coordinator and Technical Support Officer for the project, Robert Anaab, said the initiative aims to protect local seed varieties from extinction due to the increasing use of hybrid and commercial seeds.
According to him, indigenous seeds remain central to the cultural identity, traditions and food systems of communities in northern Ghana.
“Our seeds are our identity, they are our power and they are our future. It is therefore necessary for us to preserve them,” he said.
Mr. Anaab explained that community seed banks are collective systems where farmers store, exchange and conserve local seeds for future use.
He said that unlike hybrid seeds, which require farmers to purchase new seeds every planting season, indigenous seeds can be preserved and replanted for generations without losing their quality.
“For hybrid seeds, farmers have to go year after year to buy from agro-dealers. But our local seeds can remain in the system for hundreds of years while maintaining their genetic purity and resistance to climatic conditions,” he explained.
He disclosed that a community seed bank has already been established at Gundong in the Nabdam area, where several local crop varieties are being preserved.
The project, he noted, is also helping farmers gain access to diverse seeds ahead of the planting season while promoting crop diversity.
Mr. Anaab called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders, traditional leaders and community members to ensure the sustainability of community seed banks.
He stressed that capacity building is crucial, noting that community seed banking remains a relatively new concept in Ghana.
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