LEISA 23.2
LEISA Magazine • 23.2 • June 2007
Conserving the plant genetic resources of southern Africa
Barnabas W. Kapange
Back in 1988, the 13 countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) pooled resources and established the SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC). Based in Lusaka, Zambia, and working with other national centres, this centre co-ordinates the conservation activities for the whole region, and stores a collection of local plant genetic resources. To date, 37 000 accessions of different crops have been collected and registered, and over a third of these have been deposited in the base collection at SPGRC. However, germplasm collection is not the only way in which SPGRC aims to conserve and guarantee the safe preservation of crop and wild plant genetic resources. The centre is also documenting the efficient and sustainable use of the plant genetic resources of the region, and is providing a forum for the exchange of scientific, cultural, traditional and indigenous knowledge.
Alternatives to ex situ conservation
Since its foundation, the centre has been actively working with complimentary approaches to
ex situ conservation, such as
in situ and on-farm conservation. In both cases, SPGRC has been following different strategies after selecting relevant species and identifying interested farmers or communities. These include the collection, multiplication and redistribution of seeds within a community; the identification of volunteer farmers willing to grow or multiply seed; the promotion and identification of marketing possibilities (seed fairs, restaurants, etc.); and the documentation of indigenous knowledge related to the species collected.
In situ conservation targets wild relatives of food and cash crops, under-utilised plants, or endangered indigenous species. This choice includes species found in protected areas, as well as nut and fruit trees endemic to the region, for which the centre has carried out eco-geographic studies in protected areas, and has developed a series of databases with all the information resulting from these studies. More specifically, on-farm conservation focuses on crops. In doing so, it highlights the role of farmers in the conservation of biodiversity, while at the same time considering the processes of evolution and adaptation of the crops to the environment. This process integrates farmers into the national (and international) conservation system for plant genetic resources, considering their expertise, knowledge and interests. It is also an important way of maintaining the provision of ecosystem services, such as soil formation, which are linked to specific plant species.
Carried out in partnership with the National Plant Genetic Resources Centres (NPGRCs) in the different countries, these activities take different shapes. In Malawi, for example, a study was carried out in five separate areas, with farmers growing sorghum, pearl millet, cowpea and maize. It was observed that traditional varieties of these crops are threatened by the earlymaturing “improved” varieties, leading in some cases to their complete disappearance. In the Shire valley, for example, late maturing sorghum varieties which used to be common in these areas (such as ‘Gonkho’, ‘Dikwa’ and ‘Kapsyabanda’) were no longer found. As a result of these studies, several groups of women were identified who would grow and multiply seeds, considering that women in this valley are the main custodians of traditional crops. They started with seeds of these sorghum varieties.
Pilot studies were also carried out in Zambia, but went on to consider the participatory characterisation of crop genetic resources. The approach aimed at a thorough understanding of the processes and practices that farmers follow for maintaining their own crop diversity. With the support of SPGRC, Zambia’s National Plant Genetic Resources Centre, its Extension Department and a local NGO have joined efforts to document the many farming practices and knowledge systems that contribute to the maintenance of crop genetic diversity. In an initial phase, work was mainly carried out in Rufunsa and Lukwipa, two communities on the road which links Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, to Malawi. Information was gathered through farmer group discussions and field walks, focusing on those factors related to crop diversity: farmers’ sources of seed, planting methods, general crop husbandry, seed selection during harvest, seed storage methods, and the challenges faced in the maintenance of quality seed. Farmers have been encouraged to participate in these processes, for example during seed fairs organised in the two communities.
As a result, before the 2005/06 season started, farmers from Rufunsa and Lukwipa approached the NPGRC to request seeds: they were particularly interested in those crops which were becoming rare in the areas, such as certain landraces of groundnuts and bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea). Volunteer farmers were identified to multiply the seeds available and were all given 10 kg of seed. All of them had to bring 20 kg back, which were then distributed to other farmers.
Documentation and dissemination of information
Another important result has been the standardisation of all genebank information, which was made possible through the development of the SPGRC Documentation and Information System, now installed at all the NPGRCs. The network has adopted international standards of plant genetic resources conservation and documents its information in a standard computerised format. This helps in adding data from the field, as well as producing inventories of all genebank collections. It also helps take decisions in relation to collecting priorities, the production of catalogues, or the distribution and exchange of germplasm. This is particularly important when crop “restorations” are necessary, such as after floods, changes in farming systems, or homestead relocations. In such cases, the benefits of seed collections, and of having all the necessary information related to them, are considerable.
Barnabas W. Kapange. Senior Program Manager, Documentation and Information. SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC). Private Bag CH6, ZA-15302 Lusaka, Zambia. E-mail: bkapange@spgrc.org.zm ; http://www.spgrc.org