POPULAR ARTICLES
OPEN ACCESS
| Published on : 30-Apr-2026
Seed Sovereignty - Safeguarding Seeds for Sustainable Agriculture
- Vanishree G
- Senior Scientist (Genetics & Plant Breeding), ICAR-National institute of Seed Science and Technology, Regional station, GKVK Campus, Karnataka, India.
- Gopalareddy K
- Senior Scientist (Seed Science & Technology), ICAR-National institute of Seed Science and Technology, Regional station, GKVK Campus, Karnataka, India.
- Mamrutha H.M
- Senior Scientist (Plant Physiology), ICAR-National institute of Seed Science and Technology, Regional station, GKVK Campus, Karnataka, India.
- Anjitha George
- Senior Scientist (Entomology), ICAR-National institute of Seed Science and Technology, Regional station, GKVK Campus, Karnataka, India.
- Ramya P
- Senior Scientist (Genetics & Plant Breeding), ICAR-National institute of Seed Science and Technology, Regional station, GKVK Campus, Karnataka, India.
- Gayatri K R
- Student, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Karnataka, India.
- Theertha C P
- Young Professional-1, ICAR-National institute of Seed Science and Technology, Regional station, GKVK Campus, Karnataka, India.
- Hemavati Ranebennur
- Senior Scientist (Plant Pathology), ICAR-National institute of Seed Science and Technology, Regional station, GKVK Campus, Karnataka, India.
- Manjanagouda S Sannagoudar
- Scientist (Agronomy), ICAR-National institute of Seed Science and Technology, Regional station, GKVK Campus, Karnataka, India.
Abstract
Seeds form the biological foundation of agriculture and are central to global food and nutritional security. For centuries, farming communities conserved, selected, and exchanged seeds, creating a vast diversity of locally adapted crop varieties. However, the rapid commercialization of the seed sector, expansion of hybrid technologies, and increasing intellectual property protections have gradually shifted control of seeds away from farmers toward corporate entities. This transformation has raised concerns about declining agrobiodiversity, farmer dependence on commercial inputs, and erosion of traditional seed knowledge. The concept of seed sovereignty emphasizes the rights of farmers and communities to save, use, exchange, and improve seeds, thereby sustaining decentralized and resilient seed systems. In India, initiatives such as community seed banks and policy frameworks like the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (PPV&FRA), 2001 provide important mechanisms to safeguard farmers’ rights while promoting innovation in plant breeding. Strengthening farmer-managed seed systems alongside formal research institutions is essential for conserving crop diversity, enhancing climate resilience, and ensuring sustainable agricultural development.
Keywords
Seed sovereignty, farmers’ rights, biodiversity conservation, community seed banks, sustainable agriculture
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