An Introduction to abc Newsletter


Welcome to the second issue of abc Newsletter!


Agricultural Biodiversity Community (abc) was initiated as part of a joint Hivos and Oxfam Novib Knowledge Programme, Agrobiodiversity@knowledged, initiated in 2011. This Knowledge Programme aims to break through the barriers that limit the scaling up, institutional embedding and horizontal extension of practices that build on agricultural biodiversity for improved livelihoods and resilient food systems. abc was constituted by diverse organisations and individuals working on agricultural biodiversity with millions of farmers worldwide, where evidence and insights are generated, shared and tested. The knowledge programme aims to synthesise knowledge from a local to a global scale, conduct research on approaches and analytical frameworks that provide new perspectives on agricultural biodiversity and its role in resilient socio-ecological food systems, and improve horizontal and vertical knowledge flows towards positive change and transformation.


The priority areas of abc are, i) Seeds, breeds and technology, ii) Markets and trade, iii) Policy and governance, iv) Information networks and v) Resilient communities. One of the five strategies-cum-goals of abc is ‘Knowledge exchange’. The members of abc exchange information, ideas, evidence and insights on changes, successes, failures, challenges, and opportunities for agricultural biodiversity conservation, use and development. Through this exchange, members learn from the experience of people and organisations with diverse disciplinary, geographical and cultural perspectives, build the evidence base for a transformation towards agricultural-biodiversity-based food production systems and advance action agendas.


To aid in this process, an e-Newsletter is being published. It will aid in exchange of information and knowledge within and outside the abc. The e-Newsletter will be shared among the members through D-group and will be uploaded to the abc website. We solicit your support and contribution to publish this e-Newsletter in a timely manner.


Happy reading!

Issue-2




Agroecology - The bold future for Africa

African civil society organizations and networks embracing hundreds of millions of small-scale producers are urging African governments to adopt agroecology as the future of farming in Africa.





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Kenya - A Hotbed of Clapping Diversity

Never before in a meeting have I been part of such a diversity of clapping and appreciation methods. Three excellent facilitators- Enoch Opuka, Job Mainye, and Samson Ngugi, gave us a taste of this diversity teaching us different clapping strategies.




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Local seeds - aforgotten treasure

The Ministry of Agriculture lawyer looked puzzled and with furrowed brows,he pondered on the question hehad just been asked at the round table meeting: “Why is it that Tanzanian seed laws are silent on the issue of farmer-saved seeds?” The assembled farmers waited patiently as the meaning of their questiongradually dawned on him: “Oh! You mean substandard seeds!”

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Strengthening the role of traditional livestock keeping communities towards conservation and development of breeds, practices and rights

Indigenous breeds habituated in different agro climatic zone of India have evolved over several generations of natural selection and domestication and are well-adapted to their habitat and environment and are often a livelihood bastion forpoor households because they are easier to rearthan exotic breeds.

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Didactic Toolkit for the Design, Management and Assessment of Resilient Farming Systems


Resilience is defined as the ability of a farming system to absorb disturbances and adapt to stress and change while retaining its productive structure and ability to yield. Thus, a “resilient” agroecosystem would be capable of providing food production, when challenged by severe drought or by excess rainfall.

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