Chile’s ‘seed guardians’ preserve forgotten plant varieties
STORY: These are Chile’s “seed guardians”.
They’re an emerging group of farmers and growers trying to protect the traditional crops of their ancestors.
They collect, trade and plant hundreds of seeds to preserve forgotten varieties of vegetables…
…Plants that were historically farmed by the indigenous Mapuche people.
“Our work is to rescue all these forgotten seeds. Nobody reproduces them anymore. They were not reproduced because of the plants’ own characteristics.”
Guardian Ana Yanez says the vegetables they’re trying to save are dwindling…
…due to environments – or farmers opting for higher-yield varieties.
Experts like agronomist Ricardo Pertuze say that preserving diverse varieties of crops is key for areas affected by climate change.
“When there is a climate change, that change in climate causes the variety previously well adapted to a location to become unadapted. Therefore, the breeder is going to have to look for a new variety to do that. But in order to find that new variety, he needs the genetic diversity of the previously saved seed.”
The guardians have been finding clients in high-end restaurants around the country.
Pablo Caceres is a seed guardian and chef – who says he normally doesn’t find more than five varieties of tomatoes at markets.
But this year – he says he’ll have 26 varieties, and that the group is adding more every year.
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