Where can I find (Organic) OP Traditional Heirloom seed in Asia? Where can I learn the arts of organic vegetable seed production?
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Asian (Organic) Seed Resources

This list was developed out of a first meeting of Asian (Organic) Seed Producers held in Chiang Mai, Thailand in July 2015. This list is just a start but already provides contacts for good sources of traditional open-pollenated vegetable seeds and technical knowledge on organic seed production from Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

It is hoped and intended that others can be added to this list, thus facilitating greater access to OP seed and organic seed production in Asia.

For (Organic) this does not mean certified organic, but ecologically grown according to organic principles. Some of the organizations are progressing toward organic certification of their seed (but not yet there). For others this is not a goal at this time.

Unless otherwise noted, these organizations do not have the capacity to send seed to other countries.

This first meeting and this resource list was faciliated by Earth Net Foundation, Thailand with funding support from HIVOS of the Netherlands.

BHUTAN

Bhutan Alpine Seeds

Contact:

Mr. Dilip Kumar Subba Email: dksubba55@gmail.com

Mr. Rinchen Phuntsho Email: rphuntsho35@yahoo.com

Offerings

  1. 56 varieties of vegetable seed – production and management (can teach / train)

  2. How to improve soil in any kind of land: hilly, plain, etc

  3. Production of vegetable seeds

  4. Post-harvest management of vegetable seeds

  • May be able to export seed to other countries (for large orders)

Languages

English, Bhutanese

INDIA

Desi Seed Producer Co. Ltd

Contact:

Mr. Praveen Narasingamurty Email: praveendspc@gmail.com

Tel: 805 0743 047

Address: Zed Collective Apts, Aralahalli, Yelankha, Bangalore

Offerings

  1. Can teach Selection and Assisted Breeding of 10 commonly consumed traditional vegetables at Centre in Bangalore (ready by end of 2015)- Or in farmer fields

  2. Available Paddy (20 traditional varieties) Vegetables (48 vegetables at present) Will improve these varieties over a period of 5 years in consultation with experts and agri-extension centres to scale-up the cultivation of traditional vegetables

  3. Include and establish seed producer in high-altitude areas of India. to add more (minimum 10 winter vegetables) into our seed colllection

  4. Share experience on value chain process of farmer led seed production paddy/ vegetables.

Languages

English, Tamil, Kannada

Pebble Garden

Contact:

Ms. Deepika Kundaji Email: deepikakundaji@gmail.com

Address: Aurobrindavan, Auroville 605101, Tamilnadu, India

Offerings

  1. Share seeds of traditional varieties of vegetables (warm climate) Example: eggplant, okra, chillies, long bean, bottle gourd. Now 90 varieties

  2. Train farmers on small scale vegetable (home based) seed production with professional standards. (If invited can give 1 day training)

  3. Present a model – a livelihood model- of seed production for individual farmers. (slide show presentation)

  4. Share techniques on SOIL BUILDING practices for good seed production. (terra preta + layered raised beds + mixed green manure)

  • Not able to process seed order by email/ mail order. Must meet in person at seed melas

Languages

English, Tamil

BBSM

Contact:

Mr. Saroj Kumar Mohanty Email: Sarojemohanty@gmail.com

Offerings

  1. Sharing seeds traditional OP: vegetables (20), millets, paddy

  2. Can give training on good seed treatment in preparation for sowing, Either come or if provided travel cost, can send trainer.

  3. Will give solidarity both in areas of ecological farming and seed work.

Languages

English, Oriya, Hindi

Sahaja Samrudha

Contact:

Mr. Shantha Kumar Email: sahajaindia@gmail.com

Address: Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Offerings

  1. 100+ different vegetable seed (local/ organic)

  2. Rare variety seed collection- information, multiplication

  3. Collaboration with universities on providing traditional vegetable seed workshops

  4. Teach simple useful techniques to farmers: drip irrigation, netting, weed control – for use in seed production

  5. Good organic practices for larger scale seed multiplication

  6. Farmer field selection for seed production purpose

Languages

English

Indonesia

Community Seed Bank, Bali associated with Field Indonesia

Contact:

Mr. I Wayan Runca Email: wayanruncawijaya@yahoo.co.id (Bahasa Indonesia / Balinese/ No English)

Mr. Engkus Kuswara Email: koeswara08@gmail.com (Bahasa Indonesia / English)

Offerings

  1. Currently working with 31 vegetable varieties

  2. Can train on participatory plant breeding and selection on rice and vegetables

  3. Can share knowledge on organic rice and vegetable production

  4. Sustainable livelihood assessment

  5. Plan to enhance community seed bank to be training center on seed and ecological production

Languages

Bahasa Indonesia, Balinese (at seed bank)

Sri Lanka

Sabavagamu People’s Foundation as part of Sri Lanka Nature Forum (SLNF)

Contact:

Mr. Sugath Chandyasena Email: sugathkug@gmail.com

Offerings

  1. Develop small-scale vegetable farmers’ group to join together in seed bank network

  1. Develop traditional vegetable and fruit variety directory to describe and include medicinal values

  2. Develop participatory guidelines for how to operate community seed bank

Technical Improvement

Languages

English, Singala (some in network speak Tamil)

Ekabadda Praja Sanwaradana

Kantha Maha Sangmaya

Contact:

Ms. Thushara Nilmini Email: nilmini_thushara@yahoo.com

Address: Ratnapura, Sri Lanka

Offerings

  1. Can share knowledge on vegetable seed production 25 varieties

  2. How to make compost and fertilizer (organic method)

  3. Seed bank management (sharing, collecting, packaging, testing, conservation, storage)

Languages

English, Singala

Gurusinghe’s Farm

Contact:

Mr. Premadasa Gurusinghe Email: gurusinhavee@gmail.com (Singala Only)

Address: Southern Province, Sri Lanka

Offerings

  1. Produce, select, + share seed

  2. Teach farmers about traditional seed (how grow, care, save seeds)

  3. Conservation of diverse seed varieties (27 vegetable/ 260 paddy varieties)

Languages

Singala

Thailand

Green Net Organic Center- Chiang Mai

Contact:

Ms. Mathana Aphaimool Email: mataoganic@hotmail.com

Address: T. Mae Tha, A. Mae On, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Greennet.or.th

For seed information: http://www.greennet.or.th/en/article/producers/organic-seed

For seed orders (Thailand only) email request to: admin@greennet.or.th

Offerings

  1. Now working with (available) 34 different varieties of organic OP vegetable seed

  2. Can teach about organic vegetable seed production, cleaning, packing, storage- small-scale farm level.

  3. Can receive longterm volunteers/ interns to learn about organic seed production

Languages

English, Thai

Pun Pun (Center for Self Reliance)

Contact:

Ms. Ramphai Noikaew Email: r_noikaew@yahoo.com or punpun.farm@gmail.com

Website: http://www.punpunthailand.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pun-Pun-Organic-Farm

Address:

Ban Mae Jo, A. Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Offerings

  1. Exchange Organic / Traditional seed with others 100++ varieties.

  2. Offering and accepting longterm interns for sharing experience and knowledge (3 months)

  3. Short term volunteers (2 weeks) also accepted but with cost contribution for learning/ exchange

  4. Can give practical training workshops both at Pun Pun or send training expert (on small-scale vegetable production)

  5. Can show/ teach how to build seed saving storage using adobe

Languages

English, Thai

ECHO Asia Seed Bank

Contact:

Ms. Ratakarn Arttawuttikun Email: wah@echonet.org or echoasia@echonet.org

Website http://echonet.org/asia-impact-center/

Tel: +66 53 304028, +66 81 9920274

Address: Amphur Mae Ai, Chiang Mai

Offerings:

  1. Produces and distribute 105 different varieties of open pollenated vegetable seed (as of July 2015)

  2. Can provide training on the whole organic seed production chain (production, harvest, post-harvest, germination testing, packing, data collection)

  3. Can receive longterm volunteers/ interns to learn about organic seed production

  4. Can share knowledge and give training on a number of other appropriate technologies.

* Those who join as members of this network may be able to receive small amounts of seed (including abroad)

Languages

English, Thai, Karen

Alternative Agriculture Network- Esan

Contact:

Ms. Nootjanad Homepan Email: noot.munyuen@hotmail.com (Thai/ Issan- Lao only)

Mr. Mongkon Duangkhiew Email: chiangmai461@hotmail.com (Thai/ English)

Website: https://aanesan.wordpress.com/about/

Address: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Offerings:

  1. Distribution channel for organic/ local vegetable (20) and paddy seed (many varieties)

  2. Share about group management model for community level seed production and collective packaging/ marketing

  3. Training on seed selection techniques and organic seed production techniques (small-scale)

Languages

Thai, Issan- Lao

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