1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Enabling Agro-ecological Transitions in Rainfed Landscapes (JIVA)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) - India

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Ja

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

Nee

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

A community-based seed bank system is a locally managed initiative where farmers and community members collect, store, and share seeds to ensure germplasm and food security, preserve crop diversity, and support sustainable agriculture. These banks are governed by community rules.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Community Seed Banks (CSBs) are locally governed systems designed to enhance food and seed security, promote sustainable, climate-resilient farming as well as conserving agrobiodiversity. CSBs bridge traditional agricultural knowledge with evolving best practices, ensuring the continuity of seed diversity adapted to local conditions.
A key function of CSBs is seed preservation and exchange. They provide for the collection of seeds from farmers, prioritizing varieties that have demonstrated superior local adaptation. Seeds are carefully cleaned, dried, and tested for viability before being stored—typically in clay pots in a simple building. The preserved seeds can be used in future planting seasons or distributed during droughts, floods, or pest outbreaks, thereby ensuring timely access to reliable seed material.
A CBS conserves and manages a diverse range of locally important crops including both cereals (sorghum and maize) and legumes (black grams, chickpeas, cowpeas, green grams, green peas, groundnuts, horse grams, red grams, and soybeans). Several traditional and improved cultivars of each crop are stored, selected on their performance under local conditions, including drought tolerance, pest and disease resistance, yield stability, and cultural preference. The quantity of seeds stored per cultivar ranges from 500 grams to 100 kilograms, depending on availability and community demand. For seed protection, both indigenous practices and materials such as wood ash, neem leaves (Azadirachta indica), and chili extract (Capsicum frutescens) are used to prevent pest infestation during storage, minimizing reliance on commercial pesticides.

Management of CSBs is local and participatory. They are generally governed by elected community committees that set the rules for deposit, withdrawal and replenishment. This governance structure ensures that the seed bank reflects the specific needs and knowledge systems of the community. Community engagement is not only vital for operational success but also fosters a sense of ownership and collective responsibility.
CSBs play a multifaceted role. They contribute to agrobiodiversity conservation by safeguarding traditional and wild crop varieties, which are invaluable for future breeding programs. Furthermore, they ensure that farmers can access seeds during critical periods. Additionally, CSBs promote sustainable agricultural practices by reducing reliance on commercial seed systems. They also help to document and share traditional farming knowledge.
The operational structure of a CSB begins with community mobilization and capacity-building focused on seed selection, handling, and storage. Infrastructure requirements are modest. Maintenance involves tasks such as viability testing to ensure the germination potential of stored seeds.
CSBs enhance the resilience of agricultural systems by enabling communities to recover swiftly from crop failures: they also reduce input costs. Furthermore, CSBs empower communities—particularly smallholder farmers and women. Moreover, these banks store vital genetic material for future research.
From a community perspective, the benefits are substantial. However, challenges remain. High initial investments in infrastructure and training are required, and ongoing success depends on strong community engagement and diligent record-keeping. Nevertheless, by preserving the genetic heritage of crops and empowering local communities, CSBs reduce contribute to food sovereignty

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2024

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

JIVA – An Agroecology-Based Programme, Implementing Agency: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• preserve/ improve biodiversity
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact
• create beneficial social impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Ja

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):

• Agroforestry

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

Irrigation source: well, farm pond

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• integrated pest and disease management (incl. organic agriculture)
• improved plant varieties/ animal breeds
• ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

The CSB includes permanent infrastructure (e.g., a small house or storage facility built with community effort) for the secure preservation and storage of seeds.

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• prevent land degradation
• reduce land degradation

Comments:

→ By conserving traditional seed varieties that require fewer external inputs, the CSB helps prevent soil and biodiversity degradation.

→ Promoting resilient, diverse, and low-input seed systems contributes to reducing ongoing degradation (e.g., fertility decline, loss of biodiversity).

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology unit

other/ national currency (specify):

Indian Rupees

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

84.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Site selection for seed bank structure (within SHG household/community building)	February–March (before Rabi harvest)
2.	Construction/preparation of storage structure (room cleaning, plastering, shelf fixing)	March–April
3.	Procurement of local seed varieties	April–May (before monsoon/ Kharif sowing)
4.	Procurement and setup of seed storage containers (clay pots, glass jars, bags)	April–May (before onset of rain)
5.	Installation of racks, shelves, moisture absorbers	May
6.	Labelling of containers and organization of storage system	May–June
7.	Setup of documentation tools (register books, seed stock cards)	June (onset of monsoon)

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Trainer Fees	person days	1.0	2500.0	2500.0
Equipment	Furniture / Rack	pieces	10.0	800.0	8000.0
Equipment	Seed Store Jar and Bag	pieces	200.0	20.0	4000.0
Plant material	Purchase of seed	kg	50.0	450.0	22500.0
Other	Training food charges, materials, boards, exposure visit charges, register book, charts, etc.		1.0	8100.0	8100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					45100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					536.9

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

Project

Comments:

Around 90-95% of costs were supported by the implementing project JIVA (NABARD), while the remaining was contributed by the community through local materials and voluntary labour

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Labour (e.g., supervision, helpers)	each cropping season
2.	Replacement of broken jars	as per need
3.	Labelling changes (charts, tags)	annually
4.	Equipment maintenance and repair	as per need

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Labour (e.g., supervision, helpers)	man-days	10.0	300.0	3000.0
Equipment	Replacement of broken jars	pieces	10.0	20.0	200.0
Equipment	Labelling changes (charts, tags)		5.0	300.0	1500.0
Equipment	Equipment maintenance and repair		1.0	2000.0	2000.0
Plant material			1.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					6700.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					79.76

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

Project (see above under Establishment)

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

1. Seed procurement and quality maintenance
2. Storage infrastructure (jars, bags, racks)
3. Training and capacity building for SHGs
4. Labelling and documentation materials
5. Community engagement and operational labour
6. Monitoring and evaluation activities
7. Exposure visits and knowledge sharing
8. Replacement and maintenance of storage materials

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

calcareous

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

Ja

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Nee

5.5 Biodiversity

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

The Community Seed Bank maintains and promotes high agrobiodiversity in the surrounding farming areas by preserving a wide range of traditional and locally adapted crop varieties. In total, over 30+ landraces/varieties across 2 cereals and 9 legumes/ pulses (sorghum, maize; green grams, chick peas, horse grams, cowpeas, red grams, green peas, black grams, soybeans and groundnuts) are being actively conserved and circulated in the local community. This contributes significantly to on-farm agrobiodiversity, improves ecosystem resilience, and reduces dependence on uniform commercial seed systems. The continued use and exchange of these seeds by farmers helps sustain crop diversity in the region.

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• communal/ village
• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)
• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)
• individual

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Ja

Specify:

Land is traditionally managed by village communities or panchayats, with individual families allocated specific plots for cultivation, based on customary rights and community norms.

Comments:

Both formal titles and long-standing traditional practices often govern land and water use. Community seed bank activities are usually hosted on land provided by local institutions or SHGs with shared usage rights.

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

Specify assessment of on-site impacts (measurements):

Estimates based on a mixture of science-based observations and expectations, and community-based local knowledge

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

Specify assessment of off-site impacts (measurements):

Based on field observations, local knowledge, and documentation by SHG members.

Proxy indicators: changes in vegetation cover, crop diversity, seasonal water availability, soil health traits.

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	very well
annual rainfall		decrease	very well
seasonal rainfall	wet/ rainy season	decrease	very well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local hailstorm	well
local windstorm	well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
flash flood	moderately
landslide	moderately

Comments:

Community Seed Banks act as a resilient strategy by:
Ensuring timely seed availability during disasters.
Preserving genetic diversity to cope with stress.
Enhancing local adaptive capacity.

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• single cases/ experimental

Comments:

This submission is based on a single Community Seed Bank (CSB) unit located in Kumbharwadi village, which is the only seed bank supported under the project. While other CSBs may exist in Ahilyanagar block, they fall outside the scope of this analysis. The success of this model is inspiring interest in informal replication in nearby areas.

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

Nee

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Access to quality seeds at lower or no cost
Empowers women and SHG members through training and leadership
Encourages community cooperation and local innovation
Reduces dependency on markets or middlemen
Preserves traditional, climate-resilient varieties

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Supports in-situ conservation of agrobiodiversity
Enhances community resilience to climate change
Promotes low-cost, sustainable, and decentralized seed systems
Offers a replicable and scalable model for other villages
Encourages gender equity and grassroots participation

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Lack of technical knowledge on seed preservation and storage	Provide regular training and capacity-building sessions
Risk of seed damage due to pests, moisture, or improper storage	Ensure proper infrastructure (airtight jars, dry room, pest-proofing)
Limited availability of diverse or improved seed varieties	Collaborate with agricultural universities, KVKs, and other seed networks
Difficulty in maintaining records and documentation	Assign trained SHG members; provide formats and digital tools if possible
Lack of continuous funding for maintenance and expansion	Link with government schemes, CSR funding, or community contribution models
Conflicts or poor participation among SHG members	Set clear guidelines and participatory rules; involve local leaders for mediation
Fear of crop failure from local varieties in some cases	Promote participatory varietal trials and mix traditional with improved seeds

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Limited institutional capacity for long-term sustainability	Integrate seed bank into local institutions (e.g., SHG federations, Panchayats); build leadership
Poor documentation and data management	Use standardized formats, digital tools, and provide training on record-keeping
Risk of genetic erosion due to poor selection or replacement of varieties	Develop clear varietal selection criteria; involve technical experts in curation
Low initial adoption by other community members	Conduct awareness campaigns, field demonstrations, and seed fairs
Dependency on external facilitators in early stages	Focus on capacity building, handover plans, and mentoring local champions
Inadequate monitoring and evaluation frameworks	Establish regular review mechanisms with community feedback and external support
Climate risks (e.g., drought, unseasonal rains) affecting seed regeneration	Promote drought/heat-tolerant varieties; staggered planting; maintain seed stock buffer

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Weblink

URL:

https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/fao_ilo/pdf/Other_docs/FAO/Community_Seed_Banks.pdf

Title/ description:

Weblink

URL:

http://pgrinformatics.nbpgr.ernet.in/onfc/onfcCSB.aspx

Title/ description:

Weblink

URL:

https://alliancebioversityciat.org/stories/community-seed-banks-empower-farmers-address-climate-risk-india

Title/ description:

Weblink

URL:

https://openknowledge.fao.org/items/797ba1b6-9640-43c7-a3ee-9cab7119dfa8