SEEDS BANK

The "House of Amazonian Seeds (Casa das Sementes Amazônicas)" mission is to rescue and preserve the rich history and ancestral knowledge linked to the native seeds of the Amazon.

Native seeds represent the traditional varieties of plants that have been cultivated by local communities in the Amazon region for centuries. These seeds have unique characteristics, adapted to the climate, soil and local culture, and carry with them a valuable genetic heritage.

However, as hybrid and genetically modified commercial seeds have been introduced, many of these native varieties have gradually given way and disappeared over time.

The creation of the Amazon Seed Bank is a strategy to ensure that traditional and native varieties, along with all the popular knowledge associated with them - from cultivation practices to the multiple forms of use in cooking and traditional medicine - continue to exist.

The Instituto Amazonas is establishing an area for the multiplication of agroecological seeds on the premises of the Instituto Amazonico. This initiative aims to support indigenous families and family farmers in the revitalization of species that have historically been cultivated in the region, as well as in the genetic preservation of these species.

At the same time, we seek to promote the diversification of crops, thus contributing to greater food security for these families.

Our objectives, aligned with this initiative, are:

• Ensuring a constant and secure supply of traditional and native seeds.
   

• Reduce dependence on external sources for planting.
   

• Promote sustainable development, with agroecology and solidary economy as guiding principles.

Objectives connected to this initiative: