“By sharing and saving seeds, we are protecting our right to food and our connection to the land.”
– Sarawak CSO-SDG) Alliance co-chair, Gabriel Hii
LONG ago, if you were a farmer or a home gardener, where would you get seeds, cuttings and plants to plant your crops, flowers or vegetables?
From your family members, your friends or markets, I guess. When the crops, flowers and plants you planted had matured, you would diligently save some of the seeds and cuttings for the next season. You would also exchange the seeds, cuttings and plants with your family members and neighbours.
Indeed, seed saving is a practice that has been passed down one generation to another in many cultures.
My grandparents were farmers and with their passing, their seed bank died a natural death.
As for me, I am not interested in farming padi or a lot of vegetables. I am just interested in planting one or two pots of vegetables for my own consumption and a few flowers to add beauty to my surroundings. And I usually buy my seeds and plants from the markets.
In my backyard garden, I have tapioca plants. I first grew them from stem cuttings I bought from a wet market. Later, I planted more tapioca plants from the stem cuttings in my own garden.
I also have lemongrass in my garden which I planted from purchased stalks. I use lemongrass in my ‘assam fish’ recipe or use the plants to make lemongrass tea.
Years ago, chillies, passion fruits and marigolds used to flourish in my backyard garden. Once I visited Bario on a reporting assignment and came back with lots of fresh chillies given by a friend.
I planted some of the seeds which grew into very tall plants with lots of fruits. How I wished I had saved the seeds from the chillies!
I saw my first passion fruit in Kapit when I was there on another reporting assignment. Since then, I have fallen in love with the fruits.
As for marigolds, I saw them everywhere I went when I was a child in Sibu. Now, marigolds always remind me of my chlldhood. I learn that this could be due to the bright colours and distinct scent of the flowers which can be powerful triggers for past experiences and emotions;
Anyway, in a bid to recreate the lovely garden of long ago, I have tried many times to plant chillies, passion fruits and marigolds. I bought lots of seeds and plants from the markets but the chillies, passion fruits and marigolds did not flourish.
However, lately, I have been harvesting a lot of okras from the small garden in front of my house. I planted the okras from seeds I bought from a gardening shop in the city.
This week, I am inspired to talk about my gardens after reading with much interest a story about the sharing and saving seeds by farmers at a local market in Marudi recently.
According to a statement by the Sarawak Civil Society Organisations Sustainable Development Goals (CSO-SDG) Alliance, during the session at the market, besides sharing seeds and cuttings, the farmers also learned techniques in seed saving, cleaning, storage and preservation.
The Sarawak CSO-SDG Alliance said the programme also supported the formation of community-managed seed banks to safeguard rare local varieties and reduce reliance on commercial or imported seeds.
Yesterday, a seed exchange was scheduled to take place at the Kuching Natural Farmer’s Market, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Covered Carpark, from 6 am to 10 am.
The Sarawak CSO-SDG Alliance had urged members of the public, farmers, home gardeners and seed savers to bring seeds, cuttings and plants for exchange.
It also said it would share seed-saving techniques and the role of community-led seed banks with all those present.
It is good to know that Sarawak farmers in Baram are already actively saving and sharing seeds of their traditional crops.
The Sarawak CSO-SDG Alliance revealed that the community seed sharing and seed saving initiative was organised by Uma Bawang Residents’ Association (UBRA). Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), Forum Kedaulatan Makanan Malaysia (FKMM), Inisiatif Rizab Benih Komuniti (IRBK) and Third World Network (TWN).
“Seeds are not just crops; they carry the memory, culture and resilience of our communities.
“By sharing and saving seeds, we are protecting our right to food and our connection to the land,” said co-chair of the Sarawak CSO-SDG Alliance, Gabriel Hii said in a statement.
He explained that the initiative came amid rising food prices, climate disruption and growing concerns over Malaysia’s dependence on industrial seed systems and foreign agricultural inputs.
He added that the initiative aimed to boost seed sovereignty, revive traditional knowledge and help farming communities determine what they would grow based on local needs and conditions.
By preserving climate –resilient and indigenous varieties, the initiative, Hii said, would also strengthen rural communities against future economic and environmental shocks.
Because these tremendous benefits, I hope the Sarawak CSO-SDG Alliance will organise more seed exchanges throughout the state on a regular basis.
I am sorry I missed yesterday’s seed exchange at the Kuching Natural Farmer’s Market, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Covered Carpark. I could have brought along the okra seeds I saved for exchange.
I’m sure I would have enjoyed learning about the seed-saving techniques and the role of community-led seed banks shared by the Sarawak CSO-SDG Alliance. Right now, I don’t know whether I’m saving my seeds correctly.
Anyway, thumbs up to the seed saving and seed sharing initiative in Sarawak. It is a good start.
If you are a part-time gardener like me, do start saving the seeds from your garden now if you have not done so yet. Besides preserving biodiversity, promoting food security and fostering self-sufficiency, seed saving reduces reliance on commercial seed sources and connects individuals to their cultural heritage.
By growing food from saved seeds, we can, in our own little way, contribute to a more environmentally friendly and resilient food system.
I’m now looking forward to the next seed exchange in Kuching.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at adelinel888@gmail.com.