Providencia and Santa Catalina Islands Begin Establishing Their Local Seed Bank

In a strategic alliance aimed at strengthening the autonomy of the island territory, AGROSAVIA and the Agriculture and Fisheries Secretariat of the Municipality of Providencia and Santa Catalina Islands formally launched the process to establish the islands’ Local Seed Bank (LSB) within the framework of the project “Seed Conservation Model in Consolidated Rural Communities for the Strengthening of Food Security,” funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR, for its Spanish acronym) and implemented by the team at the Motilonia Research Center. The opening event took place through the “First Knowledge and Seed Exchange Gathering,” a space that establishes the roadmap for consolidating the future Raizal Community Seed House at the Municipal Farm.

The event was characterized by a predominantly female participation rate of 91%, positioning women as key actors in the recovery and preservation of ancestral seeds, while recognizing their historical role as guardians of biodiversity and Raizal culture across the Archipelago.

 

A First Step Toward Island Sovereignty

Given the island ecosystem's particular conditions, the gathering focused on the importance of seeds to Raizal culture, productive independence, and food sovereignty. Participating farmers prioritized plant species considered endangered, lost, or scarce, which are essential to the islands' traditional gastronomy and identity. In addition, the activity included collaborative practices on criteria for identifying quality seeds, appropriate conservation techniques, and management practices for seed materials under local territorial conditions, as well as a dialogue of knowledge aimed at rescuing agricultural varieties with biocultural value.

“The strengthening of the local seed bank promoted by Agrosavia is essential to preserving genetic diversity, guaranteeing food sovereignty, and reducing dependence on external inputs. Furthermore, it strengthens the Municipal Farm's capacity as a center for learning and sustainable production. At the same time, it empowers the community by recovering ancestral knowledge and ensuring seeds adapted to local conditions,” stated Marcela Ampudia Sjogreen, Secretary of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Municipality of Providencia and Santa Catalina Islands.

This gathering not only enabled technical exchange but also provided the setting in which Raizal guardians defined which seeds should remain at the service of food security and the development of their communities.

Juan Guillermo Cubillos, Ph.D. Researcher at the Motilonia Research Center, stated that “with the beginning of this process, the islands of Providencia and Santa Catalina Islands are moving toward a community-based management model in which traditional knowledge is interwoven with science as a foundational fabric of resilience, strengthening the capacity to respond to future food-related challenges. With the participation of the Agriculture and Fisheries Secretariat, this effort can be ensured as a long-term policy rooted in the well-being of the Raizal people.”