Sowing your seeds – heritage crops for a resilient future (360G-NLHF-HA-24-00737)

The biodiversity of cultivated vegetable seed is vital for food security and the natural environment; however, the current tendency for monocultures and hybrid varieties risks whole crops being destroyed by new pests, diseases and climatic changes. Open-pollinated plants are resilient, as they can adapt to these challenges, via genetic diversity. Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library has been at the forefront of seed conservation for decades. This project will safeguard newly discovered vegetable varieties, important to the communities that grow them. The more varieties of vegetables we can bring back into use, the greater our range of options to develop more resilient plants. This project will discover and share unknown but thriving heritage crops, along with the stories of the people behind them, and the cultivation and seed saving skills required. In 2025 the library will be 50; our mission to find and reintroduce rediscovered crops remains highly relevant.