Seed libraries help communities grow food in a pandemic
What began as a community project by library assistant Destiny Rivera in San Diego in 2019 with 150 active members has recently tripled
By Enrique Gili
Shareable
June 17, 2020
Excerpt:
The San Diego project is one of over 600 seed libraries that have opened in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, since a group of Californian social justice and food advocates launched the Seed Library Network in 2012. The Network’s website offers an evolving set of online guidelines and resources for seed librarian best practices.
Seed libraries, which were mostly housed inside public libraries, are adapting in the pandemic. Network co-founder Rebecca Newburn is offering online workshops to beginners and posting YouTube videos on how to distribute and share seeds safely. “People are stressed and stretched and that’s why we’ve tried to provide resources to novice gardeners,” Newburn said.
The Network’s goals are to distribute seeds and educate participants about gardening techniques, soil types, and the climate conditions unique to their region. Advocates say that saving seeds can lead to greater awareness of the plant kingdom, and that sharing plant knowledge is essential to preserve genetic diversity. At present, a handful of staple crops feed most of the world’s population.
