The project “Varietal Supply Centres for Traditional Seeds” took a concrete step in Chile: INIA La Platina and CONAGRO will set up a Varietal Supply Centre (COV) in the municipality of San Carlos, in the Ñuble region. Representatives of the farming community, the municipality and the Institute for Agricultural Development (INDAP) met with the project team to define the next steps for this initiative, which aims to make it easier for smallholders to obtain quality traditional seeds.

The COVs are at the heart of the model: they link research institutes’ genebanks with a network of farmer multipliers who produce, conserve and supply seeds of local varieties, along with information on their performance and value. Working together with farmers’ organizations and local governments will allow the centre to be run by the community itself and its model to be replicated in other areas.

🔗 News: #ProyectoFONTAGRO: INIA La Platina and CONAGRO to set up a Varietal Supply Centre for Traditional Seeds in San Carlos (in Spanish)
🔗 Project page (in Spanish)