Conference on biodiversity and organic seeds
Within the framework of seminars organized by the Spanish Society of Organic Agriculture (SEAE) presents SEAE XVI Technical Symposium titled "Seed and Biodiversity in Organic Farming". The same will take place on 30, 31 October-1 November 2009 in the Botanical Garden of Gijón, Asturias.
The SEAS once again presents its Technical Conference which is regularly held every two years and is organized in collaboration with various organizations. The Technical Conference is understood here as a seminar, where experts present different papers and make room for the filing of communications and debate, more a function of the speakers of the assistants themselves.
Objectives
The objectives of these workshops are:
- Exchange experiences and knowledge on management of agricultural biodiversity, genetic resources and seeds in organic farming
- Analyze the current status and potential of using traditional seeds and genetic resources in Organic Farming
- To raise proposals and measures to improve the availability and increased use of these resources on organic farming
Seed and Biodiversity in Organic Farming
Agriculture occupies more than 80% of the territory that makes up the rural landscape, contributing to the conservation of biodiversity. The boundaries and borders of fields of work are important refuges for plants and animals and play a determining role in the maintenance of biodiversity in these agricultural areas. Furthermore, the management carried out by the farmers has a decisive impact on the flora, fauna and environment. The negative impacts associated with agricultural intensification that overuse of agrochemicals have led to depletion of wildlife in the landscape. Moreover, agricultural policies also have a significant influence on changes in the agrarian structure and these, in the type, scale and intensity of land use.
Preserving biodiversity is vital for sustainable agriculture, in particular to enhance the effects of beneficial organisms. Positive interactions are often associated with traditional agricultural practices, which enhance biotic diversity and the preservation of semi-natural habitats. It has been shown that organic farming contributes significantly in different cultivated biodiversity, both on land where we grow organic crops, as in areas adjacent to these parcels. Relating the activities of the AE with the enhancement of biodiversity in the agricultural landscape is therefore a matter that concerns us and which are intended to deal in these workshops.
Methodology and development
The conference took place over two and half days, with a participatory methodology that combines the presentations in plenary, with working sessions for groups and workshops on subthematic seed extraction, drying and preservation. Also presented as a poster communication and tastings and exhibition stands of living seed collections and recovery projects biodiversity.
It combines presentations in plenary, with discussion groups, workshops, panel presentations and round tables. In the presentations and panels will invite experts in the subject. Workshops address practical issues or discussion, roundtables key players in the sector or having an opinion on the subject are invited.
Communications will be accepted to be presented in poster format by the standards of SEAE whose contents may be incorporated into the discussion, the working groups and workshops, according to the topic.
The specific topics will be:
- Practices to cultivate biodiversity (rotations, associations, hedges, ground cover, etc.).
- Recovery, acquisition and use of traditional seeds
- Regulatory aspects, policies for biodiversity and transgenic
- Use of organic seeds
- Promoting consumption of local varieties
It will enable a dedicated room for the display of posters or banners. At least one of the authors of the poster must be registered and present in the room during the hours of breaks.
The conclusions of the workshop will be developed with input gathered by the moderators of the various working sessions and plenary will be read by a representative of each of the organizers and / or collaborators.
For the roundtables are invited key players in the sector or have an opinion on the subject.
Schedule
Friday October 30, 2009
09h00 Submit documentation and accreditations
10h00 Tour Botanic Garden of Gijón
11h15 Opening ceremony: Director, Biodiversity Foundation;
SEAE President, Director Rural Asturias P;
Botanic Garden President, Director SERIDA; Mayor
Gijon, President COPAE
11h45 P1: Agricultural Biodiversity, tool to fight hunger and poverty J Esquinas, Chair of Studies on Hunger and Poverty (CEHAP-OCU)
Mod: J Farmer (SEAE)
12.30 P2: Selection and improvement of organic seed: its contribution to biodiversity cultivated
Lammerts E (Louise Bolk Institute ECO-PB), B Suarez
(MARM) Mod: M Jamilena (UAL)
13h15 P3: Opportunities for farm seed
V Chable (INRA, France) Mod: M Brana (CMRP)
Organic food 14h00
16:00 Panel 1: Importance of biodiversity and diversification of agricultural production in the Area
North E Dapena (SERIDA), L Alonso (FEDERAPES)
Mod: K Osoro (SERIDA)
17h00 Workshops
T1: Experiences of recovery, conservation and utilization of local varieties Participants: Grupo Semillas Bilt, Convention-COPAESERIDA seeds each,
G Garcia Mod: N Ortega (SEAE / each)
T2: Debate IFOAM position on standards for organic seeds and patents
Participants: J Roselló (Llavor d'Ací, RDS), E Casas
(GAIADEA, RDS), J Gonzalez (INTERECO), C Nuno
(COPA), E Lammberts (Louis Bolk Institute-ECOPB)
IFOAM player Mod: V Gonzálvez (SEAE)
18h45 MR1: Biodiversity, conservation of genetic resources and ecological production
Participants: M Figueroa (RDS), Repr (FEDERAPES)
E Dapena (SERIDA each), C Lastres (ANA),
Repr ECSC, OPA's, environmental groups, other
Mod: JM Egea (SEAE RAERM)
20h30 Reception at the Council of Gijón
Saturday 31 October 2009
09h00 Panel 2: Public policies on seed and AE
Participants: J Taylor (UAL), B García (MARM), JJ Soriano
(IFAPA, RDS), Pla F Biodiversity Mod: M Ramos (INIA)
10.30 P4: Save Our Seed B Haerlin (Foundation
for a future in farming Germany) Pend
Mod: A Casino (Director Botanic Garden of Gijón)
11:15 Break
11h45 Workshops
T3: Diagnosis of seeds and genetic resources in AE AEFER Project
Presenta: S Casado (SEAE / RDS) Mod: JM González (RDS)
T4: Recording, production and marketing of indigenous crop varieties Participants: A Crespo OEVV
(MARM), C Jorda, J Taylor, G Garcia (SERIDA), M Jamilena (UAL)
Mod: G Garcia (SERIDA)
13h15 P5: The need to harmonize the CAP to the conservation of biodiversity
C PEIT (ADENA / WWF) Mod: Pend
Organic food 14h00
16h00 P5: Agricultural Biodiversity legislative experiences in Italy MF Nonne (AIAB) Mod: F Varela (INIA / RDS)
16h45 Workshops
T5: Local production of varieties and forest biodiversity
Participants: M Santiago (RDS Euskadi) and other
Mod: A Rodriguez (RDS Cantabria)
T6: farmer knowledge and biodiversity, seeds and AE Participants: JJ Soriano (IFAPA, RDS)
A Perdomo (ULL, RCDS), JM Egea (RAERM / SEAE)
Mod: X Neira (SOGA / SEAE)
18h30 MR2: GM-free zones and cultivated biodiversity Participants: A Salazar (Eusko Jaurlaritza)
AL Alvarez (DG P Asturias Rural Development), JF Carrasco
(Greenpeace), A Suarez (SERMOFA) Mod: J Arce (DG Pol
Forest Asturias)
20h30 musical act at the Botanical Garden
Sunday November 1
09h00 P6: Biodiversity, traditional farming systems and climate change A Perdomo (ULL and RCDS)
Mod: M Brana (Department Rural Asturias)
09h00 T6: Simultaneous workshops
– Wheat and making bread old
– Development of Sidra TBD
– Grafts TBD
09h45 Q7: Campaign "Cultivate diversity. Sowing your rights "M Carrascosa (RADS)
Mod: S Casado (RDS)
11h00 Break
11h30 meeting of farmers / is wise / os
Mod: TBD
12.30 Sharing of workshops
Reading 13h15 Conclusions and closing
Technical Symposium XVI SEAE "Seed and Biodiversity in Organic Farming"
Collaboration: Red Seed "replanting and exchanging" each, COPA, SERIDA
Finance: ESF, Green Jobs Program, Biodiversity Foundation, Botanical Garden of Gijón, Ministry of Rural Asturias and the Hon. Ayuntamiento de Gijón