Goal Three: Advance Global Seed Banking 

ECHO will advance global seed banking by strengthening and building the capacity of a seed banking network. This goal is in response to specific unmet needs for access to, utilization of, and protection of appropriate seed options in many global contexts.

Our Seed Strategy works because we’re approaching agriculture differently. We promote seeds that are:

➡ Underutilized: According to the United Nations, more than 75% of the world’s food supply comes from just 12 different crops. By focusing on underutilized crops, we’re giving farmers more options that make sense for their environment and cultures.

➡ Adaptable: Small-scale farming is different than commercial production. Many farmers need to grow in difficult areas or drought-affected regions. We select and highlight seeds that can be used in a variety of difficult growing situations to improve food security and bring healing to the land.

➡ Sustainable: Sustainability is good for everyone. By teaching restorative methods and providing locally appropriate seeds that produce reliably, we’re helping people create a future that works with the land, not against it.

➡ Accessible: Through our Seed Banks, workers, farmers, and missionaries may request up to 10 free trial seed packets. These seed varieties can help families diversify their crops, improve nutrition, and boost incomes. 

Goal 3 Key Approached: 

• Create a community/NGO Seed Banking Network that shares successful options
• Increase capacity and amount of seed bank research
• Share seed banking options through events, trainings, publications, and videos.
• Evaluate seed banking options through the network. 

All approaches seek to give farming communities the opportunity to determine what plants have merit and value in order to reduce hunger and improve lives. By saving seeds, communities gain control: lower input costs, preserving high yield specimens for the following season, as well as preserving their culture/cuisines.