Since antiquity seed selection, saving and exchange has been part of farmer seed system. In common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), this could probably date back 8000 years, when it domesticated in South Andean and Middle Americas (Gepts and Debouck, 1991). In Africa, bean seed system is of a recent origin probably since its introduction in 16th or 17th century (Gentry, 1969). Farmers have developed farming practices adapted to local conditions by preserving and exploiting useful alleles in bean improvement and seed supply. This is based on selection for diversity that meet farmers ecological, nutritional and socio-economic needs either from existing or variability created on-farm through natural mutation, out-crossing within varieties and between wild relatives, seed saving and exchange (inter and intra-community) via social networks in a continuous process of varietal evolution. This has created and maintained considerable on-farm diversity. However, the bean seed system in South Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional (SNNPR) state of Ethiopia is suffering from lack of choices, environmental and social changes. This calls for the attention of plant breeders and development practitioners. This article highlights efforts to revitalize local bean seed system in the SNNPR.
展开▼
