HSEM2623H: Biopiracy and seed for the post apocalypse: Genebanks, Genetic Diversity, and Identity

Our world food supply faces a variety of threats: changing climates, precipitation, and disease pressures; evolving pathogens; depleted soils; even nuclear war. Our best methods for responding to these threats involve making use of crop biodiversity. To that end, genebanks collect and preserve diverse crop accessions. In order to be effective, genebank curators have to make decisions about what to preserve. Those decisions are both scientific and cultural and like any such decisions have their critics and detractors. We will discuss genetic markers and measures for population diversity and how such tools can be leveraged to gain knowledge about crop diversity, make management decisions, and create improved varieties. However, food is cultural, and for many our relationship to crops is central to identity. Therefore, we will also examine who is privileged and left out of dominant narratives, and explore alternate ways of understanding crop diversity and preservation. Finally, we will explore two case studies. The first is Seed Savers in Decorah Iowa and its ties to Midwest Agrarianism. The second is two related Peruvian organizations: The International Potato Center and Parque de la Papa. Both of these organizations preserve Peruvian native potatoes, one as part of an international NGO using the latest genetic techniques and one using traditional agricultural practices in six associated Quechua communities.

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