ACTIONS
- Protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage
- Learning and educational opportunities
- Cultural participation/social inclusion
- Sustainable tourism
- Support research
- Employment (recruiting, training, safety)
- Energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions
- Waste management and reduction
- Transport (forms of, energy use)
- Commercial activities including copyright and IP
- Governance and management
- Security, disaster preparedness, risk reduction
- External partnerships and collaborations
- Publication/report
- Toolkit/framework/roadmap
- Sign-post to other resource (database)
- Case studies
Saving Our Seeds
Intended Audience
People, networks and organizations involved in setting up, developing and making use of community seed saving activities, whether as seed banks (which preserve seeds), or seed libraries (where people can ‘check out’ seeds, and return them with replacement seeds at the end of the growing season)
- Charlotte Dove, UNISDR
“Global food supply is almost entirely reliant on seeds but seed diversity is under threat. The loss of seed diversity means that our food system is becoming increasing vulnerable, for example, to extreme weather conditions and pests.
I became aware of the threat to seed diversity through the work of London Freedom Seed Bank, a network of food growers dedicated to saving, storing and distributing seed. I was inspired by their commitment to creating a local supply of seed for London and became involved with their activities….
The aim of the research was to understand the relative impact of different community seed projects, in terms of how they protect seed diversity, in order to support community seed saving practices in the UK.”
Avaiable in
- English
SDGs LINKAGES
The resource is most strongly linked to SDGs 2.3 (Double the productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers) and 2.4 (sustainable food production and resilient agricultural practices) and 2.5 (maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants, animals and related wild species), but implementing its recommendations also contributes to targets linked to training and education (SDGs 4.4, 4.7, 12.8, 13.3), legal aspects of access to genetic resources as a shared heritage (SDGs 1.4, 15.6), protection of plant and animal diversity as a shared heritage (SDGs 11.4, 15.5). ‘Development of locally adapted varieties’ can contribute to Disaster Risk Reduction and climate change adaptation (SDGs 1.5, 2.4, 11.5, 11.B, 13.1, 13.3). ‘Supporting the marketplace for local seed’ supports SDG 8.3 (job creation) 8.9 (sustainable tourism). ‘Supporting and creating networks’ contributes to SDGS 11.A, 17.16 and 17.17. Development of collections facilities that support affordable and fair access supports SDG 9.1. Research on such collections supports SDG 9.5, and support for such facilities in developing countries contributes to SDG 9.A. Support for any such activities in or relating to least developed countries supports SDG 13.B.
Click on the SDG Target to discover Our Collections Matter indicators
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Numbers and proportions of people from particular groups using collections in comparison with demographics in broader society.
- Numbers of people accessing collections.
- Number of targeted programmes that aim to enhance access to collections by disadvantaged groups.
- Sustainable tourism that enhances local communities’ access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property (including cultural and natural heritage), as well as to technology and markets.
- Involvement of people from disadvantaged groups in decision-making activities and processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of collecting programmes that aim to build resilience to climate-related events and other shocks and disasters, for example by forming collections that can contribute to related educational and research programmes.
- Number of educational programmes drawing on collections that incorporate resilience perspectives.
- Number of targeted programmes drawing on collections that are aimed at vulnerable groups, to build their resilience to climate-related and other shocks and disasters.
- Number of research programmes drawing on collections that are aimed at building resilience to climate-related and other shocks and disasters.
- Strengthen the resilience of employees, communities and suppliers by paying at a minimum the living wage and offering insurance to employees and their families, such as accident insurance; and by paying fair prices to all suppliers.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Collections development that can support programmes related to small-scale food producers, for example by ensuring that traditional knowledge is preserved and maintained.
- Number of educational, awareness-raising, research and partnership programmes based on collections that support small-scale food producers, both in terms of supporting the producers themselves, and that support others to support them.
- Policies and plans in place to ensure that tourism activities support (and do not infringe upon) people’s rights of access to land for agricultural purposes.
- Provide markets for small-scale food producers’ products.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Collections development related to sustainable food production where appropriate.
- Number of educational and awareness-raising programmes incorporating sustainable food production perspectives, and that aim to reduce the impact of disasters on communities.
- Number of targeted programmes that support those most exposed and vulnerable to disasters, whether locally or farther afield.
- Number of research activities drawing on collections that relate to resilient agricultural practices, helping mitigate and adapt to climate change, flooding and other disasters.
- Policies and plans in place to eliminate unsustainable food production from supply chains and in any food provision in collections-based institutions.
- Number of partnership activities drawing on collections that contribute to Disaster Risk Reduction plans, supporting resilient agricultural practices, and helping mitigate and adapt to climate change, flooding and other disasters.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Collections development related to genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants, farmed and domesticated animals (notably of local or at-risk varieties) and related wild species, for example in herbaria, museums, seed and gene banks, and seed libraries.
- Number of educational programmes related to genetic diversity of domesticated plants, animals and wild relatives.
- Number of educational programmes related to fair and equitable benefits of use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, following international agreements (e.g. Nagoya Protocol).
- Number of educational and awareness programmes for people to ensure that they are aware of their rights and protections in terms of traditional knowledge, and exploitation of genetic resources.
- Number of research activities that help understand traditional knowledge, and genetic diversity of crop plants and animals.
- Ensure that producers of crop plants and animals are fairly compensated.
- Policies and procedures in place to ensure seed banks are soundly managed, in terms of risk management and emergency planning.
- Policies and procedures in place to ensure legal compliance with fair and equitable benefits of use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, following international agreements (e.g. Nagoya Protocol).
- Number of partnerships at national, regional and international levels, as appropriate, to soundly manage seed and plant banks.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of collecting initiatives that aim to build capacity for risk reduction to national and global health risks, for example by storing and preserving collections that may be of use in post-disaster scenarios, or that can be used in early warning and risk communication activities.
- Number of educational programmes incorporating perspectives on early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
- Number of awareness raising programmes that target marginalized and vulnerable groups most exposed to health risks.
- Plans in place for early warning, risk reduction and management to national and global health risks.
- Relationships and partnerships in place for risk reduction and management in light of national and global health risks.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of young people and adults in skills-development activities and programmes drawing on collections, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
- Increase in number of young people and adults in such programmes.
- Number and proportion of staff who have received training in the last year, to better support their contribution to the SDGs.
- Programs and processes in place to ensure the availability of a skilled workforce.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Numbers of people in each type of programme drawing on collections from different demographic groups.
- Increases in numbers of people in each type of programme from different demographic groups.
- Proportion of people involved in such programmes in relation to overall audience size.
- Evidence that learners have acquired knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Development-oriented policies in place for the range of activities, or development-oriented considerations are included in other policies.
- Number of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises supported.
- Number and proportion of formalised arrangements with micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.
- Total value of financial services or financial support provided to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Numbers of jobs created or supported that relate to sustainable tourism drawing on local products (e.g. craft producers).
- Develop and implement plans to reduce and remove negative impacts of tourism.
- Numbers of activities and/or products drawing on local culture.
- Value to artisans and source communities of activities and products drawing on local culture.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Development of research-useful collections to support reliable, sustainable and resilient use by researchers and others.
- Number and proportion of collections facilities and stores that support economic development and human well-being.
- Number and proportion of collections facilities and stores that provide affordable and equitable access for all.
- Investment in collections facilities.
- Inclusion of collections information in regional and transborder initiatives, notably via digital access for discoverability.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and proportion of collections facilities that effectively support research and researchers.
- Number and proportion of staff who are appropriately skilled to undertake and support collections-based research.
- Expenditure on initiatives to enhance and upgrade collections facilities.
- Numbers of staff engaged in supporting and developing research use based on collections.
- Number of initiatives to encourage innovation drawing on collections.
- Increase in number of research and development workers per 1 million people.
- Increase in public and private research and development spending being used to develop and make use of collections.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place to support development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure in developing countries through financial, technological and technical support, for example through: i. joint projects, ii. funding bids, iii. sharing equipment, collections and collections information as appropriate, iv. in order to support development of high-quality infrastructures for sustainable development, research and innovation.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Total expenditure (public and private) per capita spent on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by type of heritage.
- Plans, policies and procedures in place for the safe use of collections for a variety of purposes, protecting and safeguarding both collections and those who use them.
- Plans, policies and procedures in place for the identification, safeguarding and protection of cultural and natural heritage at risk.
- Collecting programmes in place to protect, safeguard and make use of cultural and natural heritage, addressing the needs of communities and stakeholders, and ensuring that collections can be an effective resource for sustainable development.
- Number and diversity of educational, awareness-raising, research programmes, and partnerships that aim to strengthen protection of cultural and natural heritage.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Collections-based research that supports the understanding and management of disasters of all kinds.
- Plans in place for public education and awareness drawing on collections and collections-based institutions to reduce exposure and vulnerability to disasters of all kinds.
- Plans in place to ensure collections-based institutions steadily work to reduce their contributions to disaster risk, for example by reducing pollution and waste of all kinds.
- Plans in place to ensure collections-based institutions, and people related to them (including workers) are protected from economic losses as a result of disasters.
- Plans in place to provide special support/protection to poor and vulnerable people and groups in and following disasters.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Considerations of regional economic, social and environmental trends and risks incorporated into collecting institutions’ planning.
- Participation in local and regional planning, to foster access to services, cultural participation, prevent exclusion, and support equitable urbanisation.
- Ensure data collection and metrics can be useful for planning in conjunction with other sectors and between urban and rural areas.
- Number of outreach and other activities that promote awareness and accessibility of collecting institutions in urban and rural areas, and that promote awareness of regional development plans and risks, with opportunities for people and communities to input into such plans.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030a.
- Disaster Risk Reduction strategies and plans in place, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, to ensure collecting institutions and collections are factored into planning, and contribute effectively to Disaster Risk Reduction.
- Collections-based institutions included in local plans for social inclusion, resource use, and Disaster Risk Reduction.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment.
- Extent to which global citizenship education and education for sustainable development (including climate change education) are mainstreamed in formal, informal and non-formal education programmes and activities drawing on and related to collections.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place for near and longer term to withstand and actively adapt to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Plans in place to enhance positive contributions to addressing climate change through use of collections. Plans in place to ensure collections, collections institutions and broader society can adapt effectively to climate change.
- Plans in place for effective education and awareness raising on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
- Plans in place to reduce negative contributions of collections-related functions, e.g. measuring greenhouse emissions with plans and targets in place to reduce them.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number of initiatives (educational, awareness-raising, research, and/or partnerships) drawing on collections and collections-based institutions that build capacity for climate change planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States.
- Number of targeted initiatives drawing on collections and collections-based institutions aimed at building capacity for women, youth and local and marginalized communities in least developed countries and small island developing States.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and proportion of habitats, notably endangered habitats, and species with favourable conservation status, with special reference to locally, nationally and globally endangered species.
- Information on, programmes relating to, collections development, and partnerships relating to habitats and species drawing on collections in place, to support their protection and continued existence.
- Measures taken to enhance biodiversity value of green space associated with collections institutions.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Policies, plans and agreements in place for access and benefit sharing relating to use of collections, in line with the Nagoya Protocol (notably relating to natural history collections, gene banks, tissue banks, seed banks).
- Effective communication and dissemination methods in place to promote access to resources, and access to relevant policies, plans and agreements, in place.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of global and international multi-stakeholder partnerships that share collection-related knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources to address the SDGs, or that otherwise involve collections-based organisations and institutions.
- Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of global and international multi-stakeholder partnerships involving developing countries that share collection-related knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources to address the SDGs.
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Our Collections Matter indicators:
- Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships.
- Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of local, national and regional multi-stakeholder (public, public-private and civil society) partnerships that address the SDGs drawing on collections, or that otherwise involve collections-based organisations and institutions.