Conserving biodiversity at EWS

The current status of biodiversity is a matter of great concern. We are seeing an unprecedented decline in biodiversity with nearly a million animal and plant species now threatened with extinction according to a United Nations scientific report. Human-induced changes to the environment—such as habitat loss, resource overexploitation, pollution, invasive species introduction, and climate change—are a major contributor to biodiversity loss.

"The loss of biodiversity threatens our global ecosystem, food security and public health. It is our  shared responsibility to  spread awareness on the importance of biodiversity as our insurance to securing food and health for the future generations. We need to act now to halt or reverse biodiversity loss by understanding and promoting the sustainable use of our biological resources," shared Dr. Marilyn Belarmino, East-West Seed Genetic Resource Manager.

Preserving genetic diversity

Seeds hold the power to regenerate species, promote biodiversity and help ecosystems adjust to a constantly changing environment. In an effort to conserve agricultural biodiversity and ensure the sustainability of our planet, East-West Seed through our Genetic Resource Management Function supports the Centre for Genetic Resources, an international genebank in the Netherlands, and local gene banks in the Philippines and in Indonesia. We are regenerating their seed collections to ensure that these are preserved for future generations. 

We likewise acquire diverse germplasm, including wild crop relatives and heirlooms, from gene banks, research institutions, and other sources to support our pre-breeding, breeding and research programs. By doing so, East-West Seed actively supports the preservation of these materials to ensure that they do not disappear as farmers switch to more improved varieties in their attempt to combat the effects of climate change.

Practising seed diversity

East-West Seed promotes planting diverse crops to our farmers. When farmers cultivate a variety of crops, they create a more complex and diverse ecosystem that can support a wider range of wildlife, insects, and microorganisms. This, in turn, can help maintain a healthy balance in the ecosystem, and promote biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. 

Our East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer team established a technical support hub in Chiangmai, Thailand, which demonstrates planting diversity and crop rotation, along with sustainable farming practices.

Supporting sustainable agriculture

With the aim to balance the needs of our smallholder farmers, their communities, the economy, and the environment, East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer provides sustainable vegetable production techniques through our demo fields. We advocate sustainable agriculture practices such as organic or low-input farming methods, agroforestry, rotating crops to maintain soil health and fertility, conserving water and energy, minimizing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and supporting local food systems.

By promoting sustainable agriculture, we help conserve natural resources, protect biodiversity, while promoting economic growth and social equity.