Samiksha Basnet. Globally, agriculture is critical for food security and source of livelihood for more than half of the populations. In the current scenario, agricultural productivity and food security have been greatly affected by climate change.

Erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, floods, heatwaves, and the emergence of new pests and diseases are forcing farmers to the crisis.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC,2022) forewarns that agricultural productivity in many developing countries could decline sharply affecting the global food production systems if climate resilient practices are not adopted to tackle the changing climate and it's impact on agricultural system. In such

threatening context, the endurance of farming community depends on their ability to adapt crop varieties to local environmental changes while maintaining productivity and nutritional value.

Indigenous seed system, also known as informal, farmer-led seed system is the traditional practices where farmers save, exchange their own harvested seed, and
improve locally adapted seeds.

This practice has been at the heart of such adaptation for centuries (Shrestha et al., 2013). These systems are deeply linked with ecological knowledge, cultural practices, and biodiversity conservation. Unlike many commercial hybrid seeds or genetically modified seed, indigenous and local seeds have co-evolved with their environments, resulting in their strength to cope with drought, pest, marginalized soil, and other several biotic and abiotic stress (FAO,2019).

They can thrive well on fewer external inputs, making them selectively suitable for low-resource farmers and environmental threats.

Importance of Indigenous Seed Systems

Indigenous seeds are often pollinated, genetically diverse, and adapted to local soils and climates, enabling them to withstand climatic stresses such as droughts, floods, and pest outbreaks (Dash, 2025). Diversity present in farmer-led selected seeds enables them to function as a natural buffer against the unpredictability of climate change.

These seeds typically perform well without high chemical inputs, supporting sustainable and agroecological farming approaches. With resilient properties of indigenous seeds, indigenous farming system can contribute to food security and nutritional well-being. Those seed systems reduce the reliance of farmers on external seed, markets that often impose economic burden.

Indigenous seed systems not only possess agricultural and ecological value but also strengthen social bonds through seed exchange networks. Cultivation of indigenous seed is also linked with culture and tradition of concerned communities.

Indigenous seed systems maintain a wide pool of genetic resources, which can be used as breeding materials for improved seed production to cope with adverse
climatic conditions and help in stable agricultural production with locally adaptable improved seeds. Those seeds will reduce the dependence on synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides supporting natural ecosystems and hence reduce the harmful chemical impact on environment.

Furthermore, their cultivation contributes to carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation, which are critical ecosystem services for climate mitigation and adaptation (IPES-Food,2016).

Threats to Indigenous Seed System

Despite their ecological and cultural value, indigenous seed systems face multiple threats in the modern agricultural landscape.

The rapid expansion of hybrid and genetically modified seeds has led to the erosion of local varieties, as farmers are often encouraged or pressured to adopt uniform, high-yielding cultivars.

This shift not only reduces genetic diversity but also increases dependency on external inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation, undermining the sustainability of traditional farming practices. Moreover, globalization and commercialization of agriculture have allowed large corporations to monopolize seed markets through patents and intellectual property rights, limiting farmers’ access to their own seed resources (IPES-Food, 2016).

Strategies for Reviving Indigenous Seeds

Reviving indigenous seed systems requires a holistic approach that integrates ecological, social, and policy dimensions. One of the most effective strategies is
the establishment of community seed banks, which act as repositories of local varieties while facilitating farmer-to-farmer seed exchange and collective conservation (FAO, 2019).

Strengthening farmer cooperatives and seed networks ensure greater autonomy and reduce reliance on corporate-controlled seed systems. At the policy level, governments and institutions must recognize the importance of indigenous seeds by promoting supportive frameworks, providing incentives for local seed conservation, and protecting farmers’ rights to save and exchange seeds (IPES-Food, 2016).

Conclusion

The revival of indigenous seed systems represents more than a return to tradition—it is a forward-looking approach that integrates biodiversity conservation, agroecology, and community empowerment to address the pressing challenges of climate change. By strengthening the resilience of smallholder farmers, safeguarding ecosystem services, and preserving cultural identity, indigenous seed systems form the backbone of climate-resilient farming. To secure
future food systems, policymakers, researchers, and farming communities must collaborate to recognize, protect, and promote indigenous seeds as vital assets for
sustainable agriculture and global food security.

References

Dash, A. K. (2025). Preserving biodiversity through indigenous farming practices:Toward a community-owned entrepreneurial model of seed conservation.
Atmashakti Trust. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2019). The state of the world’s biodiversity for food and agriculture. Rome: FAO. Retrieved from

https://openknowledge.fao.org/

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2022). Climate change 2022: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Cambridge University Press.
Shrestha, P., et al. (2013). Enhancing the contribution of community seed banks to climate change adaptation. Development in Practice, 23(3), 370–384.
IPES-Food. (2016). From uniformity to diversity: A paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems. International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems.