Why seed preservation?

Seeds are an indispensable source of life!

Cultivated seeds are heirlooms of our ancient cultures. A special heritage for our existence!

Why do we get seeds?

As it was before

For thousands of years, it was a matter of course to breed, store, and redistribute new plant varieties and exchange them with friends or acquaintances and also sell them on.

It was not uncommon for the breeding processes to take centuries to adapt the plants to the optimal local environmental conditions and to develop our cultivated seeds as we know it today from old and interesting varieties.

Until well into the 20th century. Throughout the century, it was a matter of course for countless farmers and gardeners to work together on agricultural diversity and the preservation of old seeds.

Green revolution

In the 1950s, however, under the pretext of food security, the "Green Revolution" developed, which brought the first high-yielding varieties to the market. The chemical and seed industry justified this with the fight against world hunger, which is even more present today than ever before (according to statistics, one person dies of hunger every 3 seconds).

Green genetic engineering

In the 1980s, "green genetic engineering" was born and began to spread. Laboratory methods are used to intervene in the genetic material of plants. Genetically modified crops have been grown commercially since 1996. Around 12% of the world's arable land is already planted with genetically modified plants.

What was once a harmonious and logically comprehensible process in harmony with nature is now devastating for humans, animals and nature due to the uncontrollability and unpredictability of "green genetic engineering".

Global market

While in 1985 there were about 7,000 seed companies worldwide, each accounting for about 1% of the world market, by 2013 there were already 10 seed companies controlling 85% of the world market. 95% of today's vegetable seeds in Europe alone come from just 5 seed companies.

Strategies of corporations

Well-known seed companies in Europe are Monsanto [Bayer] (USA), Bayer Crop Sc. (D) and Syngenta (CH). The strategies of these corporations are to buy up other companies and develop varieties with high pesticide and fertilizer requirements, so-called "hybrids". Hybrid seeds would be reseeded in the 2nd period. show significant changes in characteristics. As a result, they stand out enormously from the original variety and no longer have any previous qualities. This has led to a complete fundamental dependence of farmers, gardeners and all people on seed companies.

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We set an example and receive professionally qualitative old reproducible seeds

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States (FAO) estimates that 75% of agricultural diversity has already been lost.

Demonstrations around the world

People around the world have already launched initiatives and demonstrations to oppose the privatization of seeds.

Due to the monopolarization of the global seed market, 10 seed companies account for around 85 percent of the global market And decide what we can all eat.

Seeds - Restrictions

The significantly increasing restrictions on plant varieties or even bans are still increasing today. According to the Seed Act, seeds may currently only be placed on the market in EU countries if the respective variety is registered and entered in a list of varieties. The conditions for the registration of varieties are 'uniformity', 'stability' and they must be clearly 'distinguishable' from varieties already registered, i.e. economically (the so-called DUS criteria). Taste, healthy ingredients and variety don't matter.

Varieties that are protected by the “Variety Protection Act”, “patent protection” or as “biologically patented hybrid varieties” are no longer common property. These may no longer be used or reproduced by people for their own purposes.

Endangered vegetables

Due to this orientation of the corporations, which many are not yet aware of, our beloved vegetable varieties and cottage garden flowers are threatened with extinction in addition to our native animal species and wild plants.

In view of this situation, it is an absolute necessity for us to preserve old cultural and heirloom seeds independently and to disseminate them through our website or through market visits.

Potentialities

Together we can change that! This is one of the reasons why 'Benji seeds' was founded. We inform, bring people together, build independent infrastructures together, remind ourselves of our potential and connect into one big family. A family that acts in the interests of nature and universal life.

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