Saving our seeds for the future

An Australian couple is in the country to launch a film promoting the planting and growth of traditional food in the Pacific. Seed Savers’ Network directors Michel and Jude Fanton shot the film, "Our Seeds: Seeds Blong Yumi" in Spain, France, Italy, India, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

The Fantons will launch the film at the Moresby Arts Theatre next Monday and are hopeful that it will be a useful tool for locals who grow food and other plants from seeds. Seed farmers based in Byron Bay, Sydney, Australia, the Fantons have a passion for saving seeds and growing plants. They have been encouraging Australians to save seeds through the establishment of Seed Savers’ Network at the Seed Centre in Byron Bay.

Yes, seeds! Handful of the future

The centre has a seed bank, offices, botanical library and an acre of gardens.The seed bank receives rare seeds, tests, trials, documents, multiplies and redistributes seeds to farmers and gardeners. They have also penned their experiences in three books: The Seed Savers’ Handbook, Local Seed Network Manual and Seed to Seed-Food Garden in Schools.The Fantons have sold 45,000 copies of the Seed Savers’ Handbook. They have also produced brochures and posters on saving seeds.

They have travelled to various places in the world including Cape Town in South Africa, Palau, Cambodia, Timor Leste, Samoa and Vanuatu helping locals.Most of their work is centred on urban agriculture using local knowledge to promote nutrition in traditional fruits and vegetables. More information on the Seed Savers’ Network can be obtained from the website:-http://www.seedsavers.net/.


By JACQUELINE KAPIGENO of The National

*** The Fantons work efforts are highly commendable. Papua New Guinea being one of the tropical paradise in the Northern Hemispehre offers varieties of seeds for consumption as well as planting.

The great work of the Fantons will boost the efforts of the bulk of our population who depend mainly on seeds for planting as well as help them recognise useful seeds for planting.

For a highlight of the Fantons filim titled "Seeds Bilong Yumi", and seeds samples found in Papua New Guinea and around the world. Click here!