The Irish Seed Saver Association undertakes the important task of safeguarding native seed species outlawed by European legislation since the 1970s, writes David Allan
In 1845 Ireland was gripped by a national disaster, which became engrained in our nation's collective consciousness. The Famine lasted four years and caused the death of approximately one million people - more than a 10th of the population.
The Famine, caused by the spread of the Phytophthora infestans blight through the nationwide crop, inflicted so much devastation because there was no genetic bio-diversity in the Irish potato crop. At the time, farmers largely grew only one variety of potato, which enabled the spread of the blight. It became a prime example of the importance of seed preservation and crop biodiversity. Had there been more genetic diversity in the crop, the effects of the Famine would not have been so devastating.
Unfortunately, diversity in our nation's bio-genetics has been lost again in recent decades due to EU legislation, changing farming practices and economic factors. The Irish Seed Saver Association (ISSA), based in Scarriff, Co Clare, near Lough Derg, is charged with maintaining healthy samples of native crops and has developed an extensive seed bank of 600 native rare and endangered traditional agricultural crop varieties - seeds from species that have been outlawed by European legislation since the 1970s.
It is easier to buy (and maybe even to grow) cannabis than a Bushy cucumber or Winter Roscroft cabbage in Ireland. Such indigenous varieties became illegal as the seed industry grew and seed companies became bigger, creating a gap between the producer and the seeds' end user. European legislation was brought in the 1970s with the aim of standardising the seed industry. The perceived need for such legislation grew partly out of a wish to protect the consumer, by ensuring the quality and reliability of seeds for sale. This legislation ensured that seeds were tested for strength and reliability. Seed testing is expensive and varieties that were not tested were dropped from the European-approved list, making many native foodstuffs illegal to be bought, sold or grown.
According to Jo Newton, seed bank manager at ISSA, "the bulk of Ireland's native natural heritage has disappeared in the past century". In Ireland we now have fewer farms than we did 50 years ago; small farms have been taken over by bigger farms, which focus on livestock and cereal, creating a situation in which, according to Newton, "it only takes one dedicated farmer to die and their children not to continue with the family business for a number of endangered species to be lost".
WHEN WAS THE last time you saw peas in a pod in a supermarket? Due to the commercialisation and monopolisation of the agriculture industry, you cannot buy peas au naturel in supermarkets here any more because of a mechanised farming practice that discards the pods after harvesting.
In the past, farmers would collect the seed from their crops year after year in order to re-sow the following year. Species would build up a natural resistance to changing diseases, pests and climatic conditions. Over time this resulted in the evolution of different strains of crops, which were individually suited to the particular area in which they were grown, usually within a 60-mile radius. This genetic diversity ensured healthy crops that co-existed with diseases, pests, and plants in a balanced way and reduced the need for chemical intervention to ensure healthy crop production.
The global shrink in the seed gene pool has worked out well for the large chemical companies that now control seed manufacture. Four multinational corporations currently control 80 per cent of the world's seed industry. Many of the seeds that are commercially available are legally-protected hybrids, whose patents and use are licensed and controlled by the companies themselves.
ISSA, SET UP in 1991 by Anita Hayes, currently occupies 22 acres in Scarriff, Co Clare, and has another satellite research facility in Kilkenny. The project began in the founder's back garden, but it has grows with the help of dedicated volunteers, State funding and generous support from individuals over the years.
The organisation's website states that it is "a voluntary organisation dedicated to the location and preservation of traditional varieties of fruit and vegetables". It maintains a seed bank at its headquarters in Scarriff, where they maintain the genetic biodiversity of the indigenous seeds in its possession through the continued propagation and the distribution of these non-commercially available vegetable seeds, which go to registered members and growers in order to ensure a living agricultural legacy for future generations. The association has built working relationships over the years with similar institutes around the world through the search for native Irish varieties. Some of these have been found in German, Russian and British seed banks.
Apart from saving seeds, ISSA is in receipt of State funding to enable research projects for the preservation of Irish national apple varieties, cereal and flax. It re-established the collection of traditional native Irish apples after the original collection, instigated by the late Dr Keith Lamb, was destroyed in the early 1970s. The current collection holds all but 14 varieties of the original collection, a total of more than 140 varieties.
Prior to 1997, Ireland was the only country in Europe without a collection of native cereal varieties. ISSA now receives funding to continue its research into native Irish cereal from the Department of Agriculture.
It was also granted €5,000 by the Heritage Council, which is testament to the changing perception of what constitutes "heritage".
ISSA does not want to be a well-kept secret, and its gardens are open to the public. With that in mind, the association holds lectures, workshops and open days with the aim of increasing awareness of biodiversity.
www.irishseedsavers.ie