Rivera, Destiny
This article examines
the role that seed libraries can play in refugee communities and many other
marginalized communities. A substantial percentage of refugees come from
lands and cultures in which growing food is a part of their daily life and
ritual. This practice of self-sufficiency is not only a means to lower living
expenses, but is often a value deeply embedded within the culture and hearts of
the people. Perhaps refugees were land-tenders or farmers. Then they come to a new
country, subjected to new cultural codes, and an American society that can be
so disconnected from the land. They have a deep relationship and reliance on
the land and being able to grow food on their own. They are accustomed to food
sovereignty. When they are deprived of access to land, this can often
contribute to feelings of alienation and isolation. Seed libraries, thus, allow
individuals to “retain a sense of cultural heritage and identity”.
Another community and population that could be deeply impacted by the
presence of seed libraries within the public library are indigenous
populations. Ethnobiologist and co-founder of Native Seeds/SEARCH, Gary Nabhan,
says that
“[he was] told by members of local tribes that traditional food
crops were in danger of disappearing — and that tribal members’ health could
benefit from their return. Today, Native Seeds/SEARCH safeguards some 1,900
accessions of domesticated crops and wild relatives, related to the
agricultural practices of more than 50 indigenous groups, as well as Hispanic
communities and Anglo settlers. Tribal communities in the region have free
access to seeds. Native Seeds/SEARCH also teaches workshops where students
learn to use, save and share local food plants”.
Native Seeds/SEARCH collaborated with the Pima
County Public Library to establish a seed bank that has been able to touch the
lives of many and transform the cultural values of a community. Native
Seeds/SEARCH is a “globally known regional seed saving organization that
specializes in conserving and sharing desert-adapted landraces”. Nabhan also
goes on to say,
“Sometimes
the heirloom vegetable movement gets rarified, that it’s only for the gourmet.
But it’s really an indigenous and immigrant movement. It’s in the households of
the poor who can’t afford high water bills, whose kids need diverse nutrition”
(Kapoor 2017).
In addition, this article presents the role of
technology in seed library procedures. Kapoor states that “aspiring gardeners
can look up varieties electronically, put seeds on reserve and check out 10
packs at a time”. The accessibility of seeds by digital means is a truly
powerful testament of our times, merging old traditions with new.
