Necessity of seed bank in biodiversity conservation and its condition in Nepal

A seed bank stores seed to preserve genetic diversity, hence it is a type of gene bank. It is one of the best practice of ex situ biodiversity preservation. A seed bank stores genes that plant breeders need to increase yield, disease resistance, drought tolerance, nutritional quality, taste etc of crops. Seed bank also called as seed libraries where we can get detailed information about seed ; it’s evolution ,quality ,productivity and present situation.

The importance of seed bank was realized since centuries ago. Nikolai Vavilov (1887–1943) was a Russian geneticist and botanist who, through botanic-agronomic expeditions, collected seeds from all over the world. He set up one of the first seed banks, in Leningrad (now St Petersburg), which survived the 28-month Siege of Leningrad in World War II. Though first seed bank survived a short time but it created concept and magnifies its importance in near future. On recent data there are more than 1000 highly sophisticated seed bank globally. The developed countries are giving more concern to seed bank than developing countries. Seed bank forestall the seed shortage and limitations problem in upcoming future. The perfect seed bank must have the provision of periodic evaluation of viability of seed and its multiplication programme.

As we all are known that Nepal is rich in biodiversity because of its climate, topography, ecological niches but we are lagging on its preservation. We are all proud saying Nepal is rich in biodiversity but who preserves it is big concern. If we are lagging in its preservation our generation won’t be able to say Nepal is rich in biodiversity.

To forestall this upcoming problem , Nepal has established National Agriculture Genetic Resource Centre (NAGRC), under Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) in Khumaltar .Realizing the significance of long-term conservation of agricultural plant genetic resources for food security, GON has established NAGRC, genebank under NARC in September 2010 with the mission of conservation and sustainable use of agricultural genetic resources for sustained agricultural growth and livelihood enhancement . Though it has high vision and objective but it failed to run in smooth and in sophisticated way due to many more reasons behind it.. Some of the reasons are it is unable to collaborate with community seed bank of Nepal another is budget problem in this sector.

Community seed bank are running actively , effectively and smoothly in different parts of Nepal. Currently according to data there are 115 registered seed in Nepal running locally. Different non governmental organization are supporting and play important role in establishment. The main NGOs which have been supporting are LI-BIRD, PIM, IFPRI, CCAFS, CIAT etc. Community seed nak are also facing problems of technician, budgeting , expansion and many more. The governmental sector must be concerned about that. There is huge diversity of seed in different areas of Nepal to conserve them, community seed bank should be extended to different areas of Nepal .

Writer: Chetan Khanal (Student, Bsc ag 4th sem, Paklihawa Campus)