Seed and Knowledge Initiative - SKI

28/05/2026

Biowatch SA a SKI Partner is hosting a Webinar: Examining opportunities for agroecology in the South African school nutrition programme
Thursday 11 June 11:00-12:30

Please Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/uuFZfAAwT8OPk7zFEBMAFQ

You can download the Biowatch Research Paper here:
https://biowatch.org.za/download/national-school-nutrition-programme/

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WEBINAR: Examining opportunities for agroecology in the South African school nutrition programme
Thursday 11 June 11:00-12:30
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/uuFZfAAwT8OPk7zFEBMAFQ
You can download the Biowatch Research Paper here:
https://biowatch.org.za/download/national-school-nutrition-programme/

28/05/2026

New Podcast Series: Agroecology and Biodiversity
Supported by the Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI) and developed by the DSTI NRF Bio-economy Chair at the University of Cape Town (UCT), this podcast mini-series delves into the intricate links between agroecology and biodiversity. Host Zayaan Khan interviews an eclectic range of speakers from the southern African region, probing their deep knowledge of biodiversity. Set against the backdrop of accelerating biodiversity loss, the series unpacks the multiple threats facing biodiversity and discusses ways of overcoming these through the adoption of approaches grounded in agroecology.
Please follow the link below to listen to our first episode on Agroecology and Insects. Also available on Pocket Casts, Castbox and Podcast Addict. Soon to be released on Apple Podcasts.
(Three more episodes to follow - they will be released every fortnight)
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033eRWE0eKk0XpxFCybqUM?si=Qp2VoyF_Q9yOigoUqmeNDg&nd=1&dlsi=5f3752ead7e04a34


Brot für die Welt SwedBio Agroecology Fund Biowatch SA AFSA PELUM Kenya Association Biovision Foundation Grassroots International Knowledge Hub for Organic Agriculture in Southern Africa La Via Campesina Southern and Eastern Africa The Gaia Foundation McKnight Foundation

Podcast · The Seed and Knowledge Initiative · Supported by the Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI) and developed by the DSTI NRF Bio-economy Chair at the University of Cape Town (UCT), this podcast mini-series delves into the intricate links between agroecology and biodiversity. Host Zayaan Khan i...

28/05/2026

Thanks to our partner in Zambia Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre for sharing this.

At the Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI), we believe that seed sovereignty is the foundation of food sovereignty. Indigenous seeds are more than just grains, they carry the knowledge, heritage, and resilience of farming communities passed down through generations. By preserving and planting diverse local seed varieties, farmers strengthen biodiversity, protect cultural identity, and build climate-resilient food systems for the future.

Across Southern Africa, SKI works with smallholder farmers to strengthen farmer-led seed systems, revive indigenous knowledge, and promote agroecology as a pathway to healthy communities and resilient ecosystems. Every seed tells a story of survival, hope, and the power of communities to shape their own food systems.

Let us celebrate and protect the beauty, diversity, and wisdom held in our seeds

Beauty in One Basket!

Different colours, different varieties, one shared purpose: nourishment, resilience, and heritage. Indigenous seeds are more than just crops; they are a symbol of biodiversity, farmers’ knowledge, and climate resilience passed down through generations.

By preserving and planting indigenous seed varieties, farmers protect their right to seed sovereignty, strengthen food security, and build systems that can withstand changing climates. Every seed tells a story of culture, survival, and hope for future generations.

Photo: Seed and Knowledge Initiative - SKI



- SKI Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity

13/05/2026

is at the heart of . The ability to access, save, breed and exchange diverse, locally-adapted seed, enables farmers to choose what to produce, and how it is produced.

This is seed sovereignty, and it’s why we need farmer-led seed systems for food sovereignty.

Biowatch works with agroecology farmers and civil society organisations to revive and strengthen farmers’ seed systems.

Video produced by Seed and Knowledge Initiative - SKI partner in South Africa Biowatch SA

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Seed is at the heart of agroecology. The ability to access, save, breed and exchange diverse, locally-adapted seed, enables farmers to choose what to produce...

08/05/2026

Sharing a radio extract featuring Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre Director Fr. Claus Recktenwald SJ as he highlights the Centre’s work in promoting sustainable organic farming and its continued support to smallholder farmers in surrounding communities.

Through training, farmer outreach, and agroecological practices, KATC remains committed to promoting sustainable agriculture and strengthening community livelihoods.

06/05/2026

Mr. Royd Michelo is one of the Seed and Knowledge Initiative - SKI champion who works closely with Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre and our other Zambian partners.

06/05/2026

You’ve saved seeds for years. You cross two local varieties to develop something even better suited to your soil. Under UPOV 91, that new variety could still belong to a corporation.

UPOV 91 introduces the concept of “essentially derived varieties” (EDVs) . If a company holds rights to a parent variety, any new variety that is “essentially derived” from it – even if you bred it yourself on your own land – can be claimed by the original rights holder.

This legal trap locks farmers out of the innovation they’ve practiced for generations. It turns seed saving from a right into a legal minefield.


Community Technology Development Trust-zambia. Mizu Eco-Care Khumbilo agroecology media services Green Living Movement (GLM) Green Fox Organics Caritas Zambia Care For Nature Zambia SCOPE Zambia a member of Rescope Programme NET Regional Schools and Colleges Permaculture Programme Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre Natures Organic Foods Care For Nature Zambia National Union for Small Scale Farmers of Zambia - Nusfaz AFSA Seed and Knowledge Initiative - SKI Agroecology Fund

26/04/2026

It’s no coincidence that International Seed Day and World Intellectual Property Day fall on the same date.

Today we celebrate seeds – but under UPOV 91, intellectual property law is used to patent life. Minor modifications turn ancestral seeds developed by generations of farmers into exclusive corporate assets. This is biopiracy.

Zambia’s current Plant Breeders Rights Act (2007) already balances breeders’ rights with farmers’ rights. We don’t need UPOV 91.