Fight market concentration in the seed sector
A few international companies have divided up the control over the global market for seed. In the past few decades many small seed producers have disappeared, absorbed by larger companies. This concentration process is still going on.
Promote food security through diversity
The trend towards seed monopolies threatens food security and restrains the ability of agriculture to adapt to climate change. Seed companies breed crop varieties to be uniform. This reduces plant diversity and increases the dependence of our food and agriculture on a few international companies.
Restore crop seeds as a common good
Seed used to be a common good: it was so for thousands of years. All over the world, crops have been cultivated, enhanced and bred by farmers. This practice resulted in a rich diversity of crops and varieties that belonged to all and was used without any restrictions. Only in the last century did seed start to be privatised. This trend has produced the monopolies of today.
Seed must be utilised freely
We are a group of plant breeders, agronomists, lawyers and commons activists who fight for the free use of seed. Free access to seed is the basis for diversity in plant breeding as well as of crops and their varieties.
Agriculture is changing. We have to achieve a balance between intensifying production and protecting our natural resources: soils, water and seed. This calls for a more ecological approach to farming, because that is the only way to achieve sustainable production. The findings from agroecology are clear: a uniform agriculture is exactly the opposite of what is needed.
Instead of relying on a dwindling number of crop types, we need a wider range of crops in our fields. And instead of growing only a few varieties over a large area, we need lots of different varieties. Ecologically oriented agriculture means looking at which crops grow well where. Only if the varieties are suited to the local conditions they will produce good yields without lots of fertilizer, pesticides and irrigation water.
Develop varieties for the future
We need not only varieties that grow well in favourable locations, but also varieties that can tolerate sites with poor soils and challenging climatic conditions. This is essential to adapt to climate change and achieve food security.
Promote varieties with ecological potential
Future crops will have to be both economically and environmentally sound. Widespread adoption is not always the most sensible goal. Many adapted varieties will be suited only to niche locations and may be important only in certain areas. But they still fulfil an important role: where they are grown they produce good yields, help maintain landscapes and ensure clean air and water. These ecosystem services are as important as ensuring food security.
Establish a non-private, commonly owned seed sector
Many independent breeders are needed to secure and foster a rich diversity of crop varieties. The private seed sector is unable to fulfil this function. With OpenSourceSeeds we aim to establish a non-private, commonly owned seed sector. We envision that this will become the second pillar of seed provision. Making seed a commonly owned good has huge potential and is necessary to conserve seed diversity.
Secure seed as a common good
Until now, it has not been possible to legally protect seed as a common good. If breeders forego variety protection and grant unrestricted access to their varieties, they risk others converting the varieties into a private good. Common goods could be created but not sustained.
Use open-source licensing against patents and variety protection
We have developed the open-source seed licence as a way to prevent patents and variety protection. This counters the approach of the private seed industry that is based on intellectual property rights. The open-source licence ensures that seed can be used by everyone and forbids its privatisation. This also applies to enhancements to the seed.
Stop privatisation with licensing
The open-source licence halts the growing privatisation of seed from the pool of open and commonly owned plant genetic resources. At the same time we are creating a dual system of seed supply: we are adding open-source to the mix.
Secure rights through the open-source licence
We currently see no way to counter legally established intellectual property rights other than the legal protection of common goods. In the long run, we hope that society will change its values, making intellectual property rights and the open-source licence redundant.
OpenSourceSeeds provides a service to those who want to make seed a common good.
We provide open-source licences to your new varieties, breeding lines and populations, and we offer legal protection for them.
We answer your questions about the open-source seed licence.
We advise plant breeders, seed propagators and anyone interested in seed.
We inform you about licensed varieties and much more.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
Support our work
OpenSourceSeeds offers its services for free and covers its costs through donations.
OpenSourceSeeds – AGRECOL
+49 6420 822870