Farmers from San Vicente maintain the ancestral practice of exchanging seeds before the start of winter

San Vicente, MANABI

The exchange of seeds, a tradition that is maintained in San Vicente, allowed farmers from that town in Manabita to take varieties of legumes, grains and fruits to their plots. The seeds are organic and locally grown by communities of San Vicente and the northern area of ​​Manabí.

The Federation of Peasant Organizations of Northern Manabita (Focaznom) organized the meeting that allowed the presence of 18 communities. Training and suggestions for planting this year were also offered at the guild’s facilities.

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Aida Sandoval, president of Focaznom, and Víctor Hugo Zambrano, a member of the union, stated that this was a new opportunity to continue conserving seeds of native species.

This is an alternative, they pointed out, to stop depending on the seed that comes from multinationals.

“Rescuing agriculture is rescuing the food future of Manabí and Ecuador. We promote agroecological and chemical-free agriculture and we have peasants who take care of the land and the health of both themselves and those who consume their products,” added Zambrano.

Among the most popular seeds that were exchanged were: sweet potato, melon, turmeric, beans, squash, corn, achiote, achocha, broad beans, parsley, badea, basil, cassava, papaya, arazá, cotton, jicama, and turmeric.

A kind of bean was brought from the Tabuchila sector by Digna Leones. This is a species that had virtually disappeared, he said.

There are species that were also exchanged during the traditional event, such as the taxo and the tree tomato, which, despite not being from the coast, have been produced by families from Río Muchacho.

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Rosario Zambrano, a member of the federation, also indicated that this meeting takes place in the first days of the arrival of rains. “It is to augur a new year with seeds and that they multiply to obtain good quality products,” she said.

Víctor Mejía Vera, from the La Mocora community, said that he has been participating in this traditional exchange for several years. This year he brought peanuts, cucumbers and cassava from his plots; while he received broad bean, sacha inchi and achocha seeds.

Among the planting practices that Focaznom promotes is that of family orchards, community orchards and eras, which are a form of cultivation. (YO)