They say you want a revolution... - Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute (IMAP)

It’s official! We’ve launched our Seed Revolution Campaign on Indiegogo.com. There’s a video. There are photos. There are words. Some of them may wind their way into your mind, and some of them may even switch on the lightbulb. Ah, you will say. Ah yes.

Or maybe not. But either way, we’re talking about a Seed Revolution, which is not just any old revolution, it’s about the seeds, the core, the very source of life. It’s about food and lack of it and what to do about it.

Here’s the link: http://igg.me/at/seedguardians/x/2338811

And here is Rony Lec, IMAP’s Coordinator, explaining the campaign in his own words. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGxCi7e3MWY]

A Seed Revolution – Why?

Conserving seeds is about more than just bringing food to the table. It’s about conserving biodiversity, conserving traditional knowledge, and conserving people’s capacity to take their future into their own hands. We call this food sovereignty and it starts with the conservation of native seeds.

In Guatemala, a very small number of giant corporations have been aggressively promoting fast-maturing hybrid seeds. Hybrid seeds are extremely vulnerable because their genetic pool is small and poor, confined to high-production genetic traits. Traditional native seeds naturally have a wide gene pool, which makes them more robust and resilient to disease and varying climactic conditions.

Small farmers in Guatemala are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of their low income, their reliance on agriculture and their geographic location. Native seed sources are urgently needed. There is no government effort and very little NGO-based efforts to promote native seeds in Guatemala.

Because of modern agriculture practices, traditional knowledge regarding the use of native seeds for food production is in the process of disappearing.This has a tremendous impact on family farming communities, where there is limited capacity to seek alternative livelihoods and a high incidence of poverty – 75% in the Sololá department, with an Indigenous population of 96%[1].

The Instituto Mesoamericano de Permacultura – IMAP (Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute) is a Mayan-run, Mayan owned non-profit organization in San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala, that has spent the last 12 years empowering Indigenous farmers to combat poverty and malnutrition through permaculture education and by offering training to small farmers on ways to produce and conserve traditional native seeds. The Indiegogo site is linked directly to our PayPal account, and all funds will go directly to us.

The goal of our Seed Revolution Campaign is to reach $10,000 in order to:

1) promote and give out native seeds

2) offer workshops to farmers on seed conservation and

3) build a community seed bank where farmers can receive and exchange native seeds.

Here’s where your money goes:

$5 will give 1 farmer a package of native seeds
$10 will cover a 1-day workshop for a farmer on seed conservation
$25 will cover a 3-day workshop for a farmer on community seed bank management
$100 will help establish a community seed bank

Click here to go to the Indiegogo Seed Revolution Campaign.

[1] Panamerican Health Organization, Guatemala – Health in the Americas 2007, Volume II

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A Testimonial

From Stephanie Hughes, Nova Scotia, Canada:

I was an intern with the Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute (IMAP) for six months in 2010 -2011. What an amazing place to begin a permaculture journey!

The IMAP site, on Guatemala’s iconic Lake Atitlan, is one of the most beautiful places in the country, where people from all over the country – and the world – come to learn about permaculture and how it can make their communities healthier and more sustainable.

I had the opportunity to accompany staff into communities that were struggling for food security and rebuilding after a severe natural disaster. IMAP’s model of permaculture, blending the new with the ancient ways of the Maya, provided people with inspiration and tools to realize change in their communities. IMAP provides a great education in permaculture, as well as a lived experience that’s true to permaculture teachings.

IMAP staff are welcoming, knowledgeable, and so passionate about sharing permaculture. Please join me in supporting this incredible organization. They make the world a better place.

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