Who we are

 The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, a program of SeedChange, is building a movement for resilient seed systems across Canada.

OUR MISSION

To create and support seed systems in Canada that promote agroecology
and food sovereignty, and are resilient in the face of climate change.

OUR GOALS

  • Increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of regionally grown, ecological seed
  • Preserve, improve, and breed new seed diversity
  • Support farmer leadership in seed conservation, production, and research
  • Advocate for policies that support resilient, farmer-led seed systems in Canada
  • Build a regionally driven, partnership-oriented national movement to advance seed system resilience

OUR PHILOSOPHY

  • We focus on agroecological seed and farming systems. There is a growing consensus on the way forward to grow food and seed sustainably: agroecology. Farmers who practice  agroecology require seeds that will perform well in their farming systems. Our work focuses on filling this critically underserved need.
  • We embrace the leadership of farmers. As stewards of our food systems, farmers are highly impacted by seed diversity loss. Our work trusts their expertise and experience to lead the way.
  • We work in partnership. We work in partnership with mission-aligned non-profits, grassroots organizations, research institutions, and funding partners to solve problems collaboratively.
  • We advocate for food and seed sovereignty. We believe farmers have the right to access, grow, share, sell, trade, and enjoy the food and seed that sustains their livelihoods, and their communities, in ways that restore the ecological health of the planet.

OUR SCOPE

We work with farmers and seed savers who employ agroecological farming practices and are interested in saving, producing, or developing varieties of grain and vegetable seed adapted for Canada’s diverse growing regions. The farm organizations we work with represent those who sell seed, vegetables, and/or grains to support their livelihoods. Working primarily with agroecological farmers positions us to help shape farmer-led seed systems that reflect their values and principles, and provides an opportunity to create seed system changes at a scale where those farmers will benefit. Seed systems connect many people and we believe everyone can play a role. For this reason we support our partners – Seeds of Diversity, the Community Seed Network, and some regional organizations – to run programs for community-focused (non-commercial) seed saving initiatives (e.g. seed libraries, seed sanctuaries).

OUR VISION

Our vision of a resilient seed system is one where all individuals from all walks of life can access, grow, share, and enjoy the food and seed they need to sustain their well being and livelihoods in ways that restore the ecological health of the planet.

We believe that our programs, which support agro-ecological farmers’ efforts to increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of regionally grown seed, are worthwhile contributions to building a just and equitable food system.

However, our work is also part of a capitalist food system and tied to institutions borne out of the settler colonial state. These systems continue to perpetuate inequities across Indigenous communities and all historically underrepresented, racially oppressed, and marginalized populations. We know that the seed savers and farmers who benefit from our programming are predominantly cis-hetero, white farmers due to the ways in which material resources have been acquired, concentrated, and inequitably distributed for many generations. As a result, our program can exclude seed savers and farm workers - in particular, those from marginalized populations - without access to land or intergenerational wealth, and in doing so, reflect and reinforce colonial processes and systemic oppressions.

SeedChange and our partners are continuously building our collective capacity to better understand how we can act in solidarity with seed savers who are part of marginalized populations and work with partners that are interested in learning about agroecological seed production and work directly with underserved communities.

We invite those who share these visions of equity and ecological well being to participate in our learning experience. Please critique us when you believe we have fallen short of these commitments and work with us if you are finding value in what we do. Together, we hope to move towards truly just and equitable seed systems.