We recently partnered with the Pinowayan Nabingkalan Indigenous Peoples Farmers Association (PNIPFA) and DSAC San Carlos to host a Seed School 1 (SS1) training in Brgy. Pinowayan, Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental.

This first Seed School brought farmers together for training, community profiling, and tagging of the Pinoyawan Communal Farm, a key site that will soon serve as a seed hub for the community.

During the training, many farmers reflected on their past experiences with chemical-based farming. One participant shared:

“At first, we gained from synthetic farming, but later on we realized we were on the losing end.”

Others noted the toll that years of chemical use had taken on their land and livestock:

“We don’t have cows anymore because we spray chemicals to kill the weeds.”

Despite these challenges, the training sparked a new solution. Farmers expressed motivation to leave behind chemical fertilizers, commit to hard work, and begin planting and saving their own seeds starting immediately.

Unlike many communities who establish household seed libraries, PNIPFA decided to create a communal seed library, which is a shared space where seeds can be preserved, exchanged, and managed collectively. This shift reflects the community’s strong spirit of collaboration and ensures greater access to seed diversity for all members.

This Seed School 1 was a turning point. By equipping farmers with knowledge and practical skills, and by rooting seed sovereignty in communal practice, PNIPFA is taking a transformative step toward restoring food systems that honor both the land and their ancestral wisdom.

We are honored to walk alongside them in this journey toward resilience and seed sovereignty!