Our Global Seed Savers Philippines team recently held an inspiring strategic planning retreat facilitated by our new Philippines Executive Director Hal Atienza! The retreat was an opportunity for our team to chart a path forward and shape our strategic roadmap for the years ahead. The purpose of the activity was to review the strategic direction of GSSP and come up with the 5-year strategic plan using the logical framework.
One of the key outcomes of the retreat was the development of a visionary roadmap for Global Seed Savers. Guided by a commitment to seed sovereignty, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable agriculture, the GSSP Team collectively crafted a comprehensive vision for the future. They identified key priorities, such as expanding access to locally adapted seed varieties, strengthening community engagement and empowerment, and forging strategic partnerships to amplify their impact.
The team also tackled questions like:
1) Where are we now?
2) Where do we want to be?
3) How will we get there?
4) How do we know we made it?
It is important to determine how effective our strategies are in relation to our goals. Then the team was able to assess our effectiveness and efficiency in terms of our governance and management processes. Only then can we determine our impacts by looking at our relevance and sustainability.
Aspirations become more realistic if we are able to define a clearer strategic direction. Meaning, our yardstick of performance management stays in place.
Because of the 4-day strategic planning, the GSSP Team was able to:
1) Define a clearer vision-mission statement
2) Develop our goals with corresponding strategies
3) Formulate our Slogan (GSS mantra), “Save seeds. Grow food. Protect heritage.”
The retreat also provided a valuable platform to identify and address challenges faced by Global Seed Savers and the broader seed-saving community.
The team engaged in focused discussions to explore solutions for preserving traditional knowledge, mitigating the threats posed by climate change and industrial agriculture, and overcoming barriers to seed conservation and sharing. By collectively addressing these challenges, Global Seed Savers aims to foster resilience, adaptability, and sustainability in our global food systems.
The strategic planning retreat was not simply an intellectual exercise, but a call to action. This strategic planning retreat served as a powerful catalyst for change, harnessing the collective wisdom and passion of seed savers worldwide. Through collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to sustainability, Global Seed Savers is sowing the seeds of a resilient and prosperous future for our planet and its inhabitants.
