Our Shoots

Arapal Seed Production

In 2020, GSS entered into a partnership with Arapal Nature Farm located outside fo Bogo City, Cebu to launch a seed trial production area, seed nursery, and seed library at Arapal Farm. The seed production area is 1,200 square meters and will serve as a model for other regions of what dedicating land to seed production can do.

Through the generous support from the Rotary District 5450 Grant Funding, a seed nursery and a second seed library in Cebu was constructed at Arapal Farm.

Entrance to the Cebu Seed Production Farm in Arapal

Photos from the Farm

Seed production and the importance of keeping seeds pure

Seeds are critical for agricultural production because it is their quality that will determine the efficacy and performance of other agricultural inputs. For example, it doesn’t matter how much fertilizers you use for your plants, if the seed is not regionally-adapted, or if it is no longer viable, then you cannot expect high yield. Research shows that the quality of seed alone accounts for atleast 10 to 15% of the increase in productivity in agriculture.^[1]https://www.agrimoon.com/wp-content/uploads/PRINCIPLES-OF-SEED-TECHNOLOGY.pdf

Seeds are important because their capacity to adapt ensures that new generations of plant have developed resiliency against pests, droughts, floods, and other environmental conditions. And if plants are able to survive these climatic stresses, then we can ensure continued food supply for the population. Regionally-adapted seeds can also secure higher crop yields in areas characterized as unfavorable for food production using commercial seeds. Aside from this, good quality seeds can offer rapid rehabilitation of agriculture in areas affected by national disasters.

The availability of quality seeds that are adapted to different climatic conditions, in sufficient quantity, at affordable prices is key to raising productivity in agriculture. This essentially means that if we want to improve agricultural production in the Philippines, we must pay attention to how we grow our seeds.

Unknown to many, seed production is an entire science in itself. It requires great care from the choice of seeds, crop management, up to the process of harvesting.

Seed production requires:

• Basic seeds are from a pure, authentic source
• Seed plots are carefully selected, depending on the plant varieties that are grown
• Isolation of plant varieties from each other to ensure genetic purity of seeds
• Requires technical skill for maintenance of seed quality
• Consistent rouging is compulsory to ensure that only the best plants are brought to seed
• Harvesting of seeds is appropriately timed
• Resultant seeds should be tested for vigor and viability
• Seed quality is more important than the yield.

The Arapal Seed Production farm is crucial in our work because it will become a venue of testing for various systems of seed production which can be shared to farmers later on. Through the Seed Production Farm, we hope to ensure the continuous development of plant varieties that are resilient to climatic changes, as well as assure the adequate supply of open-pollinated, naturally-grown seeds for organic crop production.

Read the Results of the Early Seed Trials