Producers from Santa Bárbara de Heredia receive training in seed conservation at CATIE

• These activities are crucial for disseminating the vast knowledge accumulated by CATIE over its 48 years of experience in orthodox seed conservation.

Twenty-three producers from Santa Bárbara de Heredia immersed themselves in a day of learning about seed conservation at the prestigious CATIE campus in Turrialba.

The initiative, coordinated by the Extension Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture of Santa Bárbara de Heredia, aimed primarily to share with participants the key processes for preserving the vitality of seeds.

The training, led by CATIE's specialist in Coffee and Cacao Genetic Improvement, Daniel Fernández, comprehensively addressed the fundamental aspects of seed conservation.

From collection methods to proper storage practices, producers received comprehensive training to optimize the quality and longevity of their seeds.

A highlight of the day was the visit to CATIE's Orthodox Seed Germplasm Bank. Here, producers had the unique opportunity to witness conservation processes in action, thus enhancing their understanding and appreciation of these essential practices.

The Germplasm Bank preserves 6,202 genetic samples of crops of agricultural, food, and cultural importance for the Mesoamerican region.

The Cucurbitaceae collection constitutes the second most important collection in terms of the quantity of conserved accessions worldwide and the most important in terms of availability. It safeguards approximately 7% of cultivated Cucurbitaceae diversity and gathers unique haplotypes identified for origins from Central American countries.

The chili collection, with 883 accessions, is considered one of the cornerstone collections for Capsicum genetic resources preserved in America.

The germplasm bank also conserves underutilized crops of high nutritional value such as Amaranth and Jicama; the latter is recorded as the number one collection in quantity globally.

"These activities are crucial for disseminating the vast knowledge accumulated by CATIE over its 48 years of experience in orthodox seed conservation," expressed Fernández. "We are pleased to be able to contribute to strengthening the capacities of producers, thus promoting sustainability and resilience in the agricultural sector."

The visit of producers from Santa Bárbara de Heredia not only represents a significant step towards improving local agricultural practices but also a testament to CATIE's ongoing commitment to sharing its experience and knowledge with agricultural communities in the region.