How can we strengthen the cooperation between farmers, the gene bank and governmental organizations in order to increase the agrobiodiversity in Poland? Denise F. Dostatny National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute 05-870 Błonie Warszawa Poland e-mail: d.dostatny@ihar.edu.pl
Polish agriculture is characterized by considerable fragmentation of farms and relative low consumption of industrial means of production. More than half of the area of Poland is arable land, of which almost 70% is cultivated. (Central Statistical Office 2013). Poland is one of the countries in Europe with the largest reserves of environmental diversity of agricultural landscape. Agricultural diversity of our fields continues to decrease, and ultimately will result in increased acreage of monocultures, and decreased diversity of both flora and fauna in rural areas. For these reasons, among others, we should return to cultivation of old crop varieties.
These varieties require different agricultural techniques than modern crop varieties. In general, these old varieties are less resistant and less productive, but still have a nutritional and cultural value. They are best grown using ecological crop management practices. The system of ecological agriculture aims to replicate processes occurring in natural ecosystems. The agricultural section of the Agricultural Society of the Kingdom of Poland issued a decree recommending the use of domestic varieties in Poland in preference over foreign varieties. The Society also deemed further development of local crops very beneficial and necessary, recommending the establishment of selective nurseries for domestic varieties, and wheat in particular. Wheat - Ostka Suska - 1918-1939 Oat - Grzywacz Późny Wołyński 1930-1939 Barley - Kutnowski - 1900-1940
Building agricultural education - educational activities Project: Niecka Nidziańska a model refuge of agrobiodiversity. The purpose of the project was to preserve and support biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems and to protect endangered species of field weeds. Several training sessions concerning the preservation of rare weed species were held in the areas and a festivity was organised in collaboration with local authorities and thanks to the involvement of farmers. Local people were trained to continue actions that had been initiated under the project by participation in the Development Programme of Rural Area (Polish abbrev. PROW), in package 6 concerning preservation of endangered genetic resources of plants in cultivation. Variant 6.1. Local crop varieties commercial production Variant 6.2. Seed production of local crop varieties Variant 6.3. Seed production at the request of the gene bank Variant 6.4. Traditional orchards
LANDRACES Variant 6.3 was directly related to the preservation of endangered genetic plant resources in agriculture, as it stipulated that the farmers will breed small quantities of old varieties received from the Gene Bank, in order to reintroduce them to the field. Package 6 was shortened in the new edition of this programme, and variant 6.3 has been removed altogether, which constitutes a great step backward.
Package 6 (2014 2020) Objective: to conserve (near) extinct and valuable varieties, species and ecotypes of crop plants, diversify crops in rural areas, create seeds of varieties endangered by genetic erosion, enforcing minimum quality requirements, and manufacture seeding material for regional and amateur crop varieties registered in the Polish National List. The implementation of the package involves the cultivation of conservation ( regional: region of origin ) and/or amateur crop varieties registered in the National Register (package 6.1: qualify seed material), as well as other varieties and species of plants threatened by genetic erosion (package 6.2), such as semiperennial rye (Secale cereale var. multicaule (biennial plant)), emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum), einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum), camelina (Camelina sativa L.), white sweet clover (Melilotus alba Medik.), grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L. (biennial plant)), common kidneyvecht (Anthyllis vulneraria L.), buckwheat (Fagopyron esculentum) (data from THE AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development).
The implementation of the package involves the cultivation and production of seed material: regional and/or amateur varieties registered in the National Register; other plant species threatened by genetic erosion; Regional variety (a variety needed to preserve biodiversity) is a local species or a species, which naturally adapted to local conditions, in danger of gradual loss of biodiversity between populations and within the population, between varieties of the same species, or the narrowing of the genetic base of the species due to human interference or changes in environmental conditions (genetic erosion) for crop or vegetable plants. Important for the specific region, in which the variety was traditionally cultivated, and to which it has naturally adapted, known as the region of origin. Struck from the National List (NLI) at least 2 years before its submission to the NLI. An amateur variety is a variety of a vegetable plant, which was discovered and used for cultivation in specific agrotechnical, environmental or soli conditions, and which has no importance for commercial production, but is of importance for the purposes of biodiversity. NO REGISTRATION FEE, but A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION TO PREPARE
Multi-year programme and National Agri- Environmental Programme Within the framework of the multi-year programme (PBAI-NRI), financed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, we are conducting the task called Expanding of diversity and varieties of agricultural plants and herbs within rural areas, and raise public awareness of the importance of plant s genetic resources. This task is directly related to the National Agri- Environmental Programme for the years 2007 and 2013, where we handled package 6: Preservation of plants endangered genetic resources in agriculture, with four variants and also is related to the National Agri- Environmental Programme for the years 2014 and 2020.
LANDRACES Within the aforementioned task, since last year the National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources (at IHAR) has been conducting the reproduction of old and local varieties of crop plants, which had at one time grown in Poland. We are researching not only our database, but also contacting museums, libraries, cultivation stations, agricultural advisory centers, and farmers from all over Poland. We have established demonstration plots with several specimens of old varieties of different crop plants in order to check whether the given variety (i.e. from the 1920s) can perform germinate, develop healthy and provide a crop. We also intend to create an appropriate amount of breeding materials to give to farmers. When? How?
Niemierczański Najwcześniejszyoat variety cultivated until 1965 r. Ostka pokucka variety of wheat: 1920 1940 Hanna Borzymowicki barley variety, until 1939
Traditional knowledge Indigenous knowledge Local knowledge Tools??? Farmer alone??? Process Regional or local crop Camelina sativa Traditional product
Education activities Udział w Walnym Zebraniu Sprawozdawczym i Seminarium (16.03.2016r.) Denise F. Dostatny Uprawa starych odmian roślin rolniczych w gospodarstwie ekologicznym, Współorganizacja konferencji dla rolników ekologicznych pod hasłem Łączy nas bioróżnorodność, (29 maja 2016r.) Denise F. Dostatny Poszerzanie wiedzy o dawnych odmianach roślin rolniczych na obszarach wiejskich Województwa Małopolskiego, Udział w szkoleniu pt. Nauka Doradztwu Rolniczemu (15-16 września 2016 r.) w Radzikowie; Denise F. Dostatny Ochrona różnorodności biologicznej oraz krajobrazowej obszarów rolnych poprzez zachowanie istniejących lub zakładanie nowych śródpolnych siedlisk marginalnych, a także przez zachowania dawnych odmian roślin rolniczych i zielarskich Współorganizacja warsztatów roboczych In situ conservation of crop wild relatives and diversity assessment techniques (14-16 listopada 2016), gdzie Denise F. Dostatny Preservation and use of biodiversity of landraces (LR) and crop wild relatives (CWR) -in situ and ex situ conservation. Udział w Festiwalu Smaku Gruczno (20-21 sierpnia 2016), artykuł Denise F. Dostatny Dawne ziarna mogą wrócić na polskie stoły w Gazecie Festiwalowej, a także wywiad na temat starych odmian w TVP Bydgoszcz Współorganizacja seminarium popularnonaukowego Ochrona przyrody i dziedzictwa kulturowego Doliny Dolnej Wisły, (28-29 10. 2016), J. Pająkowski, Denise F. Dostatny Znaczenia starych odmian roślin uprawnych oraz ich zastosowaniu w przetwórstwie w tradycyjny i starodawny sposób Organizacja oraz przeprowadzenie szkolenia w zakresie starych odmian rolniczych oraz warzywnych w celu poszerzenia świadomości rolniczej (28.11.2016) w Osjakowie przy udziale Ośrodka Doradztwa Rolniczego w Łodzi. Referat Denise F. Dostatny Uprawa starych odmian rolniczych w dzisiejszych czasach.
Uprawa starych odmian roślin rolniczych w gospodarstwie ekologicznym 1. Walne Zebranie Sprawozdawcze i Seminarium organizowane przez Kujawsko-Pomorskie Stowarzyszenie Producentów Ekologicznych EKOŁAN w Pokrzydowie (16.03.2016r.).
2. Promocja zadania 1.6 na targach rolniczych AGROTECH w Kielcach (18-20.03.2016r.)
3. II Sierpeckie Dni Rolnika w Studzieńcu (13-14.05.2016r.)
Poszerzanie wiedzy o dawnych odmianach roślin rolniczych na obszarach wiejskich Województwa Małopolskiego. 4. Konferencja dla rolników ekologicznych pod hasłem Łączy nas bioróżnorodność, Grodkowice (29 maja 2016r. ).
5. Dzień Otwartych Drzwi IHAR-PIB w Radzikowie (03.06.2016r.)
6. Nauka Doradztwu Rolniczemu Referat: Ochrona różnorodności biologicznej oraz krajobrazowej obszarów rolnych poprzez zachowanie istniejących lub zakładanie nowych śródpolnych siedlisk marginalnych, a także przez zachowania dawnych odmian roślin rolniczych i zielarskich (21 październik 2016r.) 6. Stoisko
8. Dożynki Jasnogórskie 2016 - XXV Krajowa Wystawa Rolnicza 3-4 września 2016 r
9. XIII Międzynarodowe Dni z Doradztwem Rolniczym - Siedlce (3-4 września 2016r.)
13. Międzynarodowe warsztaty robocze In situ conservation of crop wild relatives and diversity assessment techniques, (14-16 listopad 2016)
15. Szkolenie w zakresie starych odmian roślin rolniczych oraz warzywnych w celu poszerzenia świadomości rolniczej, Osjaków przy udziale ODR w Łodzi (28.11.2016r.)
Collecting genetic material throughout Poland
Conclusion Traditional varieties are our cultural and historical legacy. These varieties have such characteristics as robustness, fertility and resistance to diseases and pests, and environmental stresses (droughts and frost). We have a moral obligation to preserve them for future generations. Seeds are our common legacy - heritage. Conservation and use of traditional seeds is key for maintaining our food independence, our health and preserving the natural environment. They should be made available to anyone for use. Preservation of traditional varieties of plants and seeds are key to ensure the continued existence of traditional and ecological agriculture.
How can we strengthen the cooperation between farmers, the gene bank and governmental organizations in order to increase the agrobiodiversity in Poland? It is a very big challenge! Most of farmers, first and foremost, want subsidies or a good harvest. Gene bank aims to keep diversity in resources material ex situ. Governmental organizations (Common Agricultural Policy: some approaches are essentially "forced" by the European legislation) In the lasts years it was impossible, fortunately there is always hope.
WE NEED TO FIND A LINK BETWEEN ALL SOCIETY GROUPS THANK YOU AND LET S DO IT TOGHETER!