b'A seed viability test at the CIMMYT genebank, the Wellhausen-Anderson Plant Genetic Resources Center.This project started through a collaboration with membersways, says Luby, noting that much diversity has been lost over of the Ho-Chunk Nation to grow out seed increases from smallthe years. This is not about selling or commercializing the seed, amounts of seed of historic Ho-Chunk varieties. The seed wasit is about returning the seeds to communities they have left. then all repatriated back to community members, says Luby.That successfully drives the seed keeping system.Nutrition and health disparities are certainly concerns raised by community members that drive the work in addition to redevel- Preservation for Diversityoping relationships with these seeds. And while the work of Indigenous seed keepers differs vastly Luby has also worked with the Menominee Nation to searchfrom commercial seed production for widespread use, there for historic varieties and to grow out seed of the three sisters,may be opportunities for the two worlds to work together. historic corn, bean and squash seed, collaborating through work- For example, Luby suggests certain technology might be shops and connecting them with the Seed Savers Exchange,an option for evaluating old seed stored in a museum or seed which has some Menominee varieties in their seed bank. Withbank that may not have been handled for future germination. forced removal, many nations lost varieties they would like toResearchers may be able to work with communities to determine reclaim, and Luby has joined in the search for some of these vari- its viability or determine better preservation methods. Likewise, eties that are no longer being grown.some companies may have Indigenous seed in their collections That includes scouring museums and seed libraries for seedthat could be given back to Native seed keepers along with ancestors. Many Native seed keepers believe there are still seedsassistance to help them increase seed volume. to be found, and they hope to collect and preserve all ancestralIndigenous people invented crops and cropping systems seed and work with people like Luby to help reclaim the seedadapted to local environments, says Kuzay. Reviving and revis-and to share land access to grow it out. iting these original crops and cropping systems is an underu-In addition to searching for seed, Luby and colleagues attilized solution to breeding for low-input farming systems and the Indigenous Seed Keepers Network have coordinated seedmitigating effects of climate change. saving workshops. Monthly calls and in-person sessions haveSeed banks may be another resource for securing Indigenous been held and addressed everything from planting and harvestseed, although these banks have other missions as well. The of these seeds to recordkeeping and planning a seed garden.International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Separate from the seed stewardship initiative, a course aboutmaintains seed banks and programs to preserve seeds native Indigenous foodways is offered to University of Wisconsin- to specific regions. The group also leads the CGIAR Research Madison students.Programs on Maize and Wheat and the Excellence in Breeding Proper Indigenous seed handling involves working withPlatform to characterize genetic diversity so it can be used in the communities stewarding the seeds in culturally appropriateconventional breeding programs to develop wheat and maize 60/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2020'