‘Seeds ensure our survival’: the women of Guinea-Bissau who keep vital plants and culture alive
The Urok Islands are a community marine protected area located within the Bijagós archipelago in Guinea Bissau, West Africa. Among the 3,000 people living there, the region is also home to a unique group of women, the “seed keepers”—farmers who work to preserve the ancestral grains of the Bijagós. Creole seeds have been passed from generation to generation and are essential for the survival of the Bijagó ethnic group. These are varieties of species, from corn to rice and peanut, that resist pests and a fierce climate, which is getting more intense due to phenomena linked to climate change (heavy rainfall, floods, heatwaves). Thanks to the Women Keepers of Agricultural Biodiversity Seeds project, more than 150 women have been trained by agroecology experts in seed care. In many African countries, including Guinea Bissau, women are the ones taking care of the land as well as responsible for ensuring the water supply and household energy. Although they make up 43 percent of the global agricultural labor force, women face significant discrimination when it comes to land and livestock ownership, equal pay, participation in decision-making entities and access to credit and financial services. This project has helped not only diversify food production but also reinforce female leadership and increase women’s financial independence.