Improving the identification, handling and storage of “difficult” seeds ...

2.13. SEYCHELLES presentation
Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources
Mr. Keven Selwin Nancy
Supporting On-Farm management & improvement of PGRFA (question 2.1)
Presently, there are 520 farmers who are registered with the Ministry of Environment and Natural
Resources (MENR) and are farming either on private or state land. The registered farmers benefit
from a range of services and concessions offered by the government. Altogether, 6,714 households
(one third of the total households) are involved in some form of small-scale agricultural practices
such as backyard farming.
Plant Genetic Resources Development Section
The Plant Genetic Resources Development Section (PGRDS) falls under the Crop Promotion and
Development Division of the Department of Natural Resources. The PGRDS is based at the Grand
Anse Research Station, which cover and area of approximately 8 hectares.
The main of activities of PGRDS is the promotion and conservation of PGRFA. The section has
worked extensively to inventory to rise and bring awareness on PGRFA over the past few years. In
the year 2005, inventory of PGRFA was carried out in 150 home gardens in the district of Port
Glaud and Grand Anse, Mahe.
The use of the media to raise awareness of the mass population on the implementation of PGR has
been extensive, especially through the local radio and television agricultural programmes. Last year
the PGRDS helped with the production of television programmes entitled “Conservation and
Utilisation of Traditional Crop Plant in Seychelles”.
In line with the aspect of awareness on the conservation of PGRFA, the annual National
Agricultural and Horticultural Show has as theme “Every Home a Garden” since the year 2001. In
the year 2005 there was a home beautification competition where the conservation of PGRFA was
the main aim behind the competition.
Tropical Fruit Nursery
The Tropical Fruit Nursery is a unit within the PGRDS based at Grand Anse, Mahe. The Tropical
Fruit Nursery produces planting materials, mainly selected varieties of fruit trees for sale to the
farmers and the public in general. The best selling items are grafted eggplants, pawpaw, citrus
(lemon and orange), banana, mango, star fruit and avocado of which there are various varieties.
There are other plants that are not so common and not produced on a large scale, but still need to be
conserved as genetic resources.
New partners and stakeholders
There is a range of partners and stakeholders that the PGRDS work with for the sustainable
conservation and utilization of PGRFA. The homeowners were the target of the PGRFA awareness
campaign and they were interested to grow some local traditional food crops in their back yard.
The tourist establishments and hotels occasionally use traditional fruit trees as part of their
landscape. A collection of local fruit trees could provide an additional attraction for nature lovers
and allow tourists an opportunity to explore “the exotic fruits of the tropics”.
The Wildlife Clubs in the different schools are active with regards to the conservation of PGRFA.
In 2005 a three-day workshop entitled “To Promote the Conservation and Utilization of Threatened
and Neglected Plants” was held for Wildlife Club Leaders. The workshop was done in