By Yussif Ibrahim
Fumesua (Ash), Nov. 30, GNA – The Forestry Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-FORIG) in partnership with the Millennium Seed Bank and Royal Botanic Garden, Kew has organised a weeklong seed conservation technique course to address challenges facing the industry.
The challenges of climate change, habitat loss through illegal mining, and agricultural expansion have made the role of ex-situ seed conservation more critical.
Ex-situ seed conservation refers to the removal of seeds from their natural location for conservation in a specialised environment for research, or other purposes.
The course therefore sought to expose participants drawn from Sierra Leon, Guinea and Ghana to the science, approaches and innovations that reinforce successful seed conservation.
Dr. Joseph Mireku Asomaning, Principal Research Scientist at CSIR-FORIG, said seed conservation is crucial due to deforestation caused by agriculture and illegal mining.
“Seeds are the foundation of agriculture, vital store of genetic diversity, key to food security, ecosystem resilience and the future of sustainable development,” he stated.
These threatened species, including valuable timber species, require careful collection from their habitats, processing, and storage in cold facilities, Dr. Asomaning emphasised.
He acknowledged the longstanding collaboration between CSIR-FORIG and the Millennium Seed Bank, saying that FORIG had benefitted from training, equipment, and project support.
He stressed the importance of seed conservation for food security and climate change mitigation, indicating that reforestation efforts to combat climate change would be impossible without conservation of seed.
He was confident that the project with the Millennium Seed Bank, with its advanced facilities would improve seed quality.
Mr. Timothy Pearce, Conservation Partnerships Coordinator, Africa Millennium Seed Bank Partnership, explained that the course focused on best practices for seed conservation, particularly proper handling, and storage in facilities like those at CSIR-FORIG, and ensuring the timely supply of high-quality seeds to those who needed them.
While techniques used at FORIG are already well-established, he noted that there is always room for improvement in seed preservation, with the key objective being maintaining seed viability for future use.
He explained that the seeds would be used to establish nurseries and restore forest plots using high-quality native species.
He stressed the need to address the overreliance on fast-growing, exotic species in the past in favour of native species better suited to local habitats.
Climate change has made habitat restoration increasingly difficult, with species loss accelerating due to shifting climatic conditions, Mr. Pearce cautioned.
The Millennium Seed Bank, Kew is the world’s largest seed bank, storing over 40,000 plant species including all native UK species.
GNA