House Committee Approves Policy for Community Seed Banks

The Chamber of Deputies' Constitution, Justice, and Citizenship Committee approved Bill 6176/13, which creates a national policy for community seed and seedling banks of local, traditional, or Creole plants. The proposal, proposed by Congressman Padre João (Workers' Party-MG), benefits family farmers, agrarian reform settlers, quilombolas, Indigenous peoples, and other traditional communities.

The policy seeks to promote agricultural biodiversity and strengthen community organization. It also provides training for managing seed and seedling banks, with a focus on preserving the knowledge of traditional communities.

The bill exempts quilombola and traditional communities from registration with the National Seed and Seedling Registry (Renasem). Family farmers, settlers, and Indigenous people already have this right when they produce seeds for exchange, mutual sale, or distribution.

The proposal also expands the list of professionals authorized to work in activities such as seed processing, analysis, production, and repackaging. Currently, these roles are restricted to agricultural and forestry engineers. With the new text, other categories will be able to work in the sector.

The Ministry of Agriculture may create technical assistance centers for traditional peoples, indigenous peoples, and small producers. These centers should offer training in cultivation, seed and seedling care, and the replacement of genetic material.

The text also mandates encouraging the exchange of knowledge and seeds between communities. The government must register seed banks used by farmers.

The proposal amends the Procurement Law to allow family farmers, settlers, traditional peoples, seed collectors and their organizations to participate in public procurement without requiring a bidding process.

If there is no appeal for a vote in the Plenary, the project will proceed directly to the Senate.