Plant Breeding

The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security supports a national Participatory Plant Breeding Program - PPB - with the University of Manitoba that puts farmers in the driver's seat to select varieties that are adaptive to their organic growing conditions, and their climates. To find out more about this innovative work, please visit www.seedsecurity.caYou can also learn more about the PPB program on the University of Manitoba’s Natural Systems Agriculture page:https://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/naturalagriculture/ppb.htmlSponsorOur podcast is supported by generous donations, sponsorships and partnerships. This episode was funded in part by the Canada and Manitoba governments through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and the Prairie Organic Development Fund, as well as through our sponsors. In this episode we’re collaborating with The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, a program of SeedChange. Climate-resilient agriculture in Canada requires that farmers are engaged in every aspect of food production, and that includes plant breeding. Since 2013, The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security has been supporting a national Participatory Plant Breeding Program - PPB - with the University of Manitoba that puts farmers in the driver's seat to select varieties that are adaptive to their organic growing conditions, and their climates. To find out more about this innovative work, please visit www.seedsecurity.caGuest bio for Iain StoroskoIain is currently doing a Masters of Geography at Carleton University, focusing his thesis in areas of agricultural geography and agricultural development. He comes from a background in environmental science and through his undergrad was strongly swayed towards the areas of sustainable agricultural production, food security, and food sovereignty. He has worked as well in seed breeding and plot research in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Quebec. His current research focuses on farmer-researcher participatory programs for crop development. His research is supported through a MITACS internship with the organization SeedChange to review their Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) program, funding provided by the Organic Farming Research Foundation.  Outside of school he enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, playing music, and experimenting with his own small organic growing. Guest bio for Aabir DeyAabir developed his passion for seeds while he was completing his Sustainable Farming Certificate at Everdale, a teaching farm in Hillsburgh, Ontario, and supporting research trials for Seeds of Diversity's collection of over 3,000 different Canadian seed varieties. After completing a Master of Environmental Studies at York University, researching organic seed systems in Ontario, Aabir joined the The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, as Regional Program Coordinator for Ontario. Aabir has co-authored publications on Canada’s seed system including the Canadian Organic Seed Sector Environmental Scan, the Discussion Paper on Seed Policy in Canada, and Canadian Organic and Ecological Plant Breeding Priorities for Vegetable Crops. He has been instrumental in shaping and leading the training, research, and policy programs developed for The Bauta Family Seed Initiative. Aabir loves working in the field with seed producers and farmers all over Canada, and is thrilled to continue to steward The Bauta Family Seed Initiative at a national level into the future. Aabir works remotely from Guelph, Ontario.