IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY BY LINKING GENEBANKS TO FARMERS THROUGH THE DIRECT RELEASE OF TARGETED LANDRACE VARIETIES

Linking genebanks (i.e. cold storage repositories for seed varieties) with farmers through direct release of targeted landrace varieties (i.e. traditional farmer-bred varieties) can catalyze an increase in productivity and food security in the vulnerable populations inhabiting the marginal arid regions of Rajasthan and other places of a similar nature. This paper recommends three policy changes that would help overcome the technical, administrative and political challenges to making genebank resources available to farmers.