seeds4all Archives - Agricultural and Rural Convention

Where The Untended Feeds Us – Cécile Gilquin’s “Tiers-Paysage”

October 24, 2025 Adèle Pautrat

“All the places neglected by human beings”: this is the site of the Third Landscape (Tiers-Paysage) as defined by Gilles Clément in his Manifesto of the Third Landscape. Cécile Gilquin was drawn to this concept that celebrates the neglected — those plants that we too often forget to appreciate — as “biological diversity that has not yet been classified as richness”, while also showing that it is possible to interact with nature without seeking to dominate it. She was inspired to launch in 2020 her own Third Landscape (or Tiers-Paysage in her native French). Portrait of a forager by Adèle Pautrat. […]

Crafting the Collective – Tijs Boelens’ Vision for a Farmer-Led Grain Revival

July 4, 2025 Adèle Pautrat

If we want local food systems to thrive, every link in the chain must be nurtured: seeds must be saved, farmers must earn a fair price, processors must adapt their methods—and consumers must be able to afford to buy the final product. Crafting a story and connecting people are centrally important to successfully cultivating biodiversity, as Belgian farmer Tijs Boelens has found out in his work to integrate heritage grains into the supply chain. Portrait by Adèle Pautrat. […]

Re-Sowing the Seeds of Connection in Switzerland, Part I – Nurturing What We Have

July 3, 2025 Adèle Pautrat

The Seeds4All project emerges from a Swiss immersion with a two-part reflection on how seeds can become anchoring points for rebuilding connections and fostering healthy interdependencies in the pursuit of collective empowerment. In part one, we discover efforts to revive local fava bean varieties—as levers for reweaving ties between mountains and plains, and reclaiming traditional peasant skills. […]

The EU Has the Funds but Lacks Focus – This Farm Shows What’s Possible with Both

June 10, 2025 Adèle Pautrat

Organic farming has long been hailed as the poster child for sustainable agriculture. But as the EU organic sector becomes increasingly industrialised, cracks are beginning to appear. How can we weed out the weaknesses in the current model and transition to diversified, resilient systems? Seeds4All visited the Bergerie de Villarceaux, a pioneering farm through the decades, in the hope of gleaning lessons from the past for the organic farmers of tomorrow. By Adèle Pautrat and Natasha Foote. […]

Let’s Liberate Diversity Forum 2025 – Registration Now Open!

April 4, 2025 Adèle Pautrat

From September 4th to 6th, the European Coordination Let’s Liberate Diversity will host its 14th forum in Luxembourg. The Forum will focus on food sovereignty, seed autonomy, and agricultural resilience. Bringing together a dynamic network of farmers, seed savers, researchers, and activists, this international gathering will provide a platform for reflection on strategic opportunities and the exchange of ideas for collective action. […]

Portugal | Regenerative Heritage Grains – From Soil To Bread

April 2, 2025 Adèle Pautrat

Where to find heritage grains likely to thrive in a Portuguese climate and soil conditions? José da Camara Ruas tells us about his farming project in the Alentejo region in south Portugal, and his journey through diversification—from ancient grains and species mixtures to agroforestry and the introduction of animals. By Adèle Pautrat for the Seeds4All project. […]

Luxembourg | A Good Gardener is a Teacher and Politician

September 24, 2024 Hannes Lorenzen

A master gardener and co-founder of the SEED association for the preservation and use of the region’s traditional seed varieties, Frank Adams has long been involved in the legislative battle waged by seed savers to gain recognition for the necessity and specific nature of their work. Hannes Lorenzen spoke to Frank during a horticultural walk in the gardens of the Château d’Ansembourg, Luxembourg. […]

A Leek for Change! The Belgian Trio on a Mission to Save Seeds

July 1, 2024 Adèle Pautrat

You’ve probably heard of people extending an olive branch – perhaps less common is offering up a leek. Seeds4All digs into why the leek symbolises the struggle for seed autonomy and why the cooperation project De Vroente, based in Sint-Lievens-Esse in the Flanders region, pours so much energy into this. Report by Adèle Pautrat. […]

Greece | The Sisters of the Seeds

June 14, 2024 Hannes Lorenzen

Welcome to the gardens of St John’s monastery in the village of Anatoli, Thessaly, Greece. We bring you a heartwarming story of sharing and sufficiency, in a letter from a visit to the farm by Hannes Lorenzen. […]

Târ y donc a tori – Lessons on the Subversive Nature of Transmission, from a Stubborn Welshman

May 3, 2024 Adèle Pautrat

Saving seeds and preserving genetic resources goes hand in hand with the crucial question of legacy. In March, Seeds4All visited Welsh farmer, grain lover and peer educator Gerald Miles. Adèle Pautrat reports. […]

Feeding Ourselves 2024 – A Food Revolution Starts With Seed!

April 16, 2024 Adèle Pautrat

Our Seeds4All project was back in Ireland in March to be part of Feeding Ourselves 2024. We are inheritors of a genetic commons that we have to protect. While working on the ground we need to be vigilant about what is happening at legal level – and work together. In partnership with the Irish Seed Savers Association, Seeds4All brought a European perspective to Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary. Adèle Pautrat reports. […]

GMOs & Seed Marketing – False Promise of a Toxic Package

November 28, 2023 Mathieu Willard

A carefully crafted narrative is framing GMOs as an essential ingredient in sustainable food systems. Could a solid reform of the seed marketing legislation provide a more effective and safer response to sustainability commitments? Analysis by Adèle Pautrat and Mathieu Willard. […]

Seeds of Europe: Giving a voice to small producers

November 23, 2023 Louise Kelleher

Seeds4All is pleased to contribute to the organisation of a public event in the European Parliament on the upcoming seed law reform. As well as a screening of the documentary “Seeds of Europe”, a panel discussion will tackle the issues of producing and marketing seeds in the EU. Sharing voices from the field, Seeds4All is working with projects partners to win political attention and support for the transition to seed-growing practices that promote ecology, short supply chains and the pleasure of eating! The event will be livestreamed, but those lucky enough to be present in person will enjoy a tasting of traditional Geuze beer produced by the 3 Fonteinen Brewerij from ancient varieties of cereals grown in Belgium, as well as a tasting of artisanal bread from the bakers of the Belgian network Au Coeur du Pain. Programme 19:00: Opening words by MEPs Tilly Metz and Martin Haüsling. 19:05: Screening of the documentary “Seeds of Europe” directed by Lennard Kleinschmidt and Lotta Schwenkert, spotlighting the work and legal demands of artisan seeds producers from Ireland, […]

Adapting Agricultural Practices to Climate Change – Seeds, Beans and Lessons from the Ground Up

July 10, 2023 ARC

On July 5th 2023, the European Commission tabled its proposal for revised seed marketing legislation. Exploring institutional shortcomings to prioritise and safeguard agrobiodiversity in a changing climate, Seeds4All project co-ordinator Adèle Pautrat and policy analyst Mathieu Willard zoom into the case of white bean production in southern France, before presenting broader issues that the future seed law should address. […]

EU Seed Law Reform and New Genetic Engineering – Double Attack on our Seeds

July 5, 2023 ARC

July 5 2023, ARCHE NOAH today released a statement in response to the EU Commission’s proposals for revised seed marketing legislation and the deregulation of “new genomic techniques”. Seeds4All
supports the statement, which raises the alarm about the threat these proposals present to the future of genetic diversity in Europe and calls on agriculture ministers and MEPs to protect farmers, consumers and biodiversity. […]