POLICY BRIEF: "From Trust to Recognition: Strengthening a Participatory and Community-Grounded Seed System in Thailand "

Publication date:
July 2025

Publication: 
From Trust to Recognition: Strengthening a Participatory and Community-Grounded Seed System in Thailand

Download the policy brief here.

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Authors: Yuting Zhou, Kingkorn Narintarakul Na Ayutdhaya

This policy brief examines community seed systems in Thailand based on qualitative research, including field visits, workshops, and interviews with farmers, networks, academics, and practitioners. It highlights the experience of participatory and community-grounded seed systems at the grassroots level, which sustain biodiversity, livelihoods, and cultural resilience. However, these systems face significant structural barriers– legal, financial, and institutional – which continue to marginalize farmer expertise and reinforce dependence on corporate seeds. The brief argues for moving from trust to recognition by formally acknowledging, supporting, and expanding the space for these grassroots innovations. Policy recommendations focus on enabling inclusive governance, supporting farmer-led validation and exchange, safeguarding the diversity of seed practices, and ensuring accessible registration pathways. Strengthening smallholder farmers’ knowledge, networks, and agency is essential to creating a resilient, democratic, and culturally grounded seed system that combines innovation with tradition for Thailand’s sustainable future.