Seed Conservation by Family Farmers in the Rural–Urban Fringe Area of La Plata Region, Argentina: The Dynamics of an Ancient Practice

Two key components of biocultural diversity are agrobiodiversity and knowledge. There is scarce information regarding seed conservation practices for rural–urban fringe areas, where the Green Revolution model is part of farmers’ rationality. The dynamics of such practice can be observed in La Plata’s Green Belt (Argentina). Conserved seeds and conservation criteria are recorded, in an area where 71.5% of cultivated (traditional and commercial) agrobiodiversity is conserved. With the introduction of commercial seeds, a process appears in which local wisdom comes into play to adapt to external requirements, which leads to the generation of new knowledge. The relation of this practice with the sustainability of family agroecosystems is analyzed.