Frontiers of Commoning, with David Bollier Jack Kloppenburg on Sharing Seeds in a World of Proprietary Agriculture
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Jun 1, 2025 Jack Kloppenburg, Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and founder of the Open Source Seed Initiative, discusses the critical importance of seed-sharing in agriculture. He highlights the shift from communal seed resources to proprietary ownership by large biotech firms. Kloppenburg draws parallels to the open-source software movement, advocating for collaboration to promote biodiversity. He addresses the urgent need for community-centered approaches to ensure food sovereignty, especially among indigenous groups, while combating corporate monopolization in agriculture.
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Seeds Shifted From Commons To Commodities
- Seeds historically belonged to the commons and were freely shared by farmers worldwide.
- Commodification and intellectual property rights in seeds emerged due to corporate profit motives.
Patenting Life Changed Seed Sharing
- Legal rulings since 1980 allowed life forms, including seeds, to be patented.
- This began a new era where seeds could be owned privately, undermining their traditional communal status.
Jack’s First Seed Planting Experience
- Jack's first gardening experience in Botswana sparked his love for farming.
- Observing seed industry consolidation and restrictions inspired his advocacy for open seed sharing.
