Seeds declaration by farmer is a mean of accommodating farmer and community initiative in using farmer or community’s breed seeds. In fact the seeds are suitable and preferred by farmer to be planted in their village. Furthermore they could plant the seeds without any worry of planting illegal seeds. In the declaration which is participated by farmer, public figure, village and subdistrict officer; farmer or community pledged that the developing seeds are the property of farmer and going to plant by their village farmer.

Thus the declaration is another mean of seeds registry by other (PVT), in which commonly known confused due to unknown procedure and less socialization. Furthermore there is a worry toward seed registry on PVT, some says it could be cheated and used by other and made the seed registry violating the aim of plant breeding and biodiversity.

FIELD Indonesia Foundation has been practicing (in 1 village) and planning seeds registry to facilitate farmer who develop plant breeding and biodiversity. Therefore farmer could use their own developed seed for their village farmer’s interest. In other hand the seed will locally acknowledged by the community as well as by local government officer.

Thus the seeds could be developed and registered to the community and government officer (community registry) by mean of seeds declaration.

Implementation

For the declaration, Karya Peduli Tani Farmer Group had preparing everything so well from managing the committee, distributing invitation, making time table and event arrangement. This seed declaration is at the first time conducted at Jengkok Village, Kertasmaya subdistrict, on moonday – Tuesday 30-31 July 2007 by inviting farmers breeding of Jengkok village. This farmers breeding of Jengkok village has been participating and developing crossing seeds and biodiversity. After preparing stage, farmer and member of farmer group planning the declaration which involving government officer (second day). Furthermore they also scheduling time, place of the next meeting. Based on plan, the declaration will be initiated by film screening on biodiversity, plant breeding and community ideas. The film also contains complete description of seed selection.

Many ideas are collected in the declaration; many of them support the declaration and the resulted seeds. People of Jengkok commonly agreed that seeds they produce gave them benefit; therefore they agree every seeds that have been developed and planted in Jengkok village are the property of farmer that will be no commercially distributed and freely planted by farmer. All those agreement were written and read for the declaration.

In the second session (Tuesday, 31 July 2007), the event that had been prepared since 8 am, placed on rice field dike, flourished with banner and farmer rights written poster. By the 11 am, the government officer attends and the event started. In the opening, the head of Karya Peduli Tani Farmer Group stated that the declaration due to Jengkok Village success in developing favored and selected seeds by most farmer. Therefore community seeds registry is important need for them. In other hand, the head of Kertasmaya Subdistric and head of Jengkok village feel proud and support their effort.

Finally all participants pledged the seeds declaration, signed by participants and recognized by the head of Kertasmaya Subdistric and head of Jengkok village.