Sementes em evolução: aprendizagens e desafios do Melhoramento Vegetal Evolutivo (EPB) em Jujuy

In northwestern Argentina, agriculture is born from the diversity, memory, and adaptability of peoples to their territories. It is in this context that producers, technicians from INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Technology), local organizations, and partner institutions participate in a collective learning process to strengthen agroecological systems and value agrobiodiversity. The video presents experiences developed within the framework of the Agroecological Roots project, showing how Evolutionary Plant Breeding (EPB) uses genetic diversity as a starting point to develop crops better adapted to local conditions. In Jujuy and Salta, regions marked by different productive landscapes—from the Andean highlands to the high-altitude valleys—farmers have conserved varieties of corn, quinoa, potatoes, amaranth, and beans for generations. Through exchanges and training, this traditional knowledge interacts with scientific tools to select seeds better adapted to drought, frost, pests, and the needs of each production system. The project “Participatory Improvement of Genetic Resources and Seed Systems for Agroecological Production – Agroecological Roots” promotes access to locally adapted seeds, the conservation of agrobiodiversity, and the strengthening of seed systems in Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. The initiative is implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the European Union. In Argentina, the project is implemented by the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), in conjunction with local organizations, through an agreement with the ArgenINTA Foundation.