The Critical Seed Library
The Critical Seed Library is a transnational initiative launched by Aterraterra Lab, bringing together eight diverse seed-saving organizations from around the world. Its mission is to share seeds and knowledge to address urgent challenges such as the climate crisis, social injustice, and the exploitation of natural resources. By providing seeds to those interested, the library supports communities in cultivating their own sustainable food sources and promotes environmental stewardship and social equity.
The Critical Seed Library emphasizes three key aspects of seed resistance:
The Critical Seed Library envisions a resistant approach to cultivation and nutrition. Its foundation lies in the collective strength that we can harness by increasing the adaptability of plants to extreme, unpredictable climates; reducing agricultural resource use — especially water and soil; and directing collective awareness towards the complex stories and narratives that edible plants hold.
This project was initiated by the Aterraterra Lab Association, an organization dedicated to researching seeds and the resilient characteristics of food plants. The initiative has come to fruition through collaboration with organizations committed to similar endeavors. These partnerships began with the Seed Confluence, a three day summit held in March 2024 where all participating partners gathered at Aterraterra studio in Palermo.
The Critical Seed Library officially launched in Autumn 2024 and will continuously update, grow, and evolve. Therefore, the seeds currently available in the three categories represent an initial core collection that will be enriched over time.
The Critical Seed Library emphasizes three key aspects of seed resistance:
- Climate Resistance: The library showcases seeds with traits that enable them to withstand drought and high temperatures, offering crucial support in the face of climate change and erratic weather patterns.
- Cultural Resistance: The library highlights seeds that embody cultural stories of resistance, reflect complex histories or celebrate the empowerment of marginalized and oppressed communities. The library catalogs seeds that carry a complex heritage, like a past connected to colonialism or racism, to recount these stories and propose ways to confront this heritage.
- Wild Edibility: The library collects seeds from wild edible plants that thrive without human cultivation. These plants require minimal water source — typically relying on groundwater — and are finely tuned to specific climates.
The Critical Seed Library envisions a resistant approach to cultivation and nutrition. Its foundation lies in the collective strength that we can harness by increasing the adaptability of plants to extreme, unpredictable climates; reducing agricultural resource use — especially water and soil; and directing collective awareness towards the complex stories and narratives that edible plants hold.
This project was initiated by the Aterraterra Lab Association, an organization dedicated to researching seeds and the resilient characteristics of food plants. The initiative has come to fruition through collaboration with organizations committed to similar endeavors. These partnerships began with the Seed Confluence, a three day summit held in March 2024 where all participating partners gathered at Aterraterra studio in Palermo.
The Critical Seed Library officially launched in Autumn 2024 and will continuously update, grow, and evolve. Therefore, the seeds currently available in the three categories represent an initial core collection that will be enriched over time.
THANKS
The Critical Seed Library is a core component of the “Critical Seeds of Resistance” project, made possible through the support of the Solidarity Fund provided by the European Cultural Foundation.
We also want to thank all the institutions and individuals who have contributed to the success of this project:
Eixarcolant ︎︎︎
Postane ︎︎︎
Spore Initiative ︎︎︎
Motif Art Studio ︎︎︎
Wolves Lane Centre ︎︎︎
Tlayolan ︎︎︎
Iraqi Seed Collective ︎︎︎
Thank you to the seed savers who actively participated in the process: Fabio Aranzulla, Luca Cinquemani, Berta Garriga Garriga, Mikhail Lylov, Monserrat Peniche Barrer, Mohamed Sleiman Labat, Randa Toko, Elisa Valle Rio, Evren Yıldırım.
Creative production and web development: Eliza Collin ︎︎︎
Graphic design: Isabel Lea.
Translations and editing: Mia LaRocca and Clarissa Sheltraw.
The Critical Seed Library is a core component of the “Critical Seeds of Resistance” project, made possible through the support of the Solidarity Fund provided by the European Cultural Foundation.
We also want to thank all the institutions and individuals who have contributed to the success of this project:
Eixarcolant ︎︎︎
Postane ︎︎︎
Spore Initiative ︎︎︎
Motif Art Studio ︎︎︎
Wolves Lane Centre ︎︎︎
Tlayolan ︎︎︎
Iraqi Seed Collective ︎︎︎
Thank you to the seed savers who actively participated in the process: Fabio Aranzulla, Luca Cinquemani, Berta Garriga Garriga, Mikhail Lylov, Monserrat Peniche Barrer, Mohamed Sleiman Labat, Randa Toko, Elisa Valle Rio, Evren Yıldırım.
Creative production and web development: Eliza Collin ︎︎︎
Graphic design: Isabel Lea.
Translations and editing: Mia LaRocca and Clarissa Sheltraw.
