Rete Semi Rurali

Rete Semi Rurali is an Italian network dedicated to the conservation of agricultural biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable, farmer-managed seed systems. Based in Scandicci near Florence, the organization works with farmers, researchers, plant breeders, and civil society groups to maintain, multiply, and exchange traditional and local crop varieties that are not available through commercial seed markets. These varieties, adapted over generations to local conditions and farming systems, represent an irreplaceable genetic heritage that is increasingly threatened by the consolidation of the commercial seed industry and the narrowing of agricultural biodiversity. Rete Semi Rurali conducts participatory plant breeding research in collaboration with farmers, allowing varieties to be selected and improved in real agricultural conditions rather than controlled research stations. The network advocates for policy frameworks at national and European levels that recognize and protect farmers’ rights to save, use, exchange, and sell farm-saved seeds. It also provides training, documentation, and resources to support a growing community of farmers committed to biodiversity-based farming systems. By strengthening the knowledge and infrastructure for farmer-managed seeds, Rete Semi Rurali makes an essential contribution to the long-term resilience and diversity of Italian and European agriculture.