From seed to plate

When humans settled down after the last major ice age and began practicing agriculture, they gradually selected cultivated plants from wild ones. Seeds were collected, stored, exchanged, sown, multiplied, and continually developed. With an increase in the industrialization of agriculture, seeds increasingly became a commodity.

Today, seeds are predominantly produced by specialized and centralized companies that hold proprietary rights over them. Seed laws, originally created to ensure a consistent seed quality, only allow the commercialization of traditional seeds in exceptional cases. The consequence of seed privatization and regulation is the loss of genetic diversity in our food crops, with many traditional varieties disappearing over the past century.

In his presentation, Frank Adams explains why it is crucial, both today and in the future, for long-term food security, to maintain and develop regional systems of traditional seeds. He will also provide concrete examples from practical experience.


For the past 30 years, Frank Adams has been multiplying and commercializing certified organic seeds of various vegetable species, participating in various regional projects on the theme "from seed to plate". Frank Adams works at the Gilsdorf Agricultural School and is a founding member of the Luxembourgish association SEED.

After the presentation, there will be an opportunity for an exchange with the audience.