Through interviews and focus group discussions, this new SEARICE study, entitled "The Seed Industry Development Act of 1992: Dispossessing the Filipino Smallholder Farmer," sought to investigate whether Republic Act (R .A .) 7308, otherwise known as the seed law, has had discernible effects on the seed-saving and farming practices of smallholder farmers and farmer breeders in selected provinces in the Philippines.
The findings indicate that farmers are getting used to seeds provided by the government but that some seed saving practices and exchanges of seeds persist among those interviewed.
It is also apparent that small farmers occasionally avail of seeds provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA). More frequently, however, they exchange and share seeds with their fellow farmers in order to keep their expenses to a minimum, especially as they prepare for the next cropping.
All farmer breeders who continue to do their breeding of seeds desire some recognition and support from the government for their efforts, but apparently this has yet to happen.
The small farmer-breeders will continue to breed their own varieties because they want to maintain and strengthen their know-how and ability to improve traditional seeds. This gives them some measure of self-satisfaction, and reduces their input costs, which translates to additional income while contributing to broader goals like food security for the community, enhanced seed security, and greater collective ability to cope with climate change.