Participatory plant breeding (PPB) is an approach to plant breeding that involves active participation and collaboration between plant breeders, farmers, and other stakeholders. It aims to address the specific needs and preferences of farmers and local communities by involving them in the breeding process.
In PPB, farmers and other stakeholders are actively engaged in decision-making, from the selection of breeding goals to the evaluation and selection of plant varieties. This participatory approach recognizes the valuable knowledge and expertise that farmers possess about their local environments, farming practices, and desired traits in crops.
The process typically involves the following steps:
1. Identifying breeding goals: Farmers and breeders collaborate to identify the specific traits and characteristics that are important for the local farming system, such as disease resistance, yield potential, nutritional quality, or adaptation to specific environmental conditions.
2. Germplasm selection: Breeders provide farmers with a range of plant varieties or germplasm that possess the desired traits. Farmers evaluate and select the varieties that perform well under their local conditions.
3. On-farm trials: Selected varieties are tested in on-farm trials, where farmers actively participate in the evaluation process. They provide feedback on the performance of the varieties, including their adaptability, yield potential, taste, and other desired traits.
4. Selection and breeding: Based on the feedback received, breeders make informed decisions on which varieties to further develop and improve. They may cross different varieties to combine desirable traits or use other breeding techniques to enhance the selected varieties.
5. Multiplication and dissemination: Once improved varieties are developed, they are multiplied and distributed to farmers for further evaluation and adoption. This ensures that the varieties are well-adapted to local conditions and meet the needs of farmers.
Participatory plant breeding promotes farmer empowerment, local knowledge integration, and the development of crop varieties that are better suited to the needs and challenges of specific farming systems. It also fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange between farmers, breeders, researchers, and other stakeholders, leading to more sustainable and context-specific agricultural practices.