Honoring the Gift: A Share-Alike Approach to Free Access to Seeds and Collaborative Futures

Abstract

Seeds represent more than just genetic material. They are gifts that embody community stories, cultural memory, and ecological adaptation, serving as the foundation of our food systems. This talk will delve into how we can honor these gifts through ethical frameworks and collaborative practices that safeguard free access and reciprocity. We will begin by sharing lessons from the MaSE project, which promotes mutual learning between Indigenous communities and academic institutions to develop culturally grounded guidelines for seed sovereignty collaboratively. Next, we will explore the scientific and ethical dimensions surrounding research on nitrogen-fixing maize landraces from Oaxaca. This case exemplifies both the promise of agroecological innovation and the risks of biopiracy when Indigenous contributions are overlooked. Lastly, we will examine legal approaches to open seed germplasm transfers, such as Bioleft (in Argentina) or the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI), which seek to challenge restrictive intellectual property regimes and foster commons-based stewardship. Together, these perspectives encourage us to envision collaborative futures where diverse forms of knowledge, cultural commitments, scientific advancements, and legal frameworks converge to safeguard biodiversity and promote ethical sharing.

About the Speakers

Professor Jean-Michel Ané is a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor in both the Department of Bacteriology and the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His primary research focuses on elucidating the molecular mechanisms that drive efficient symbiotic relationships between plants and microbes. The ultimate aim of his work is to leverage this understanding to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability for the production of food, feed, and biofuels.

Professor Jorge Contreras is a Distinguished University Professor, the James T. Jensen Endowed Professor for Transactional Law and Director of the Program on Intellectual Property and Technology Law and the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. His research focuses on intellectual property and innovation law, and he has written extensively on patent pledges and other forms of open innovation in the life sciences. 

Dr Calderón is an Affiliated Professor at Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala and a Teaching Faculty in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her work uses participatory and transdisciplinary approaches to advance just agroecological transitions. With extensive experience at the intersections of gender, indigeneity, health, and agroecology, she is committed to re-centering ancestral knowledge and fostering respectful collaborations that value different ways of knowing. Through initiatives such as MaSE “Maize Sovereignty for Everyone, Mutual Learning for the Defense and Culturally Acceptable Use of Indigenous Biodiversity”, she promotes mutual learning between Indigenous communities and academic institutions to co-create ethical frameworks for seed sovereignty that safeguard biodiversity and strengthen sustainable food systems.

View more information: People, Plants and the Law - Plant Success