>> Jesse Howardson

February is Victoria’s unofficial Month of the Seed. The coming weeks are packed full of community events that will inspire transformation and provide concrete tools to support you and your neighbours in increasing regional seed and food sovereignty.

Vandana Shiva visits Victoria 

Renowned food sovereignty activist Dr. Vandana Shiva will be speaking in Victoria, co-hosted by Harmony Foundation, LifeCycles, UVic’s Institute for Studies & Innovation in Community-University Engagement, and BC Tour Coordinator Michelle Tsutsumi. One of just two stops in the province, Dr. Shiva will inspire us with a discussion on “Resilient Communities,” focusing on community-led initiatives around the world. For over 30 years, Vandana Shiva has been a champion for seed sovereignty, highlighting its essential role as the foundation of food systems. She has been a vocal advocate for gender equality in farming, as well as the connection between plant biodiversity and human cultural diversity, while also speaking out against aspects of the global industrial food system and its impacts on ecosystems, small-scale farmers, and traditional food systems.

On February 29th, her talk will connect local projects to international networks, illustrating how our actions here are part of a global community of change makers. Join us at the Farquhar Auditorium at UVic and get inspired to take part in fun and local projects that have a global impact. Event details below.

Farquhar Auditorium, B115, University Centre
Lecture at 8:00 p.m., book signing to follow—bring your Dr. Shiva books!
Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Visit tickets.uvic.ca or call 250-721-8480 to get your tickets. A portion of the proceeds will go towards local food initiatives. Visit lifecyclesproject.ca for more details.

Want to get involved in seed security locally?

  • Attend one of the Seedy Saturday events happening in the region—the Victoria Seed Library will be at Victoria Seedy Saturday on February 20th, offering a hands-on seed-cleaning workshop.
  • Borrow, save, and share seeds from the new Fernwood NRG Seed Library Node! The Victoria Seed Library and Fernwood NRG are partnering to host a satellite seed library in the Cornerstone Café—check back in March for the launch of this community seed collection!
  • Become a Seed Library member and learn how to save your own seeds! Visit gvpl.ca/seedlibrary for upcoming member orientations.
  • Want to steward rare varieties of seed and have a bit more space in your garden? With just 20 square feet, you can help us bulk up local seed library collections. Contact the Community Seed Grow-Out Program at vicseedlibrary@lifecyclesproject.ca.