Algerian Women: Preserving and Passing On an Ancestral Seed Heritage

29/09/2026

Beyond their value as plant genetic resources, local seeds are a living heritage that carries memory, knowledge, skills, and identity. Passed down from generation to generation, they represent a precious legacy for farmers and rural communities. Women play a central role in preserving this heritage, through both their agricultural practices and the knowledge they pass on.

Algerian women make an essential contribution to the preservation of local vegetable seeds. In addition to their roles in agricultural production, food processing, and household economies, they select, conserve, multiply, and share local seeds and the knowledge and practices associated with them. In doing so, they contribute to safeguarding cultivated biodiversity and the country’s agricultural heritage.

This knowledge is deeply rooted in local communities and extends well beyond agriculture. It encompasses food practices, traditional medicinal uses, cultural knowledge, and both tangible and intangible heritage. Through these contributions, women help strengthen food security, preserve local identities, and sustain traditional food systems.

Local Seeds: A Heritage of Multiple Values

Women attach a value to local seeds that goes far beyond their productive function. Field surveys conducted in different regions of Algeria highlight several complementary dimensions.

An existence value. Local seeds are closely linked to their places of origin and to the history of the communities that cultivate them. Their continued presence across generations is seen as evidence of their adaptability and usefulness. As several women farmers expressed: “If they are still here, it is not by chance.”

A use value. Local varieties occupy an important place in food practices and in social, religious, and cultural traditions and celebrations. During the celebration of Yennayer (the Amazigh New Year), couscous prepared with legumes symbolizes abundance and hope for a good agricultural year. Purslane remains an essential ingredient in traditional couscous in In Salah, while certain local varieties of lentils are traditionally prepared for women after childbirth.

Local seeds, aromatic plants, and medicinal species are also used to prepare numerous condiments, remedies, and traditional preparations, reflecting the richness of Algeria’s ecosystems and the knowledge passed down through generations.

A heritage value. Seeds are regarded as an inheritance passed down by elders. They are carefully preserved and rarely commercialized. In many communities, selling them is considered inappropriate, while passing them on to someone who can ensure their preservation and multiplication is regarded as an act of trust, associated with baraka (blessing).

An economic value. Maintaining their own seed supply gives family farms greater autonomy by reducing their dependence on markets and price fluctuations. It also contributes to the sustainability of local production systems.

A Field Experience Offering Lessons for Preserving a Living Heritage in Rural Communities

The values associated with local seeds are inseparable from everyday practices and local identities. Algeria’s agroecological diversity has fostered a remarkable wealth of varieties, knowledge, and culinary traditions.

Documenting, preserving, and promoting this heritage can help strengthen recognition of local knowledge and traditional practices. This approach is fully aligned with FAO’s vision, which recognizes traditional food systems as drivers of sustainable development, food security, rural community resilience, and the preservation and promotion of local heritage.

Activities carried out under project TCP/ALG/4001 – Technical Assistance for the Preservation and Development of Local Vegetable Seeds enabled a joint team from FAO in Algeria and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries to conduct missions in several wilayas representing the country’s main agroecological zones.

Field observations conducted in the northern mountainous regions, steppe areas, pre-Saharan regions, and oases revealed a rich diversity of plant genetic resources, as well as the important role played by women in their conservation, use, and continued transmission.

This first experience confirms that women are a key link in the local seed value chain. Their contribution extends beyond conserving genetic resources: they also help maintain traditional food practices, pass on knowledge, and preserve a living cultural heritage. These findings open up opportunities to strengthen efforts to document and promote this heritage, while supporting rural women in initiatives focused on agrobiodiversity conservation and sustainable development.