O etnoconhecimento e a conservação de sementes crioulas no estado do Rio Grande do Norte: (re)existências e ancestralidades

Abstract

The appreciation of traditional knowledge has been highlighted in the literature as a strategic path to promoting sustainability. In this context, conservation practices for Creole seeds stand out, considered essential for the social reproduction of traditional populations and for environmental conservation. This study aims to investigate the traditional knowledge involved in the conservation of Creole seeds in seven Citizenship Territories of Rio Grande do Norte. To this end, the first part consisted of a systematic review of the literature on Creole seeds, aiming to identify the predominant elements in academic literature on the topic. Subsequently, the results of field research conducted as part of the project "In Search of Seeds that Color the Semiarid Region: Identification, Characterization, and Mapping of Creole Seeds in the Citizenship Territories of Rio Grande do Norte" (In Search of Seeds that Color the Semiarid Region: Identification, Characterization, and Mapping of Creole Seeds in the Citizenship Territories of Rio Grande do Norte) were presented. This project, developed by the Rural Studies Laboratory of UFRN, aims to analyze the conservation and management practices of Creole seeds adopted by family farmers in Rio Grande do Norte. The literature review showed that Creole seeds are more than genetic resources: they are a cultural and political heritage that expresses the identity, memory, and resistance of traditional peoples and communities. The empirical results revealed the richness of local knowledge about the management, conservation, and symbolic meaning of seeds, understood as "seeds of life," linked to ancestry and spirituality. Practices such as markets, community banks, and networks of guardians emerge as forms of collective resistance and safeguarding agrobiodiversity. The research also highlighted the leading role of women and community organizations in maintaining this knowledge, as well as the challenges faced, such as the rural exodus and the lack of continuous, adequate, and agroecologically based public policies, fundamental not only for biodiversity but also for building a truly sustainable, fair, and pluralistic development model. However, a growing effort was observed to involve rural youth in training and collective seed management spaces. In conclusion, Creole seeds represent ancestral technologies and symbols of resistance and autonomy, demanding recognition of their biocultural values and the development of public policies that strengthen traditional territories. Thus, it is argued that defending Creole seeds is defending life, diversity, and the possibility of futures rooted in the knowledge and practices of communities that cultivate not only food, but also stories, dreams, and sustainable ways of life.