La Rematriación de maíz (Zea mays L.) nativo para el pueblo indígena Kamëntsá-biyá, en el departamento del Putumayo, Colombia

The most important challenges that humanity faces today are biodiversity loss and erosion of germplasm resources, both highly enhanced by climate change, climate variability, and anthropogenic causes. These phenomena were identified in local production seed systems (SLS) and local agricultural communities such as the native indigenous people Kamëntsá-biyá in Putumayo, Colombia, particularly in corn. The intercultural dialogue allowed AGROSAVIA to reach different agricultural communities and develop strategies to strengthen SLS and improve food security and food sovereignty locally. To mitigate the loss of corn landraces, AGROSAVIA prepared a strategy called Seed Rematriation, a strategy developed jointly with the Kamëntsá-biyá community. To the Kamëntsá-biyá people, the strengthening of their agricultural system (called jajañ) begins with rescuing corn landraces that were lost. Human factors or climate variability are the most common causes of this disappearance. Seed Rematriation reinforces the agricultural, cultural, and food bases of local communities. To rescue corn seed, we use accessions stored in the Colombian Germplasm Banks for Food and Agriculture (BGAA). We identified and increased ten corn accessions collected in the Putumayo and stored more than three decades ago. We agreed with the Kamëntsá-biyá people to return this seed to their community. The seed increase was done at the AGROSAVIA research center La Selva (Rionegro, Antioquia). La Selva has optimal agroclimatic conditions to increase corn seed from the Putumayo area. Seed increase was done using a plot under controlled pollination per accession, where we finally obtained quality seeds of each accession. Simultaneously, we strengthened the Kamëntsá-biyá Seed Guardian Network so that they could increase, produce, and store corn seeds using their cultural practices. Rematriation implies the conscious and respectful return of landraces or native seeds to their communities, with the recognition of their intrinsic value and the preservation of cultural practices associated with their seeds. Rematriation is based on respect and cultural understanding and prioritizes community participation during the strengthening of their agricultural production systems through interculturality. Finally, seed rematriation contributes to food security, food sovereignty, and food identity. It facilitates the conservation and rescue of agrobiodiversity using both in situ and ex situ strategies. Here, we describe the rematriation principles and depict their actions to articulate rescue, conservation, restoration, and increase processes carried out jointly between Kamëntsá-biyá and AGROSAVIA with the BGAA. Thus, we enrich the delivery of seed to communities and strengthen the capacities of the SLS.