the BIOCULTURAL SEED BANK

Biological and Cultural Diversity, Bound by DNA

The Biocultural Seed Bank is a proposal to conserve not only endangered seeds, but also endangered cultures. When we lose a plant variety, we also lose its associated dishes, harvesting techniques, legends and ceremonies - biological and cultural diversity are inextricably linked. This project proposes to safeguard biological and cultural information together in the same place: the seed’s DNA.

DNA digital data storage is the process of encoding and decoding binary data into synthesised strands of DNA. Cultural artefacts can be converted into C, T, A, G code, then synthesised and inserted into a seed’s genome using CRISPR techniques. Each bio-cultural seed thus becomes a time capsule for future generations, carrying information not just about the seed’s “what” but also its “how.”

The biocultural seed bank is a response to the mass extinction of species. In the last 120 years, agricultural biodiversity has declined by 90%. Industrialised agricultural practices such as seed patenting and monocropping prioritise efficiency and profit over diversity, creating today’s biodiversity crisis. Seed banks are a counter-movement to the privatisation of the commons. By storing seeds in their multitudes of genetic variations, they preserve hope for a diverse future post-crisis. However, if the culture surrounding a seed is lost, how will future generations know how to cultivate it? Plants don’t thrive in isolation; they rely on specific climates, environments, and companion species; relationships that have been built over many years. Human communities are not just a threat but also a major companion for many plant varieties.

Establishing a biocultural seed bank imposes many questions. What constitutes a seed’s culture? Can culture be reduced to data? Which aspects of natureculture should be conserved, and who decides what is worth saving?