Seed library

The Learning Center offers a new service to the ESSEC community: the seed library. The concept is simple, it consists in exchanging seeds. Everyone can bring their seeds to share, and take some to grow at home. 

All kinds of seeds can be found there: flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables, etc.
The seed library is located in the Learning Center reception area. Seeds are arranged alphabetically in the right-hand drawer, with the name of the plant noted on each card. Envelopes are available in the left-hand drawer for depositing seeds.

Beyond the exchange of seeds, the seed library aims to:

• develop and protect biodiversity, 
• promote the preservation and dissemination of vegetable, aromatic and flower seeds recognized for their qualities,
• raise awareness among the ESSEC community of the fight for the freedom to exchange and produce seeds, 
• to allow everyone to make seeds, gardening and nature their own,
• to encourage meetings and exchanges at ESSEC

This project is in line with the Together pillar of ESSEC's RISE strategy.

It is a participatory project open to all. We count on everyone's good will for the good functioning of this grain library, by following these few rules: 

• only take what you can grow, in order to leave some to others and avoid waste
• collect and donate the seeds of the plants you have grown
• do not deposit hybrid seeds (F1 type)
• do not deposit seeds bought in the trade (their exchange is prohibited by the law)

In the spring, we will organize a sowing workshop to bring together ESSEC gardeners and learn about one another's practices.

Do you like gardening? You can also contact the following organizations: 

• Labboite
• Les Incroyables Comestibles (French version of Incredible Edible)
• Seed libraries in Paris

Here are some documents to learn more about this project:

• Guides:
  • Comment reproduire ses semences (association Graines de Troc)
  • Récolter des graines (guides de la bibliothèque Louise Michel)
  • Seed: collecting and storing (Royal Horticultural Society)
• Books you can borrow at the Learning Center:
  • Comprendre la biodiversité : vrais problèmes et idées fausses / Alain Pavé
  • Une agriculture qui répare la planète : les promesses de l'agriculture biologique régénérative / Vandana Shiva, Jacques Caplat, André Leu
  • Révolution des agricultures urbaines, des utopies aux réalités : vers des métropoles agri-urbaines ? / Jean-Paul Charvet et Xavier Laureau
  • L'agroécologie peut nous sauver : entretiens / Marc Dufumier & Olivier le Naire
  • Le monde selon Monsanto : de la dioxine aux OGM, une multinationale qui vous veut du bien / Marie-Monique Robin ; préface de Nicolas Hulot et le film du même titre.
  • « 3. Des semences « augmentées », ou la science au service de nouvelles enclosures », dans : La croissance verte contre la nature. Critique de l’écologie marchande / Hélène Tordjman 
  • Integrating food into urban planning / edited by Yves Cabannes and Cecilia Marocchino
• Articles:
  • Julie Hermesse, Corentin Hecquet et Pierre M. Stassart, « Verrouillage du système semencier et enjeux de sa réappropriation », Études rurales [En ligne], 202 | 2018
  • Elise Demeulenaere et Christophe Bonneuil, « Des Semences en partage », Techniques & Culture [En ligne], 57 | 2011
  • Holly M. Dean, & Jennifer Mezick, « An Examination of Seed Libraries across two Academic Institutions », Urban Library Journal, 26 (1) | 2020