Who are the Local Conservators?
Since conservation is a specialized activity, only a few individuals in a community can be considered as local conservators. They are usually the key members in a farming community who have shown greater knowledge related to genetic resources conservation and have been more conscious and systematic in conserving their crops. They can be either male or female, young or old alike. Usually, men do the conservation in the farms while the womens domain is in the homegardens. In Bukidnon, young pupils and schoolteachers help conserve the traditional sweetpotato varieties found in their area by maintaining a school sweetpotato genebank. According to the teachers it helps them build a culture of conservation for these children, while at the same time, it serves the community as a source of good planting materials. Interestingly, during the workshop discussions, the sweetpotato trader participants exhibited unique knowledge and influence over conservation dynamics, which future initiatives must
