Seminar | Biodiversity Belongs to Us! Property, Seeds, and Commons

On May 23, I had the opportunity to present at the seminar “Biodiversity Belongs to Us! Property, Seeds, and Commons”, co-organized by the Research Center on Regulation and Governance Law (CrRDG) at the University of Sherbrooke, University of Grenoble Alpes, University Institute of France, and EDS Institute of Laval University.

I was honored to speak alongside Professor Fabien Girard, from University of Grenoble Alpes and junior member of the University Institute of France, with whom I share close research interests.

My presentation, titled in french “Customary Norms Put to the Test by Intellectual Property: A Fragile Coexistence at the Heart of Agrobiodiversity Governance in West Africa” [Les normes coutumières à l'épreuve de la propriété intellectuelle : une coexistence fragile au coeur de la gouvernance de l'agrobiodiversité en Afrique de l'Ouest], examined tensions between intellectual property and customary norms in seed management. Using the example of the komsaya maize variety in Burkina Faso, I showed how the sui generis plant variety protection system and the regulation of certified seed marketing reshape power relations within indigenous and local communities. I also highlighted the pressures exerted by the state and certified seed markets on local legal orders. The presentation concluded with recommendations to recognize farmers’ rights, support community seed banks, and promote inclusive agrobiodiversity governance.

Professor Fabien Girard’s communication, “Ludi Cereris: The Return of the Seed Commons” [Ludi Cereris : le retour des communs en semences] explored the tension between commodification and decommodification of seeds, focusing on resistance to market expansion. He discussed proposals for radical seed decommodification, grounded in research on “noxious markets” and the commons. Examples included open source seed licenses and seed exchange networks like Réseau semences paysannes (France) and Red de Semillas (Spain), illustrating different forms of “decommodification” and “commoning” in the seed sector.

I warmly thank Professor Pierre-François Mercure for his excellent introduction, Professor Marie-Claude Desjardins for her attentive moderation, and the CrRDG student committee—especially Coralie Beaumont, Lauren Cavallier, and Alexandra Bouchard—for their invaluable organizational and online moderation support.

The seminar attracted 28 online participants and 15 in-person attendees, reflecting strong interest in the intersections of law, biodiversity, and commons.

Recordings will be available online soon.

Meanwhile, here are some photos from the event: