AGRILINKS WEBINAR: 12 November 2015, 9:30-11 am EDT. Many smallholder farmers rely on local seed varieties to produce staple food crops. Distributed through informal systems, farmers select varieties based on a number of factors including environmental considerations, socioeconomic factors, access and taste preferences. These systems may contribute to the food security of a region, but farmers may also encounter barriers to accessing good quality seed including quality controls and storage issues. In this Ag Sector Council webinar, geographer and environmental scientist Karl Zimmerer from the Pennsylvania State University will describe his research in mapping local land races and highlight some of the lessons learned from this body of work. He will also introduce a promising new methodology for gathering a robust census of local seed varieties in a given region. We will also be joined by expert Victor Afari-Sefa of The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC), who will discuss methods for improving the quality of informal sector seeds and introducing and integrating improved varieties into local networks. To register: http://agrilinks.org/events/informal-seed-sector-behind-seeds-look