Celebration of Seeds in Bonn, Germany

I just got in from Germany, where the UN is having its 9th Conference of the Parties (aka COP9) of the Commission on Biodiversity. Near the rail station of downtown Bonn is an exhibition by local and international civil society.

I was very happy to see a lot of booths tackling plant biodiversity, including a few focusing on traditional seed collection. It is quite amazing to see the colors and sizes that scream evolution. I chanced upon the Searice booth, which had little paper mache carabaos.

I met a Nepali guy who lectured me on the different varieties of rice beans. I don't see them much in their "normal" form, much less several varieties of them! The best part was when he gave me some large babies that I'd never seen in the Philippines before.