Statement from Exeter Seed Bank: In Solidarity with Palestine and Seed Sovereignty, 1 August 2025
Exeter Seed Bank strongly condemns the destruction of the Seed Multiplication Unit of the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) in Hebron by Israeli forces on 31 July 2025. This targeted attack on agricultural infrastructure has destroyed vital equipment, indigenous seeds, and resources essential for safeguarding local biodiversity and food sovereignty.
The UAWC’s Palestine Local Seed Bank has been central to the preservation of Palestinian seed varieties and to supporting farmers in their efforts to remain resilient, connected to the land, and rooted in the cultural identity of Palestine. Its demolition constitutes a direct assault on generations of agricultural knowledge, cultural heritage, and ecological resilience.
Exeter Seed Bank is proud to be twinned with the Palestine Local Seed Bank through a project coordinated by the Landworkers’ Alliance (LWA). We share a firm commitment to seed justice, farmers’ rights, and agroecology. The destruction of any seed bank is a loss for us all.
We call on Exeter residents and the wider UK public to contact their Members of Parliament, such as Steve Race in Exeter — and urge the UK Government to:
· Publicly condemn the destruction of Palestinian agricultural infrastructure
· Support Palestinian seed and food sovereignty, as well as land rights
· Demand accountability for ongoing violations of international law
Write to your MP at https://www.writetothem.com
Exeter Seed Bank