Indonesian Farmers Cross Their Own Rice From Local Germplasm

AB2TI, the Indonesian Association of Seed Banks and Farm Technology, was founded in 2012 to build farmers' skills in crossing and selecting plants so they can produce their own seed. Its farmer-breeder groups report 3,600 crossed rice varieties, mostly based on local germplasm, and members sell seed to neighbouring farmers, which has raised awareness of conserving local varieties. Its management structure spans 20 provinces and 90 regencies, and a Karanganyar member group won the national Best Food Cluster award on 27 April 2026. The association is chaired by IPB University professor Dwi Andreas Santosa and is running a Rp100 million rice-planting contest for 2027.