David McKeithen, from the BIOLEFT team, participated as a speaker in the III LiveSeeding UE Webinar to promote organic seeds and innovation in plant breeding, held online on March 10 and 11, 2026
The meeting brought together producers, researchers, plant breeders, public managers, and other professionals in the sector to discuss governance and financing models that support organic seed systems and plant breeding initiatives. David McKeithen participated in a session dedicated to strategies toward the financial sustainability of organic plant breeding. The Webinar framework allowed for contrasting and highlighting a diversity of proposals from plant breeding ventures, public policies, and philanthropy.
During his presentation, David shared about Bioleft's work in participatory breeding and open-source seed innovation. He explained how decentralized networks of producers, breeders, and researchers collaborate to conserve, improve, and circulate locally adapted seeds, while simultaneously experimenting with diversified financing strategies and legal tools inspired by open-source principles.
The presentation highlighted how collaborative governance, resource diversification, and open access to genetic resources can contribute to building more resilient and inclusive seed systems, particularly in contexts of institutional uncertainty and limited support for organic breeding.