ARCHE NOAH

ARCHE NOAH was established in 1990 as an initiative of heirloom gardeners, farmers and journalists, concerned with the future of seeds and heirloom varieties. Over the last 100 years, the diversity of our cultivated plants has dramatically decreased all over the globe due to the industrialization of agriculture – more than 75% are already lost. Today, genetic engineering and various seed-monopolies, climate change and wars are threatening this precious heritage. ARCHE NOAH responds to the loss of agro-biodiversity with a positive vision and numerous activities. All of us can contribute to more diversity through cultivation of threatened varieties in our gardens, through consumer awareness and political commitment. ARCHE NOAH headquarters are in Schiltern, Lower Austria and Vienna, Austria. The association runs two organic propagation and demonstration gardens, of which one is public. In the public demonstration garden, visitors can learn on guided tours about history and future of heritage varieties grown on thematic parcels. ARCHE NOAH offers a variety of training and education options, including traditional seed production, plant breeding, fruit tree propagation and product development. ARCHE NOAH is running a genetic resources’ collection of several thousand vegetable and field crops, facilities for seed storage and farmer networks for field trials. ARCHE NOAH is a non-governmental organization, mainly funded by its more than 14.000 private members, fulfilling a public goal, the conservation and development of the diversity of cultivated plants. On a European wide level, ARCHE NOAH is regularly leading and participating in research, knowledge exchange and development projects on genetic resources conservation, participative plant breeding, community seed banks and seed production. Volunteers will have the unique possibility of experiencing many different aspects of ARCHE NOAHs work. Main tasks will be supporting ARCHE NOAHs international projects, especially the “Community Seed Banks Academy” as well as gardening and seed production in ARCHE NOAHs gardens. Depending on the individual interest of the participant, he/she will also be able to get an insight into ARCHE NOAHs education offers, policy work or plant breeding. We are looking for volunteers with strong interest in ARCHE NOAH’s fields of work and with a structured and autonomous way of working. Previous experiences in the mentioned fields are an asset, but not mandatory.