Seeds in a seed bank are better than nothing, as long as we do not suppose they substitute for diversity in agriculture .

What is reducing diversity? Partly globalization. Partly it is larger farms. Partly it is seed companies. And partly it is the laws that seed companies impose: plant variety monopolies, patented genes in plants, even laws against distributing seeds of unapproved varieties.

In the European Union, for instance, it is forbidden to sell seed varieties not specifically approved.