Multi-stakeholder framework for intervening in Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) seed systems: User’s guide
This working paper (PDF) by CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas presents a tool, designed to help professionals to understand root, tuber and banana (RTB) seed systems or for use during planning, monitoring, and implementation of interventions in them. RTB crops are important for food security and commerce, especially in the tropics. They are vegetatively reproduced, so unlike crops grown from true seed, RTBs face unique challenges: they are bulky, perishable, and susceptible to pests. Additionally their seed systems have suffered from low investments. The multi-stakeholder framework presented can be used as a table, with rows of stakeholders and columns of characteristics: availability of seed, access, and quality. Gender should always be taken into account when using the framework. When used before an intervention, the framework can guide a study of the existing seed system and identify bottlenecks and key actions for the upcoming intervention. When used to monitor an ongoing intervention, the framework can help to plan the evolution of activities, scope, theory of change, objectives, and impacts. The framework will help stakeholders to think about RTB seed systems in a holistic way and to account for differences in the perspectives of some of the people and organizations who are the stakeholders in these crops.
In addition to this working paper, CGIAR RTB published a working paper (PDF) offering a critique of this framework, and suggestions on how to integrate gender into the framework.