Food & Business Knowledge PlatformSeed systems - Food & Business Knowledge Platform

Not only the seed matters: Farmers’ perceptions of sources for banana planting materials in Uganda

F&BKP Office — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:42:59 +0000

This study (PDF) in Outlook on Agriculture applied a means-end chain analysis to understand farmers’ perceptions of formal and informal sources of banana planting material. The adoption of improved seed and other planting material in developing countries shows mixed results. Apart from the cultivars and variety traits that are attractive to farmers, smallholder farmers’ seed sourcing practices are often influenced by social ties and cultural norms. Therefore it is relevant to understand where and why farmers seek to acquire planting material. The importance of obtaining knowledge while sourcing planting material was striking, in combination with the finding that larger and male farmers considered the formal sources to obtain knowledge, whereas smaller farmers and women saw more opportunity to obtain knowledge from informal sources. Another finding was that not only the amount of income generated is important to farmers, but also the timing and frequency of incomes. Farmers associated formal sources mainly with improved cultivars, tissue culture plantlets and low levels of diversity. Informal seed sources were mostly associated with traditional cultivars, suckers and high levels of diversity. Farmers do not merely look for clean and high yielding planting material that can increase income but take more characteristics related to of the source and the planting material in consideration.The goals farmers pursued while acquiring planting material, such as financial gains, food security, and to sustain and develop the household, were fairly similar among different groups of farmers. The means through which farmers aimed and preferred to pursue these goals differed and could be related to aspects such as gender, production scale and production goals. Perceived benefits and disadvantages of seed sources differ among farmers, which indicates that not only cultivar traits should be tailored to farmers’ preferences and needs, but also the characteristics of the sources from which farmers access planting material.

Legume seed production for sustainable seed supply and crop productivity: case of groundnut in Tanzania and Uganda

F&BKP Office — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 12:34:47 +0000

This article in the Journal of Crop Improvement analyzed the cost structure of improved groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seed production to assess viability, using primary data collected from Tanzania and Uganda. Improving agricultural productivity and production is a prerequisite to sustain rural livelihoods in developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This requires increased use of quality seed of improved and well-adapted crop varieties. Legumes are particularly critical in ensuring food and nutritional securities of the majority of farming households. However, their productivity has been constrained because of limited availability of quality seed, jeopardizing henceforth food security and rural livelihoods. The lack of interest in production of legume seeds by potential seed producers, especially the private sector, is attributable to limited information on the cost and profitability of producing these seeds. Results showed that groundnut seed price varied between 1 and 2 US$ kg⁻¹ for certified and quality declared seed and between 2 and 3.5 US$ kg⁻¹ for early generation seed. Overall, up to 50% increase in total seed production costs resulted in reduced drop in the gross margin earned. However, when production costs increased by 75–100%, the gross margin dropped by about 18% and 50% in Tanzania and in Uganda, respectively. These findings indicated that groundnut seed could be provided to farmers in remote communities at an affordable price while still keeping seed producers profitably in business. Availing these seeds to smallholder producers is a major step in achieving food security and nutritional health in developing countries in SSA.

Market‐led options to scale up legume seeds in developing countries: Experiences from the Tropical Legumes Project

F&BKP Office — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 12:55:54 +0000

This article (PDF) published in Plant Breeding states there are several hurdles to ensure sustainable seed production and consistent flow of improved legume varieties in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (SA). The unreliable demand, autogamous nature of most of the grain legumes, and slow variety replacement rate by smallholder farmers do not provide strong incentive for private seed companies to invest in legume seed business. The experiences reported here are collated through a 10‐year partnership project, the Tropical Legumes in SSA and SA. It fostered innovative public–private partnerships in joint testing of innovative market‐led seed systems, skills and knowledge enhancement, de‐risking private sector initiatives that introduced in new approaches and previously overlooked enti‐ties in technology delivery. As new public and private seed companies, individual seed entrepreneurs and farmer organizations emerged, the existing ones enhanced their capacities. This resulted in significant rise in production, availability and accessibility of various seed grades of newly improved and farmer demanded legume varieties in the target countries. It could be concluded that resource‐poor farmers are ready to adopt new, improved varieties of legumes. However, only a full package of variety, complementary technologies and innovative seed delivery models will achieve the desired impact for better food and nutrition systems. Furthermore, an efficient seed system for delivering varieties must be linked to the commodity value chain. Also, seed delivery systems may intrinsically be region‐ and crop specific. Therefore, a pluralistic approach will allow to identify the best bets, especially when enabled by policies that recognize seed outside the certification scheme. Also, investments should be made towards creating demand for new varieties and complementary technologies. Moreover, diversification of seed sources by linking formal and informal seed systems is also a fundamental tool to enhancing seed access to resource‐poor farmers especially those in remote areas.

Quality cereal seed in achieving sustainable development goals in Bangladesh: A review of perspectives on policy analysis

F&BKP Office — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 13:29:14 +0000

This paper (PDF) published in the Journal of Agricultural Research Advances states that quality seed is one of the first and foremost prerequisites for a healthy and vigorous crop and considered as an important factor for increasing crop yield. However, in Bangladesh resource-poor farmers have limited access to quality seeds. Without proper policy implementation for quality seed supply, it is very difficult to achieve food security and the sustainable development goals. Therefore, the objective of this review paper is to identify the causes of inadequate supply of quality cereal seed in Bangladesh and the policy options that need to be revised to enhance the availability of quality cereal seed at an affordable price for farmers. It was found that 1) the seed varieties that were developed were often not in line with farmers’ wishes, 2) the quantity of breeder seeds of desired varieties were not available in the required quantities, 3) there was a lack of statistics on cultivable land of different crops and marketing seeds by the private sector, 4) there was no seed demand assessment/forecasting mechanism, 5) quality cereal seeds are often unaffordable to farmers, 6) contract growers don’t get their seed price in time, 8) the Seed Certification Agency has the regulatory functions to control seed quality but due to less capacity it can’t carry out functions duly, 9) and the absence of an appropriate seed production and marketing plan is the main cause of inadequate supply of quality seed. To conclude, the production and supply of quality seed should not be totally left to the private sector. They can be given responsibility for a specific quantity of the total required seed with some conditions. Though, policy support is needed to make quality cereal seeds available (on time, at an affordable price). A holistic approach is needed as well as a strong monitoring mechanism.

Potato seed systems

F&BKP Office — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 12:55:17 +0000

This article (PDF, chapter 12) published in the book The Potato Crop states that good quality seed is almost universally considered a requirement for high productivity in all potato production systems. Much of the yield gap currently constraining productivity in low-income countries is attributed to the poor quality of seed. Potato seed sector development is thus a major concern of governments, researchers, development agencies, and civil society organizations. Potato seed systems are often characterized as formal or informal, although the informal seed system is complex and particularly in low income countries there are many linkages between the two systems. Informal seed potato systems in the Andes have existed for centuries, and for a number of reasons often produce seed of relatively high quality. In other low-income countries, informal systems produce seed of variable and frequently poor quality, contributing to very large yield gaps, characteristic of those areas. In regions of high potato productivity (e.g., the USA and Europe), formal systems, with seed of certified high quality, are dominant, although some productions subsectors (e.g., organic producers) often use seed that is not certified. Efforts to implement formal seed systems in low-income countries have been largely unsuccessful; consequently the vast majority of low-resource potato farmers source their seed via the informal system. Sectors of the development community are pushing for alternative solutions, which generally involve some form of integrating formal and informal seed systems or semi-formal systems such as quality declared seed, and a policy structure that preserves farmers’ rights to save and trade seed. Given the role that seed quality is currently playing in the low yields of potato in low-income countries, which is not the case in wealthier parts of the world, the review focuses primarily on seed sector development in resource-poor areas.

Empirical examination of the constraints and causes of crop seed losses in Ghana

F&BKP Office — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 12:59:01 +0000

This article (PDF) published in the Journal of Crop Improvements states that development interventions have endeavored to improve the availability of improved seeds to enhance agricultural productivity in West African sub-region. The objective of this study, therefore, was to examine the constraints of seed production and the causes of seed losses in Northern Ghana. Primary data was used on farm information collected from 62 seed producers in northern Ghana. The results indicated that high input costs, undeveloped marketing system and seed distribution channels, erratic rainfall pattern, and inadequate machinery constituted the main challenges for seed producers. Field pests, poor storage structures, poor farm hygiene, and poor bagging process significantly influenced seed losses. Recommended is, among other interventions, that agricultural policies of Ghana, such as “the planting for food and jobs” and the agricultural input subsidy program, provide seed producers with technical and financial support to reduce cost of production and seed losses. There is also the need to strengthen seed trade associations to provide technical backstopping and the needed services to actors in the seed value chain of Ghana.

Access to early generation seed: Obstacles for delivery of climate-smart varieties

F&BKP Office — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 13:03:57 +0000

This article (PDF, chapter 8) published in the book The climate-smart agriculture papers states that changing climates in eastern and southern Africa will require farmers to adjust which crop varieties they grow in order to adapt to changing patterns of weather, pests and diseases. Delivering more suitable, climate-smart crop varieties requires well-functioning seed systems in which actors work in harmony across the supply chain. Although a great deal of previous development funding has been used to breed new varieties and to encourage farmers to adopt them, the availability of early-generation seed (EGS) continues to be limited by bottlenecks in the supply chain. These problems are particularly significant for non-hybrid varieties and less-commercialized food crops developed by public-sector institutions. This study uses two contrasting case studies from Kenya to illustrate the importance of making improved bean seed varieties available to farmers. The experiences from the two cases presented here can be summarized into eight lessons: 1. Public subsidies to promote and market new varieties can encourage commercial interest. 2. Publicly funded agricultural input subsidies can kick-start the market and encourage commercial interest. 3. Access to breeder seed and multiplication rights must be at a cost low enough to attract commercial interest, and annual licensing fees should not be cost-prohibitive. 4. Universities and public breeders must invest in maintaining minimum supplies of breeder seed of promising varieties. 5. Non-exclusive rights are helpful in getting new varieties to market because they allow several small companies to sell the same variety. 6. Mandates for minimum seed production discourage commercial interest, especially for varieties that have not yet been marketed. 7. Public and private sectors ought to share the risks of initial seed multiplication and commercialization; commercial companies should not bear all of that risk. 8. Seed-sector actors should make use of focusing events for public pressure to encourage successful collaboration. To conclude, improved coordination among system actors is necessary to reduce the barriers surrounding EGS provision and production, and thereby strengthen climate-adaptive and adaptable seed systems.

Governing seeds in East Africa in the face of climate change: Assessing political and social outcomes

F&BKP Office — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 13:35:17 +0000

This article (PDF) in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems aims to assess political and social outcomes of the formalisation and commercialisation of the seed sector, by comparing maize seed system development in Ethiopia, Malawi and Tanzania, combining policy analysis with quantitative analysis of farmers’ seed use. One of the most effective ways to adapt to climate change on farm is to switch crop varieties. This technological change depends on policies and institutions involved in governing the seed systems on which farmers rely for access to suitable seeds. Whilst the need for seed systems to adapt and become more resilient is indisputable, the question of how this is best achieved is debated. The article shows that while development policies promoted by international donors have similar objectives in the three countries, national policies and the seed systems farmers use differ substantially. National policies are shaped by political and historical factors and extablished in an interplay between state institutions, international donors and private input suppliers. Drawing on a new livelihood dataset, the formalization agenda is most visible in maize seed systems, with 25%, 61% and 58% of the maize farmers planting improved maize varieties in the study sites in Ethiopia, Malawi and Tanzania respectively. The inroads of improved maize, and particularly hybrid maize, in farmers’ seed systems reflects these seeds high profitability for private seed companies. The tenuous use of improved varieties in crops such as sorghum reflects the limitation of the private sector-based seed system development approach in other crops and illustrates the need for public governance. Comparison of households cultivating improved maize with households cultivating local maize reveals that the first group is significantly wealthier and more food secure than the latter. This suggests that better-off households are likely to benefit first from the commercial formalization agenda. Therefore, climate-smart seed policies and seed system development strategies must be sensitive to differences between farming systems and different groups of farmers if they are to deliver socially fair outcomes.

Resilient seed systems: Handbook

F&BKP Office — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 15:21:42 +0000

This book (PDF) by Bioversity International and CCAFS-CGIAR is a tool that supports research and capacity building on resilient seed systems in the context of adaptation to climate change. When supportive policy and socioeconomic conditions exist, a diversity of seed production and distribution practices makes up a resilient seed system. Such strengthened adaptive capacity can contribute to greater food availability, with more nutritious and healthy crops, income generation and a sustainable resource base. This book advises how countries can design and implement a comprehensive capacity-building strategy to access and use crop diversity more effectively to adapt to climate change in specific sites. The modules of the handbook represent steps of a participatory research cycle from situational analysis to knowledge sharing and communication: 1) Situational analysis and planning; 2) Software selection and preparation of data; 3) Climate change analysis and identification of germplasm; 4) Germplasm acquisition; 5) Field-testing; 6) Seed production and distribution; 7) Germplasm conservation; 8) Participatory evaluation; 9) Knowledge sharing and communication. In the end. resilient seed systems should be able to absorb disturbances, regroup or reorganize. They should result from multiple seed and knowlede interactions and are demand driven and responsive to different needs and interests. A resilient seed system recognizes, respects and support the key roles played by women farmers as seed custodians, managers, networkers and entrepreneurs.

Access to Seeds Index 2019: Synthesis report

F&BKP Office — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 13:23:07 +0000

The synthesis report (PDF) of the Access to Seeds Index 2019 reflects on the seed industry’s progress and the remaining challenges over this reporting period, against a changing global backdrop. The index seeks primarily to identify leadership and good practices, providing an evidence base for the discussion on where and how the seed industry can step up its efforts. The 2019 index demonstrates that seed companies continue to invest in providing access to seeds for smallholder farmers in index regions, through differing business models and approaches, providing increased evidence of their practices. Where global seed companies lead the way in policy and strategy setting and advanced breeding programs, regional companies excel in areas such as marketing and sales, deepening the reach of the industry in remote areas and providing access to seeds for local crops and open-pollinated varieties (OPVs). Further, small and medium national and regional companies outperform their global peers in multiple areas relevant for reaching smallholders, but they also provide linkages between farmers and global players. Challenges in the sector differ per region. In South and Southeast Asia, the index identified a highly competitive and research-driven industry. However, leading seed companies reach less than a quarter of the smallholders active in this region. In Eastern and Southern Africa, the main challenge is diversification of breeding activities that currently focus mainly on maize. In Western and Central Africa, practically all countries are covered through a combination of homegrown seed companies, seed-producing cooperatives and companies from outside the region. However, only 11 companies actually breed in and for the region. Although a lack of access to quality seeds in many emerging economies persists, with companies still only reaching 10% of the world’s smallholder farmers, the overall improvement in performance between 2016 and 2019 indicates the industry’s growing recognition of and more responsive approach toward this significant client group.

Why interventions in the seed systems of roots, tubers and bananas crops do not reach their full potential

F&BKP Office — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 07:34:56 +0000

This article (PDF) in the Food Security journal reviews roots, tuber and banana (RTB) seed systems—with particular reference to potato, sweetpotato, cassava, yam and banana —to reflect on current seed system development approaches and the unique nature of these systems. Currently, most approaches to developing RTB seed systems favour decentralised multiplication models to make quality seed available to smallholder farmers. Nevertheless, arguments and experiences show that in many situations, the economic sustainability of these models cannot be guaranteed, among others because the effective demand of farmers for seed from vegetatively propagated crops is unclear. Despite the understudies nature of farmers’ agronomic and social practices in relation to seed production and sourcing in RTB crops, there is sufficient evidence that local RTB seed systems are adaptive and dynamic. Analysis suggests the paramount importance of understanding farmers’ effective demand for seeds and how this affects the sustainable supply of quality seed from specialized producer-entrepreneurs, regardless of the seed system paradigm. Key to progress in the improvement of the quality of planting material used by farmers is to pay attention to what works where, and for whom, and how to scale up good practices. The continued investments in seed system interventions and their relative lack of success can be traced back to the limited understanding of them, suggesting the need for a deeper knowledge of how they work in order to make such interventions more effective and to up-scale the successes. An improved understanding of farmers’ motivations to use (or not use) planting material from formal sector sources is one step towards better designed interventions for the improvement of RTB crops and seed systems.

Farmer-led seed systems have the capacity to delivery quality seed

F&BKP Office — Tue, 28 May 2019 13:46:26 +0000

This technical brief by the University of Cape Town aims to examine the quality of farmer-produced seeds that smallholder farmers use for planting in Zimbabwe. Crop farming in smallholder communities is typically configured around farmer-led seed systems, which have been criticised as inefficient and poor quality. Key findings of the brief are: 1) Smallholder farming systems utilise multiple seed sources, which is one of the key drivers of resilience; 2) Good seed production practices lead to low incidences of seed-borne fungal infections. The knowledge and skills exhibited by farmers in this study prove their ability to play a meaningful role in the broad framework of seed production and quality management; 3) Seed-borne fungal infections vary according to seed source channels; 4) A diversity of seed storage facilities provides an inherent and resilient seed supply to farmers, as, should one storage facility fail, alternatives can be utilised. These findings lead to a number of recommendations. First of all, smallholders’ seed management expertise should be integrate with modern seed tehnology techniques. Further, community seed production learning platforms should be developed. The research reported on in this brief reveals that smallholder farmers in eastern Zimbabwe have the capacity to produce sorghum seed that matches formal seed certification standards. This emphasises the need for governments, donors and other relevant stakeholders to recognise and promote the resilience of farmer-led seed systems, in order to meet the ever-evolving needs of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Access to Seeds Index 2019: Western and Central Africa

F&BKP Office — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 12:29:26 +0000

This Access to Seeds Index evaluates the performance of the seed industry in taking the lead in reaching smallholder farmers in Western and Central Africa. The number of undernourished people in Western and Central Africa is on the rise and climate change is identified as major reason for this increaes. One of the main strategies of farmers adaptation to climate change is the access to new crop varieties. However, the index reveals that, while plant breeding is the core activity of many seed companies around the world, only half of the 23 evaluated seed companies in the region have breeding activities. Moreover, no private sector breeding was found in 70% of the countries. A large part of the youngest varieties in the portfolio of regional companies is older than five years. Compared to regional companies in Eastern and Southern Africa, this is relatively high, likely a result of the small number of seed companies with their own breeding program. Only for a few crops do more companies report selling hybrids than open-pollinated varieties. Most companies have a diverse portfolio. The majority combines cereals and legumes in their field crop portfolio. Although compared to other regions, legumes are found relatively often in company portfolios. The majority of countries have a maximum of four index companies present. Sales and extension activities are concentrated in a handful of countries and training is lacking in 45% of the countries. The number of companies from outside the region and continent is on the rise. Nigeria-based Value Seeds tops the first Access to Seeds Index for Western and Central Africa, underscoring the potential of homegrown seed companies to reach smallholders in the region. By providing ‘value kits’ and training, the company improves accessibility and affordability of quality seed, particularly for next-generation and women farmers.

Access to Seeds Index 2019: Eastern and Southern Africa

F&BKP Office — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 12:11:54 +0000

This Access to Seeds Index evaluates the performance of the seed industry in taking the lead in reaching smallholder farmers in Eastern and Southern Africa. The index, evaluating 22 leading seed companies in the region, reveals that companies are present in all index countries and investing in local seed sector development, but need more step up efforts to reach more smallholders. Furthermore, the industry offers a broad portfolio in East and South Africa, tailored to the needs of smallholders. Companies offer a full range of field crops, legumes and vegetables to smallholders in the region, with maize considered the most important and all but one company offering vegetables. Companies demonstrate tailored approaches to smallholder customers by offering a mix of hybrid and open-pollinated varieties. The breeding focus is primarily on maize, raising concerns over crop diversity and adaptability within the regional seed system. Global companies have more developed breeding programs, releasing double the number of new varieties. Moreover, almost all companies provide extension services, aimed at helping farmers to adopt improved seeds. However, these are geographically imbalanced, resulting in lack of adoption activities in multiple countries across the region. Counterfeit seed affects the business viability of both farmers and seed companies and has a significant impact upon companies’ adoption strategies and marketing and sales activities. Companies use diverse tactics to tackle this. East African Seed tops the 2019 Access to Seeds Index for Eastern and Southern Africa. The company has a growing distribution network in the region. It stands out for its research activities that include local crops, seed production activities involving smallholders and a broad network of extension officers in multiple countries.

African indigenous vegetable seed systems in Western Kenya

F&BKP Office — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 10:22:24 +0000

This study in the Economic Botany Journal collected seed samples and survey data from 127 farmers in western Kenya on their African indigenous vegetable (AIV) seed production practices, uses of AIV seed, and motivations for growing seed. AIV production systems are often constrained by the availability of high-quality seed. Concerted efforts to improve the informal seed sector could increase farmers’ access to seed, but these efforts are hampered by a lack of knowledge around the quality of farmer-produced seed and seed growers’ motivations for producing seed. Germination tests showed that seed quality varied significantly between species. Seed access was still a constraint, even though the majority of seeds used by farmers are self-produced. Income from selling AIV seed differed significantly depending on gender, with men earning more than twice as much as women. This study demonstrates that the constraints farmers face in accessing high-quality AIV seed can vary significantly between species and over short distances. Female seed producers are not necessarily empowered to earn equal income as men, despite AIVs traditionally being considered a women’s crop. This study speaks to the importance of using localized information to develop programs for improving informal seed systems and continuing to employ gender-sensitive and transformative activities.

Access to Seeds Index 2019: Global seed companies

F&BKP Office — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 09:59:12 +0000

This publication of the Access to Seeds Index 2019 presents an overall ranking of 13 leading global seed companies based on seven measurement areas: governance & strategy, genetic resources, intellectual property, research & development, seed production, marketing & sales and capacity building. A large part of the answer to the question of how to raise agricultural productivity, while also remaining within the planetary boundaries and tackling climate change, lies in plant breeding – but only when the results reach smallholder farmers. This is where the seed industry comes in. The results show that the global seed industry is adapting their seeds to combat the impact of climate change. However, a lack of access to quality seeds in many emerging economies persists, as global companies reach just 10% of the world’s smallholder farmers. There is a growing presence of companies in Western and Central Africa. All 13 global seed companies invest in local seed business activities such as breeding, production and processing in index regions. However, these investments are concentrated in only 10 countries, so other countries benefit less. Furthermore, global seed companies focus on a select number of field crops and, with the exception of soybean, largely ignore legumes. Hybrid seed dominates. In total, eight of the 13 global seed companies now report aligning their operations with the SDGs. Breeding for climate-resilient field crop and vegetable varieties is the key contribution global seed companies make to climate action. Moreover, the nutritional value of field crops is increasingly a breeding target but not yet a high priority. In recent years, the seed industry has taken steps to acknowledge that access to genetic resources should be linked to sharing the benefits of such access. Thailand-based East-West Seed tops the 2019 Index. With a client base made up almost entirely of smallholders (98%), it demonstrates that business models shaped around small farmers can be profitable.

Impact of positive selection on incidence of different viruses during multiple generations of potato seed tubers in Uganda

F&BKP Office — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 14:00:01 +0000

This article (PDF) in Potato Research assesses to what extent positive selection over several seasons can reduce six different virus incidences in seed lots of different starting quality in Southwestern Uganda. Smallholder farmers in Uganda commonly use seed potato tubers from the informal sector, especially by seed recycling over several generations. Therefore, seed tubers are highly degenerated with viruses and other pathogens, resulting in poor yield and quality of the produce. Over one cycle of multiplication, degeneration management by positive seed selection was already found to be efficient in reducing virus diseases compared with the farmer’s method of selection. For this study, multi-seasonal trials were carried out in three locations, with five seed lots from four sources and three cultivars. The results clearly show that crops planted with seeds from positive selection have a reduced virus incidence compared to those from farmers’ selection when the treatments are applied over multiple (in this case, three) seasons, thereby reducing the level of secondary infection in the next-season crop. However, this reduction of virus incidence by positive selection was not found for all virus species, and the reduction was less strong than expected. An important factor for the limited gain by positive selection may be a high (risk for) primary infection in this region. Institutes and private seed growers should invest in more reliable virus testing and seed production management. However, due to financial constraints of smallholder farmers, this cannot be seen as a silver bullet for Uganda. Positive selection as an innovative seed degeneration management method for resource poor farmers is currently the best-to-fit and a resilient method; this suggests farmers have to be trained in good seed management practices to achieve the best possible potato yields.

The role and challenges of the private seed sector in developing and disseminating climate-smart crop varieties in Eastern and Southern Africa

F&BKP Office — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 11:45:25 +0000

This article (PDF) by Springer discusses the growth of the private seed sector since the seed industry in Eastern and Souther Africa (ESA) was deregulated, the importance of public-private partnerships in driving genetic gains for climate-smart (CS) traits, and the importance of developing a favourable regional regulatory environment that incentivises the private sector to rapidly scale out CS crop varieties. Addressing climate change in ESA requires accelerated development and dissemination of crop varieties with CS traits over the coming decades. However, investment in crop improvement and rates of variety turnover are currently extremely low in the region. Smallholder farmers, who generate the bulk of agricultural output continue to cultivate old crop varieties that lack CS traits, such as drought tolerance and resistance to new and emerging pests and diseases. The emerging private seed sector in ESA provides a significant opportunity to develop partnerships with established public plant breeding programmes, to accelerate the development of improved varieties with CS traits and their subsequent distribution through scalable, certified seed systems. Some 50% of yield gains in most global regions are commonly attributed to genetic gains made through plant breeding. Providing smallholder farmers in ESA with access to the latest, improved germplasm can therefore play a major role in adapting agricultural systems in ESA to CC. The promotion of an enabling regulatory environment for the release and adoption of improved varieties with CS traits will further stimulate private sector interest and investment. This is particularly applicable to the smallholder maize seed market, which is the primary basis for the growth of the emerging seed industry and the foundation of regional food security in ESA.

This article is a chapter of the book ‘The climate-smart agriculture papers‘.

Access to Seeds Index 2019: South and Southeast Asia

F&BKP Office — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 10:50:33 +0000

This Access to Seeds Index evaluates the performance of the seed industry in taking the lead in reaching smallholder farmers in South and Southeast Asia. The index shows that the seed industry is present in all countries in South and Southeast Asia, but reaches only 20% of the smallholder farmers. It is highly research-driven, releasing new varieties for a broad variety of crops. Seeds are sold in package sizes tailored to the needs of smallholders. However, sales activities are not often accompanied by training to help farmers in adapting their practices and adopting new technologies. In addition, breeding and production activities tend to be concentrated in only a handful of countries. As a results, seed sector development does not progress to the same degree. Ultimately, the majority of smallholders in the region has yet to be reached. Vegetable seed is a key business driver, legumes are underrepresented. For the majority of crops, the newest varieties are less then three years old. Regional companies do more to release public research varieties than global companies. Furthermore, global companies offer for 70% of the crops in their portfolio. only hybrid varieties. Regional companies extend the availability of open-pollinated varieties. The assessment of company performance is based on a total of 59 indicators grouped in seven measurement areas. Thailand-based East-West Seed tops the index, by building around a smallholder-centric business model, which is reflected in a client base made up almost entirely (98%) of smallholders. Compared to regional seed companies, globally active companies tend to have more comprehensive strategies is place, with clear targets for tackling food and nutrition security.

Open Source Seed networking: Towards a global community of seed commons

F&BKP Office — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 12:41:05 +0000

This report (PDF) by Hivos and IIED provides an overview of the state of affairs: what is Open Source Seed, what is happening on the ground, what are the results so far, and what are the open questions. The relation between farming and breeding, and between farmer, seed and soil, has too often be servered. Erosion of subsistence farming and a loss of seeds and sharing traditions has been the case. The Open Source Seed network consists of self-organised plant breeding and seed sharing/selling communities that aim to retain and regain freedom to act in a now highly asymmetric landscape. These networks create seed commons based on Free Software principles and Open Source methods. Commons are rule- or norm-based active relations between people and people and resources, enacted by practices of commoning: collective work, shared resources, distributed rights and duties. Commons could never be realised without an engaged network. Partners and supporters add diversity and strength to the global seed knowledge commons that in effect is emerging. Seed commons are faced with challenges of codification of customs, formalisation of associations, declaration of values, envisaging the future and identifying paths to get there. The needs of particular communities of seed users are different, possibly contradictory. The emerging network of Open Source Seed projects is a significant contribution to biodiversity, climate adaptation, and a healthy meal. The network is growing and probably gives shape to a potential global seed commons protected from enclosure in perpetuite. The resilience of seed commons is that each is unique, embedded bioregionally, culturally and legally in its own place. Seeds as an open source phenomenon is revealing its potential. It is of interest to strengthen the voluntary associations that form the basis of this movement, to create a resilient base of seed sharing networks and independent plant breeders to further entrench seed sharing customs in the future.

The rise of the seed-producing cooperative in Western and Central Africa

F&BKP Office — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 10:23:22 +0000

This report (PDF), by Access to Seeds Index, evaluated over 50 seed-producing cooperatives across 20 countries in Western and Central Africa to explore whether farmer-led cooperatives can play a role delivering the new varieties developed by research institutes into the hands of farmers. It is often stated that only 20% of the seed used in sub-Saharan Africa is certified seed from the formal seed sector. The informal seed sector accounts for the other 80%, which includes cooperatives. However, seed-producing cooperatives are increasingly being formally recognized as producers of certified seed. At the same time, experts have raised concerns about the financial stability of the sector. Five insights on current performance of leading cooperatives shine a different light on the status and potential of seed cooperatives: 1) Cooperatives are part of the formal seed sector, they have governance structures in place and are partners in value chains of research agencies, seed companies and NGOs. 2) Cooperatives source their seeds from (inter)national research institutes, and thus play an important role in introducing and making improved varieties available. 3) Cooperatives are formally registered as certified seed producers, which includes quality controles. 4) Cooperatives work on complementary crops, by working with open pollinated varieties instead of hybrids. 5) Cooperatives distribute on a national scale through partnerships. To professionalize the sector, cooperatives across the region should learn from each other. Insight into the maturity of cooperatives could help determine their development process compared to their peers. A dashboard to measure the performance of cooperatives to evaluate their performance and show their development. This dashboard measuring the performance of cooperatives should include: (1) strength of the governance model; (2) strength of professional book-keeping operations; (3) revenue
model; (4) business strategy; and (5) marketing plan.

Maize seed systems in different agro-ecosystems; what works and what does not work for smallholder farmers

F&BKP Office — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 15:29:30 +0000

This article (PDF) by The Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in the Food Security journal aims to contribute to better functioning of maize seed sectors serving smallholders, by analysing across different systems. Maize is a food field crop with a highly developed formal seed sector. The study reported here, involving 4 case studies in Malawi, Zambia, the state of Chiapas in Mexico and the state of Bihar in India, indicates that smallholder farmers are increasingly purchasing seed from the formal maize seed system in these different parts of the world. Points of sale vary from seed agent and agro-dealer to the local rural market. Many farmers are growing hybrid varieties, although, in particular, under conditions where higher yields justify seed costs, and with the objective of maize grain sales rather than home consumption, for which traditional varieties continue to be grown. While the findings indicate well-functioning seed value chains in the areas of study, producer surveys and seed value chain analysis also pointed to significant weak links in the formal maize seed systems that need to be improved, such as certification and seed quality control at point of sale, and the availability of financial services to support investments by farmers in quality seed and in seed entrepreneurship. The seed subsidy programs in Malawi and Zambia are likely to have stimulated the use of hybrid seed, but it is questionable whether farmers will continue to purchase hybrid seed if subsidies cease to be available. Although the 4 areas of study are relatively well developed, still a genuine demand for improved open pollinated varieties (IOPVs), local varieties and/or on-farm seed saving was identified. Therefore it should be recognized that even for maize, in addition to the private formal seed value sector based on hybrid varieties, there remains a task for public maize breeding efforts and farmer based maize seed systems for the foreseeable future.

This publication can be found on the website of KIT here.

Understanding root, tuber, and banana seed systems and coordination breakdown: A multi-stakeholder framework

F&BKP Office — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 14:07:34 +0000

This article (PDF), in the Journal of Crop Improvement describes a multi-stakeholder framework in vegetatively propagated crop (VPC) seed systems. VPC are reproduced not with true seed but with vegetative planting material. This material (called “seed” in the remaining of the summary) tends to remain true to varietal type, but is bulky, often carries disease, and is slow to produce. Therefore, VPC seed needs to be handled differently than other crops. The multi-stakeholder framework proposed is a tool to: a) document VPC seed systems and build a stronger evidence base for future interventions; b) diagnose coordination breakdown and recommend solutions, and; c) guide design of more integrated and sustainable seed system interventions for VPCs. Critical areas for coordination among stakeholders, to avoid coordination breakdown, include: VPC seed producers and users because VPC seed may not be easily stored; regulatory agencies to see the disease risk in VPCs with quality control practices and; donors and national agencies to promote broader adoption of new varieties and to improve seed quality. In the article, the framework was used with 13 case studies to understand VPC seed systems for roots, tubers and bananas. Seeds are usually available before an intervention, but the quality and quantity may be an issue for some farmers. Seeds in interventions are often subsidized or given away to make it affordable. These new seeds often meets farmers’s demands for quality. However, seed of susceptible varieties may become re-infected soon after it is cleaned of disease. Clean seed for small farms can be a missed opportunity, unless local communities are involved to implement on-farm management practices locally. Reviewed seed interventions often linked different stakeholders in mutually beneficial ways. Further refinement of the framework is needed, e.g. to ensure an integrated gender analysis. By using the framework, seed interventions may be able to link with the appropriate actors in existing seed markets.

Toolkit: Supporting smallholder seed systems

F&BKP Office — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 12:26:04 +0000

This toolkit by IFAD elaborates the challenge for seed sector development on how to address both the informal and formal seed systems so that farmers have access to a sustainable supply of quality seed of improved crop varieties which is affordable, meets their needs (for food, feed and markets), is well adapted to the local agroecologies and adapted to climate change. The Teaser (PDF) provides a brief introduction to the importance, challenges and concepts in understanding the seed sector and how it can impact the livelihoods of poor smallholder households. The How To Do Note (PDF) goes into more detail on assessing the elements of a national seed system. It elaborates an analytical framework for national seed systems through key questions for four main areas; the informal seed systems, the formal seed systems, the relevant institutions and the policy, laws and regulatory aspects. This will provide the basis for a better understanding of the system. Furthermore, it outlines the process to gather information on existing and planned seed initiatives and provides a framework for determining potential seed projects/interventions. The Lessons Learned publication (PDF) expands on key lessons learned to help inform the design and implementation of more effective seed projects. One of the lessons is that the inclusion of the informal seed system in the development of agricultural policy is particularly important for low-input agriculture in marginal agroecologies. Moreover, seed companies can be an important link to get newly developed and released varieties to farmers. Local seed companies are in direct contact with the farmers they serve and have a deep understanding of their needs and the crops and varieties they use. They require sustained demand to be viable enterprises.

The dynamics of smallholder farmers’ acquisition and distribution of sweetpotato vines in Tanzania

F&BKP Office — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 09:25:49 +0000

This study (PDF) in the Food Security journal offers insights into smallholder farmer’s practices regarding acquisition and distribution of sweetpotato planting material in Tanzania. Findings reveal that most farmers rely almost exclusively on informal seed systems. The majority (>56%) produce their own planting material, especially farmers who have more knowledge about and experience with sweetpotato production and focus on the production as livelihood strategy. Strong social ties facilitate the majority of local planting material and favor provisions of locally available planting material without payment. So, the study has revealed an informal, socially embedded system capable of reproducing and distributing sweetpotato planting material at very low cost. A feasible way of enhancing farmers’ access to improved sweetpotato materials would be through subsidized targeted distribution of improved material to local farmers, who are known to be vine providers and knowledgeable about sweetpotato cultivation. This could strengthen accesses to improved germplasm through existing local channels, while limiting external investment. However, over time the quality of the material could degrade due to virus pressure. The infusion approach, whereby distribution of material is subsidized, may be an option if the objective is to improve food and nutrition security. Low value of sweetpotato vines, level of market access and capacity are other factors to consider. If market access and demand for vines is limited, subsidized infusion of improved varieties into the local system via local community organizations and locally recognized sweetpotato knowledge holders and vine providers may be the most feasible approach. When sweetpotato production is a secondary activity, a commercially based system for acquisition/provision of sweetpotato material may have better prospects. So, the authors support the call for making use of or building on informal seed systems when seeking to strengthen adoption of improved sweet potato varieties. When deciding how to proceed, a thorough understanding of the dynamics of the existing system is needed.

Identifying options for the development of sustainable seed systems: Insights from Kenya and Mali

F&BKP Office — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 09:58:59 +0000

This working paper (PDF) by the Center for Development Research of the University of Bonn, aims to propose an agenda for supporting sustainable development of seed systems in two sub-Saharan countries, Kenya and Mali, based on the experiences and insight of seed system actors who contribute to various functions and operate at different scales. In Kenya, most breeding for staple cereal crops is done by public breeding programmes, in Mali all breeding is. Limited choice of new varieties exists in both countries. Important quality and use-related traits are not systematically considered in breeding programmes. Factors that limit seed system development are slow and costly release procedures, limited availability of information and cash-flow constraints. One important hypothesis for further discussion is that business models that include more decentralized models of seed production and distribution have comparative advantages for meeting the highly diverse demands of farmers in countries like Kenya or Mali, with a wide range of agro-ecological conditions and production systems, and could help reduce transaction costs. An important conclusion is that sustainable seed system development requires more actor-orientation, with central focus on farmers’ capacities and needs. Furthermore, strengthening actors’ capacities to collect, share and assess information about varieties and their comparative performances will contribute to dynamic, responsive seed systems. Plant breeding, as the source of value creation, needs to be regarded as an integral component of functioning seed systems. Decentralized seed production and marketing enterprises can serve as nuclei for an emerging locally-based seed industry. Lastly, seed systems could benefit from more rigorous assessments of how interventions, new technologies, policies and formal organizations influence seed system innovation and sustainable development.

On developing a scale to measure chronic household seed insecurity in semi-arid Kenya and the implications for food security policy

F&BKP Office — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 08:59:21 +0000

This study, in the Food Security journal, analyzes household and farm-level characteristics that may predict chronic seed insecurity in semi-arid eastern Kenya. In the process, we also present and test the Household Seed Insecurity Assessment Scale (HSIAS) designed to measure household chronic seed insecurity. Seed security is complementary and relational to food security; having access to seed that produces meaningful and resilient yields of culturally appropriate food is an integral aspect of food security for smallholder farmers. However, essential components of smallholder seed security continue to be underemphasized in food and seed policy. Results suggest that mild chronic seed insecurity continues to be a problem in most households, hampering their ability to produce food. Older and more experienced farmers were more seed insecure and that farmer adoption of new varieties was associated with seed insecurity. Obtaining seed through local markets and informal giving was done evenly by all farmers while using agroshops was associated with greater seed insecurity in some instances. Key attributes of household seed (in)security identified in this study are used to inform seed and food policies that better support smallholder farmers in Kenya. With further development, the HSIAS has the potential to enhance local monitoring systems and government food and seed policy responses.

Identifying leading seed companies in Eastern and Southern Africa

F&BKP Office — Mon, 14 May 2018 09:15:25 +0000

This report (PDF) of Access To Seeds evaluates the efforts of 22 leading seed companies in Eastern and Southern Africa, aimed at improving access to seeds for smallholder farmers. The seed sector in the region has high potential for growth given the favorable environmental conditions for most crops and the increasing demand arising from population growth and climate change. Furthermore, over 50% of seeds is paid for by cash, indicating that smallholder farmers are already making important investments. The variation in policy and regulatory regimes is pivotal to the existing differences in seed sector development in the region. Companies in countries with liberal market system appear to be growing faster and spreading their presence throughout the region. Major companies have a strong base in countries with a strong regulated seed industry. These countries are members of international organizations that support the establishment of a regulatory/enabling environment for the seed industry. Development of some seed markets is hampered due to segregated and small seed markets. Harmonization to one larger market for seed has the potential to improve the flow of improved seeds among countries, thus increasing farmers access to higher yielding varieties. Three regional organization in Eastern and Southern Africa are working on seed regulation harmonization. Seed companies in the region can be group in three types: local, regional and international. In recent years, developments in the seed industry have been driven by acquisitions or merges of regional players by multi-national and/or international seed companies. The top five of major crops are field crops, based on the highest seed turnover and total market value. Seed business for local crops is small and regarded as a niche market. For 19 countries a country profile was developed, providing an overview of the seed sector and its companies.

Reports on leading seed companies are also available for South and Southeast Asia (PDF) and Western and Central Africa (PDF)

Farmers gain access to and control over seeds

F&BKP Office — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 14:39:00 +0000

This journal (PDF) by Vice Versa is a special edition centred around the question: How do small-scale farmers from Africa and Asia come upon good quality seeds, and what problems do they face in the process. Policymakers, development workers, farmers and private companies are consulted to answer this question. An ongoing debate in the field of seeds is on the intellectual property of seeds. The journal sheds light on different sides of this debate, but also reveals that for farmers this debate is not of importance; they get there seeds where it best suits them. The journal also focused on the formal seed sector and the support of the Dutch governments for public-private seed projects. Farmers, however, buy their seeds mostly in the informal sector, where most NGOs focus on the way farmers select, collect, test and multiply their seeds. The proponents of the formal and informal sector seem to live in separate worlds, though for farmers these worlds are intertwined since both seed systems are of importance. The Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) tried to connect the formal and informal sector and focused on the development of the seed sector in total during a conference in Nairbori, Kenya. Furthermore, the journal shares the lessons learnt from the Access to seeds index and dives into questions like; why are seed companies hesitant to enter the West-African market and how can entrepreneurship be developed in post-conflict Burundi.

The impact of national seed laws on the functioning of small-scale seed systems

F&BKP Office — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 09:18:45 +0000

This case study (PDF) by Oxfam Novib assesses national seed laws in eight countries to inform recommendations to ensure laws better support the functioning of farmers’ seed systems. Most seed is produced by farmers and circulates within farmers’ seed systems, though both farmer’s and formal seed systems are important. Well-functioning seed laws should protect both buyers and sellers. Sellers by establishing legal obligations to guarantee the quality of seed, and developers and producers by protecting them from unfair competition. However, seed laws typically pay little attention to farmers’ seed systems, but it can impact on the functioning of those systems in various ways. International agreements on plant variety provide some flexibility. No binding international agreements regarding seed policy and legislation exist, and many seed laws in developing countries have been modeled to developed countries. Several regional efforts are underway to harmonize national seed laws. Seed laws may hinder farmers in acquiring seeds. When only registered/certified seeds may be marketed by registered sellers, it may become effectively prohibited to barter or exchange seeds not only of protected commercial varieties but also of farmers’ varieties. Farmers are generally allowed to save and reuse seeds, and possible exchange and sell them in local markets. Countries with plant variety protection laws in place effectively fully exempt small-scale farmers when it comes to saving and re-using seeds on their own farm. It is difficult for farmers to register new farmers’ varieties. Legal requirements make it unrealistic for small-scale farmers to register new farmers’ varieties. Likewise, requirements in areas such as education and access to seed processing and storage facilities make it difficult for them to registers as seed sellers. So, concluded is that seed laws and policies should do more to promote farmers’ seed systems, for example by creating specific facilitating conditions to support farmer seed enterprises.

Towards a flexible plant breeders’ rights system in Kenya

Ati van der Honing — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 15:41:10 +0000

This PhD dissertation (PDF) of Peter G. Munyi from Wageningen University and Research is a study of the relationship between plant breeders’ rights on the one hand and access to seed and planting material for smallholder farmers in Kenya on the other hand. Access to seeds invariably affects food availability and security and ultimately, the right to food. The aim of this research is to ultimately enquire whether the legal spaces that exist within plant breeder’ rights legislation can enable smallholder farmers to positively contribute towards Kenya overcoming food security problems. This thesis finds that a diversity of seed systems exists in Kenya. However, the legal and policy framework in place is designed to make provision for only some, not all of them. The manner in which the country has implemented the plant breeder’s rights framework is in conflict with the farming practices on the ground and other international obligations relating to conservation, sustainable use and access and benefit sharing of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. This thesis demonstrates that plant breeders’ rights have the potential to be utilized in a manner that could enable smallholder farmers to positively contribute towards Kenya overcoming its food security problems. However, this will only occur if policy makers carefully assessed internationally harmonized plant breeders’ rights systems before subscribing to them in order to ensure that national implementation of such systems fully concurs with the conditions and needs of its farmers and the national agricultural development and food security policy objectives.

Seeding eastern Africa’s maize revolution in the post-structural adjustment era: a review and comparative analysis of the formal maize seed sector

Ati van der Honing — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 14:43:27 +0000

This review (PDF) in the journal International Food and Agribusiness Management Review reviews and makes a comparative analysis of the maize (corn) seed sector and its evolution in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia. Improved maize seed is instrumental to deliver an Asian-style ‘green revolution’ for Africa. Enhancing farmers’ access to and use of new maize varieties still presents a number of challenges in eastern Africa – not least due to a number of policy and institutional impediments to the development of the seed sector. The regional seed sectors also show some remarkable contrasts: they have evolved at different speeds and in different directions, driven by diverging agricultural growth opportunities and varying degrees of regulation, liberalization and restructuring. Diverging policy implementation between countries has resulted in varying degrees of market concentration and public-private sector roles. Despite the regional diversity, there are also some similarities including a proliferation of private seed companies, an increasing emphasis on hybrid maize seed and the emergence of national seed traders’ associations to help organize the increasingly complex and evolving maize seed sector. There is, however, no blue-print to maize seed sector development in the sub-region and each country would do well in being open minded in assimilating the best-practices appropriate to their respective situation. The overarching vision should be to create an enabling environment for private seed companies to evolve in order to service the diverse farmer communities for them to adopt and benefit from existing and future improved maize seed opportunities.

Food security means seed security

Ati van der Honing — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 13:18:40 +0000

This article by Rural 21 discusses how farmers get seed in different countries. Practices range from the Nepalese self-supplier to sophisticated propagation systems in the industrialized nations. In the South, between 60 and 100 per cent of farmers still use their own seed. For this purpose, they simply keep part of the harvest for the next season’s sowing. Farmers in the South often cultivate different varieties that are also harvested at the same time. In the Nepalese region of Lamjung, anyone asking others for seed is regarded as a bad farmer. Therefore, seed is hardly ever swapped, even among neighbors, whereas in Mali, the exchange of seed has a high social status. The level of development that a seed producing system has reached also depends on the crop involved. Although varieties are swapped with neighbors and friends in Mali, they are hardly registered and are not described anywhere, so that there only very little improvement is achieved in quality. Food security is expressed among subsistence farmers by more than the mere level of yield. It includes the traditional integration of the plant in the families’ entire living and farming. The price of seed also plays a crucial role for farmers, but additionally the sweetness of the stalk, color of the grain and its suitability for threshing are import factors. Improving seed production offers new income options for farmers, who can diversity their earnings with seed propagation.

Implications of seed policies for on-farm agro-biodiversity in Ethiopia and Uganda

Ati van der Honing — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 15:49:57 +0000

This article (PDF) in the journal Sustainable Agricultural Research summarizes how current institutions and policies related to seed production and distribution in Ethiopia and Uganda influence the shaping of seed systems. It also considers whether policies provide space for informal seed systems to continue to operate and evolve and for farmers to utilize local and traditional varieties together with improved ones. Across East Africa, national seed policies and commercial seed enterprises have focused on increasing farmers’ access to modern seed varieties. Findings suggest that seed policies are largely framed and formulated to regulate and support the formal seed sector; yet the bulk of seed used by smallholders in the two countries are from the informal sector. While national seed policies have some direct negative impacts on informal seed systems through introducing additional restrictions and costs on farmer- and community-based seed development and exchange, as it does in the lack of positive impacts in the informal seed sector. Although the formal seed sector is the primary source of new crop varieties, and is home to most of the capacity in scientific plant breeding, extension services and credit, the informal sector is the primary source of genetic diversity and is an important link to farmers traditional knowledge, which forms the basis and the genetic pool for breeding for new varieties. Despite, this, the policies analyzed here show little support for informal seed systems, and relatively little support for genetic diversity in either formal or informal seed systems.

Ten emerging lessons from the African Seed Access Index (TASAI)

Ati van der Honing — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 16:21:56 +0000

This publication (PDF) by the African Seed Access Index (TASAI) shows ten emerging lessons from studies appraising the the structure and economic performance of formal seed sectors in 13 countries. A competitive seed sector is key to ensuring timely availability of high quality seeds of improved, appropriate varieties at affordable prices to smallholder farmers in Africa. From the country studies it is found that in most countries maize dominates formal breeding programs in both research and development investments, and outputs. These studies also show that old varieties persist despite new varieties being introduced. Without polices to retire dated varieties, popular old varieties persist. Local private seed companies are found to play an important role; at least three quarters of the active seed companies in most countries are local. In mature seed sectors, the seed industry is consolidating. South-Africa and Zimbabwe witnessed several mergers and acquisitions in the seed industry, which can result in reduced competitiveness. Other lessons are: the government’s role in seed production is diminishing, but there are exceptions; there are notable improvements in regional seed import and export processes; good policy instruments exist, but there is weak implementation; steady efforts towards privatization of seed inspection services are made; there is a persistent challenge of fake seed; seed trade associations are an important link between industry and government.

Policy briefs summarizing each country research study can be accessed here. In addition, the Data Appendix present data on 20 indicators for the top four grain and legume crops across the countries.

Strengthening developing-country seed systems and markets: Policy trade-offs, unintended consequences, and operational realities

Ati van der Honing — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 15:00:50 +0000

This webinar by CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions and Markets (PIM) explores novel approaches to strengthening seed systems and markets. David Spielman, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) presents the webinar. The aim is to chalk out some basic principles to help understand the effects of changes in public policies on seed systems and markets in developing countries. It draws on examples from a range of crops cultivated in countries as diverse as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Zambia from which insights are generated on where private sector seed distribution models are working well, where regulations facilitate quicker varietal release and more rapid turnover, and where quality assurance mechanisms provide effective oversight without inhibiting incentives to produce and distribute quality seed. Key design elements for policies are discussed. These include: rules for accessing better genetics; procedures for accelerating varietal release; regulations for assuring seed quality; investments for promoting new seeds and traits; and incentives for encouraging market growth. Several strategies are considered: 1) Integrate into the informal; leverage informal seed systems. 2) Formalize the informal; regulate all seeds and traits in the system. 3) Formalize where it matters most; regulate strategically. 4) Focus on commercial potential; foster private sector-led growth of seed markets. 5) Farmer self-regulation; encourage farmer-led development of seed markets. The conclusion is that there is an urgent need for evidence on “what works” in seed policy.

The roles of community seed banks in climate change adaption

Ati van der Honing — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 12:54:15 +0000

This article (PDF) in the journal Development in Practice argues that community seed banks can enhance the resilience of farmers, in particular of communities and households most affected by climate change. Although community level seed-saving initiatives have been around for about 30 years, until recently they have received little attention in the scientific literature on climate change adaptation and plant genetic resources. The various examples of community seed banks from this global review demonstrate that community seed banks are already carrying out major functions in terms of adaptation to climate change. Community seed banks can secure improved access to, and availability of, diverse, locally adapted crops and varieties, and enhance related indigenous knowledge and skills in plant management, including seed selection, treatment, storage, multiplication, and distribution. The Kiziba community seed bank in Uganda is a good example of the strategy of maximizing (bean) diversity to respond to climate change. Farmers have rediscovered the power of crop diversity not only to serve the multiple food security needs of the households and community, but also as a buffer in times of climate uncertainty and stress. Community seed banks also provide a platform for learning and exchange of knowledge and genetic resources, especially in times of climate change. In addition, some of them are becoming repositories for indigenous knowledge related to climate change adaptation, among others, through the use of community biodiversity registers.

Policy options to accelerate variety change among smallholder farmers in South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara

Ati van der Honing — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 08:46:00 +0000

This discussion paper (PDF) by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) explores the importance of varietal turnover in advanced and transitional seed systems for food staples in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The genetic improvement of food staple crops cultivated by small-scale farmers is a well-established route to increasing agricultural productivity and improving rural livelihoods. But in developing countries where seed markets are commercially active or advancing in that direction, undue emphasis in both policy and research is often placed on the adoption of improved cultivars rather than varietal turnover, or the replacement of an already improved variety with a more recently released improved variety. Strong and consistent rates of varietal turnover contribute to sustaining yield gains over time, increasing the sustainability of intensive cropping systems, and improving the quality of the commodity itself for storage, processing, and consumption. The authors suggest that opportunities exist to accelerate the rate of varietal turnover through a range of carefully designed and well-sequenced policy and regulatory reforms. The best option, according to the authors, for promoting varietal change is strategic investment in an effective research system and policies that encourage the development of commercial seed markets. This should be done while drawing attention to the economic trade-offs, unintended consequences, and operational challenges of such reforms and investments.

The long tail of the seed industry

Ati van der Honing — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 12:23:28 +0000

This blog by Bayer Crop Science discusses the importance of smaller regional seed companies in the delivery and adoption of new technologies to smallholder farmers. Within the seed industry there is a small group of big global players and a long tail of smaller regional, national and niche players. This first group of market leaders receive the most attention. Still, as the author argues, the relevance of the companies in the long tail of the seed industry should not be overlooked. For instance, in the delivery and adoption of new traits and seed varieties to smallholder farmers collectively dominating the regions that are facing food and nutrition security challenges, these companies play a key role. On several aspects, such as reaching remote villages, collaborating with local farmer communities to inform their R&D decisions or capacity building activities, they can take it a step further than their global peers. Although some regional companies have their own breeding programs, they are often not the developers of new technologies and germplasm for many crops. Instead, they in-license or buy the technologies from public research institutes or bigger seed companies for further development, testing it for local suitability and introduction to the market. Through their knowledge of the local market and a strong customer base, they know what farmers want in a certain region, and put the right seed products in the right place.

Seven ways seed systems help the world’s poor

Ati van der Honing — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 13:29:28 +0000

This blog by the International Potato Center (CIP) explains different ways how effective seed systems help the world’s poor. An effective seed system can help mitigate the impact of pressures due to climate change by helping smallholder farmers access quality materials that increase crop yields and are responsive to the challenges they face in their fields. Poor farmers do not need to rely on deteriorated planting materials saved from previous seasons when an effective seed system is in place. The availability of quality disease-free planting materials helps enhance smallholder farmer yields and ensures sufficient food for household consumption. Additionally, increased yield may result in improved income for smallholder farmers and lower prices for consumers. Consumers also gain from a greater varietal availability on the market and from the quality and traits that the seed system is providing growers. A seed system alone doesn’t improve overall nutrition, but it can influence it when there is a focus on creating varieties with high micronutrient content. Improved nutrition through seed systems is possible when a country emphasizes the development of nutritious varieties as part of their mandate. Strong seed systems help agricultural economies devastated by natural disasters or conflict revive more quickly, since it helps well-developed networks of suppliers go quickly to scale and help revive the food economy.

The support for farmers-led seed systems in African seed laws

Ati van der Honing — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 13:48:37 +0000

This synthesis report (PDF) by Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) compares regional and national seed laws in Africa, and analyzes the extent to which they support (or undermine) farmers’ participation in seed systems. The paper pays particular attention to how or whether these laws recognize farmers as conservers and breeders of crop varieties, and as potential multipliers and providers of seed. When seed laws only allow the establishment of the formal seed system, smallholder farmers and their seed production, exchange and sale can become marginalized or even incriminated. In essence, seed laws in 23 countries forbid the trade of unregulated seed. While seed legislation in nine countries allows for local sale and exchange within farmer-led seed systems, and exchange of farm-saved seed is allowed by two countries. Four countries allow the registration of farmers’ varieties with less stringent requirements and eight countries mention quality declared seed in their legislation. Four countries have looser registration criteria standards for local farmer seed producers. These are encouraging examples, yet the majority of national laws don’t include many (or any) provisions that recognize or aim to support farmer-led seed systems. Seed policies, which are often more recent than the seed laws in respective countries, include more recognition for farmer-led seed systems than the seed laws themselves. Still, most laws and regulations require revision in order to represent all seed systems in all diverse aspects.

The Netherlands, your partner in quality seed

Nynke — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:39:42 +0000

This brochure (PDF) from the Government of the Netherlands presents an overview of the role of Dutch companies, policymakers and researchers in the development of quality seed and seed sectors globally. Over the next few years, the demand for food is set to increase. Quality seed is essential in order to meet this demand. The Netherlands is keen to share its expertise in order to support the development of strong seed sectors that can contribute to global food and nutrition security. The Dutch seed sector enjoys a global leading position; Dutch companies are the world’s number-one supplier of vegetable seed (40% of the world trade) and seed potatoes (60% of the world trade). Also, the Dutch government is proactive in providing a supportive policy framework. This brochure contains examples of cooperation at the crossroads of aid and trade, involving the government, businesses, civil society organisations and knowledge institutions – the ‘Dutch diamond’. It will give you an overview of all the aspects involved in making high-quality seed available to farmers worldwide. For example, the brochure presents articles on the Netherlands Inspection Service for Horticulture‘s role in promoting plant breeders’ rights worldwide using a toolbox; the use of Dutch seed-potato in East-Africa supported by Dutch companies and development organisations; the Access to Seeds Index which maps seed companies’ efforts to reach small-scale farmers; and the efforts of Rijk Zwaan to develop quality seeds for local vegetables for the East-African market.

The contribution of international vegetable breeding to private seed companies in India

Ati van der Honing — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 08:19:07 +0000

This article (PDF) in the Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Journal explores the role of international agricultural research when research and development have shifted to the private sector. This is analyzed for vegetables in India, where a sophisticated private seed industry has developed, using data from 27 private companies and 9 public organizations. There is a focus on tomato and chili pepper, which are two of India’s most important vegetables, and the role of international germplasm received from the World Vegetable Center. Results show that as the role of the private sector in vegetable breeding increased, and with it the share of hybrids in the market, the role of international agricultural research shifted from the provision of ready-made varieties to the provision of specific resistance traits. Still, international germplasm continued to be used in varietal development with 14% and 13% of hybrid tomato seed and chili pepper seed sold in 2014 containing this germplasm in its pedigree. The authors estimate that over half a million farmers use such seed. It is concluded that for tomato and chili pepper, international breeding needs to focus on pre-breeding research, capacity strengthening of smaller seed companies, and the delivery of open-pollinated varieties for marginal environments. Additionally, collaboration and communication with private seed companies, including impact and information sharing, would help to inform strategic decision-making in breeding programs and to better tailor research toward impact.

Multi-stakeholder framework for intervening in Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) seed systems: User’s guide

Ati van der Honing — Wed, 24 May 2017 10:30:37 +0000

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.

Sweetpotato seed systems in sub-Saharan Africa

Ati van der Honing — Wed, 03 May 2017 11:53:15 +0000

This working paper (PDF) by the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (CGIAR-RTB) reviews CGIAR’s current knowledge of sweet potato seed systems in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim is to identify gaps and research needs to ensure smallholder farmers can access timely and sufficient quantities of quality sweet potato planting material. The initial findings from this review point to the highly contingent and emergent nature of sweet potato seed systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, any approach for decision-making should be complemented by a process-oriented and participatory approach to identify mechanism that ensure the desired outcome and respond to local circumstances. It is critical to ensure that more genetic material is flowing through the system and is evaluated under different agro-ecological and socioeconomic conditions. The financial and social sustainability of sweet potato seed systems should be supported by an analysis of a wide array of context-specific factors. These include climatic and agro-ecological conditions and risks; pest and disease incidence; understanding of existing farmer seed practices; strong links to farmer and market demand (varieties, quality, quantities, and timing) for vines and roots; socioeconomic and gender constraints; and clear institutional arrangements to support coordination, information flow, and linkages between different actors in the seed and root value chains. For this, more research is required to support improvements in sweet potato seed systems.

In addition to this working paper, CGIAR RTB published case studies (PDF) describing roots, tubers and bananas seed system interventions.

Options for national governments to support smallholder farmer seed systems: The cases of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda

Ati van der Honing — Tue, 02 May 2017 09:46:39 +0000

This publication (PDF) by Hivos and Bioversity International examines how current seed policies and laws in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda affect smallholder farmers’ practices. The investigation is based on three measures: the degree of recognition of the roles and rights of smallholder farmers related to seed management; the degree to which policy and legal regulations facilitate smallholder-based seed management; and the level of support (moral, technical, and financial) such regulations provide for smallholder-based seed management. Together, these measures can be seen as a reflection of the degree of openness of a seed system. In all three countries governments are strengthening seed regulatory systems, mainly toward the more restrictive end of the scale. However, smallholder farmers are far more affected by low levels of recognition and support for their seed management practices than by restrictive policies and laws. Supportive policies and legal measures have been suggested recently, but a strong supportive policy and legal environment is missing. Tentatively, it seems that to create more open seed systems, efforts should not only be aimed at less strict regulatory measures, but also at designing and lobbying for measures that lead to more recognition of and support for the seed systems of smallholder farmers. Such measures should also ensure that civil society organizations play a key role in implementation of policies and laws.

Productivity and food security effects of using of certified seed potato: the case of Kenya’s potato farmers

Ati van der Honing — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 14:08:57 +0000

This article (PDF) in the Agriculture & Food Security Journal assessed the effect of using certified seed potato (CSP) on yield, input use, and food security among smallholder farmers. The recent development of rapid seed multiplication technique has helped to shorten the duration of CSP production and to increase the supply of seed. The research focused on potato growers in central highlands of Kenya, who were in close proximity to a private seed multiplier that uses these new techniques. The study collected data from 408 smallholder farmers through personal interviews. Results indicate that use of CSP is associated with increased yields, sales, and hence income. In addition, users of CSP were less food insecure than their counterparts. These findings imply the need to promote farmer use of quality/clean seed. These gains are, however, accompanied by a modest increase in the use of inputs, notably pesticides and fertilizer, apparently due to pursuit by farmers to optimize the gains from CSP. This implies the need to train farmers on the safe use of pesticides in order to avoid potential negative effects exposure to such chemicals. Distance to source of CSP reduces the likelihood of its use, suggesting the significance of transaction costs in farmers’ decision to use of CSP, but may also reflect the bulky nature of the seed potato. The strong correlation between asset ownership and access to CSP implies that access by poorer smallholder farmers may be constrained. This can, however, be overcome by organizing such farmers together as a group and sourcing seed jointly, thus enabling them to reduce per unit costs and benefiting through economies.

Community seedbanking to improve the resilience of farmers: the case of Kiziba seedbank in Uganda

Ati van der Honing — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 14:25:07 +0000

This factsheet (PDF) by Bioversity International discusses the Kiziba seedbank in Uganda, which was established in June 2010. The seedbank was part of a project to improve the productivity and resilience of seeds for farmers through enhanced use of crop varietal diversity, focusing on common bean and banana. The project aimed to fill the gap in seed diversity and good seed quality. The project built on the intraspecific diversity that was available on farm to reduce the pressure of pests and diseases, and on farmers’ knowledge to develop new low-cost and sustainable methods and management practices to increase diversity. Common bean has been primarily managed by women. Therefore this project not only benefitted local farmers but it also benefitted women in terms of availaing them with the much needed diversity, and equipping them with the capacities to grow better seeds for better yields, food and seed security. The seedbank is providing seed security for farmers, conserving the diversity of common bean in situ thereby enabling its continued evolution and adaption, as well as providing diversity choices. These aspects are very important to enable farmers to adapt to climate change.

A farmers’ perspective on the Access to Seeds Index 2016 and the way forward

Ati van der Honing — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 11:30:14 +0000

This report (PDF) published by the Access to Seeds Foundation documents the farmers’ consultation on the Access to Seed Index 2016. This consultation consisted of four meetings in Goma (DR Congo), Hanoi (Vietnam), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and Johannesburg (South Africa). In total 35 farmer-led organizations from 26 countries participated in these events, with over 135 participants. These meetings marked the start of the development process towards the second Access to Seeds Index scheduled for 2019. Farmers’ organizations gave considerably more attention to the impact of climate change than during the previous farmers’ consultation in 2013. Since then, farmers have seen and experienced the impact of changes in weather conditions on growing seasons and growing conditions. Farmers’ organizations mentioned the impact of climate change as a reason why they are interested in the Access to Seeds Index as an instrument to facilitate the discussion between farmers and the seed industry. Farmers need access to climate resilient varieties and they see the private seed sector as an important channel to supply these. However, many farmers’ organizations are cautious regarding the potential effects on availability of traditional varieties, preservation of crop diversity, and farmer rights to save and produce their own seed. The farmers’ organizations voiced their support for developing Regional Indexes for Asian countries and Western and Southern Africa. The meetings underlined the need to include farmer cooperatives, associations and community seed enterprises in the overall Index assessment. The definition of “access to seeds” was reconfirmed and priorities for indicator development were identified during the meetings.

Implementing a national community seedbank strategy for South Africa

Ati van der Honing — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 09:44:38 +0000

This factsheet (PDF) by Bioversity International describes two case studies of the community seedbank strategy in South Africa, which was initiated by the South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in collaboration with Bioversity International. A community seedbank represents a simple community-based solution for improving access to and availability of plant genetic resources and safeguarding these in case of adversity. The aim of this community seedbank strategy was to support smallholder communities to revive and improve their traditional seed-saving practices for the sake of food security and sustainable agriculture and conservation of the county’s agricultural biodiversity. It also emphasizes the importance of women farmers as active custodians of agricultural biodiversity, which can be seen in particular in the Gumbu case study, where women farmers show active interest and participation in the project. The factsheet describes the strategies employed and key activities to support the establishment of community seedbanks, like an analysis of existing household and community practices, training of farmers in various aspects of community seedbank management and of committee members about the use of a data registry. Also the biodiversity impacts and socio-economic impacts are presented and sustainability and replication of the cases.

Agricultural extension messages using video on portable devices increased knowledge about seed selection, storage and handling among smallholder potato farmers in southwestern Uganda

Ati van der Honing — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 15:36:23 +0000

This article in the PLOS ONE Journal demonstrates that showing agricultural extension messages significantly increased farmers’ knowledge of recommended practices on seed selection, storage and handling. The video messages were delivered through Android tablets to a sample of potato farmers in southwestern Uganda. This research suggests that videos should be crop and context specific, featuring model farmers to maximize the potential of videos to leverage knowledge farmers already possess but may not be confident enough to use. Results suggested impact pathways that went beyond simply replicating what was shown in the video. Video messages may have triggered a process of abstraction, whereby farmers applied insights gained in one context to a different context. The findings from this study suggest that videos are likely to become an indispensable part of the agricultural extension tool kit, sometimes replacing, but in most cases complementing traditional extension services. This is especially important because agricultural extension information, with its public, non-rival nature, is generally undersupplied, and public provision remains challenging.

Maize seed systems analysis

Ati van der Honing — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 10:42:45 +0000

These four reports by KIT are analysis of four maize seed systems in Malawi (PDF), Zambia (PDF), Bihar in India (PDF) and Chiapas in Mexico (PDF). The four documents describe the adoption and impact of improved maize germplasm at small scale farmer level in these four areas. The objective is to understand whether smallholder farmers have access to seed of improved maize varieties, and if so, how the seed sector supports this. The analysis show that the maize seed sectors in the four areas are quite advanced, although need better quality controls. At all 4 places hybrid varieties are now widely grown by small farmers, although in Chiapas, Malawi and Zambia local varieties remain popular for local food preparation. The studies were carried out with support from the CGIAR Research Program (CRP) MAIZE.

How small seed businesses can support climate-resilient value chains: Lessons from Uganda

F&BKP Office — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:48:10 +0000

This briefing note (PDF) by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) focuses on investments by domestic seed companies in quality seeds, including climate-resilient varieties, in developing countries and the climate risk management (CRM) benefits for other actors along the value chain. It is designed for researchers and practitioners working on agricultural value chains, food security and climate resilience in developing countries. According to the authors, domestic seed companies should facilitate more informed decision making about seed choices; increase knowledge on the benefits of climate-resilient seeds; and strengthen systems for production, distribution and quality control of climate-resilient products and services through standards and partnerships. Furthermore, development practitioners can contribute by: strengthening the broader systems that support value chain development such as infrastructure, information and markets; capacity building of small businesses on the integration of climate risks into their decision making (including on the use of climate and weather information); and helping small businesses access climate finance. It is recommended that researchers should explore the role of small businesses as potential climate knowledge brokers.

Study identifies candidate genes to accelerate tropical forage breeding

Ati van der Honing — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 10:01:30 +0000

This study, led by CIAT in collaboration with the Earlham Institute and Yale University highlights genetic elements that could accelerate the breeding of vital forage crops for animal nutrition in Africa and Latin America. The study identifies plants that undergo a biological phenomenon that can reproduce clonally by apomixis. This means that they do not require egg cells to be fertilised by a male sperm or pollen grain. As a result, the progeny (genetic descendants) are clones from the mother plant. A molecular diagnosis for reproduction enables quicker selection of the Brachiaria hybrid plants. The Brachiaria breeding programme at CIAT produces hybrids that segregate for reproductive mode. Therefore approximately half of the progeny in each generation are sexual and the other half are apomictic (asexual seed formation). This trait is useful to propagate plants with superior traits, but it is also a barrier for efficient breeding. Therefore, the sexual plants are maintained in the breeding programme to produce the next generation. By identifying candidate genes and genome regions linked to apomixis, this study opens the door to the use of molecular markers to efficiently select apomictic or sexual plants, a technique called marker-assisted selection (MAS).

Keeping seeds in peoples’ hands

Ati van der Honing — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 10:22:43 +0000

This report (PDF) by the Global Network For The Right To Food And Nutrition concludes that transnational corporations are monopolizing control over seeds with dire consequences for human rights and biodiversity. Increasingly, seed and agrochemical businesses seek to privatize, monopolize and control seeds by patenting and commodifying this very source of life. Meanwhile, peasant and indigenous communities, who have been the developers and guardians of seeds for millennia, are finding their rights to save, use, exchange and sell seeds overshadowed by a corporate agenda that prioritizes profit over human rights and the sustainable maintenance of nature. Seeds and agricultural biodiversity have been at the heart of social movements’ struggles for decades. The authors state that despite the manifold interlinkages, efforts towards the realization of the human right to adequate food and nutrition have thus far paid insufficient attention to these social movements. The Right to Food and Nutrition Watch 2016-“Keeping Seeds in Peoples’ Hands”-explores ways to close this gap and promote a stronger agenda to advance these interconnected struggles. It discusses how peasant movements, indigenous peoples, and other local communities around the world are resisting the privatization and commoditization of nature and presenting alternatives.

Vegetable seed availability and implications for developing countries: A perspective from Morocco

Ati van der Honing — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 10:20:23 +0000

This paper (PDF), published in the Outlook on Agriculture journal, provides an overview and analysis of vegetable seed industries in developing countries, with a focus on Morocco, and the resulting influences on smaller subsistence farmers. Vegetables play a very important role not only in providing the fibre and essential nutrients required for maintaining a well balanced diet in developing countries, but also for revenue generation from multiple domestic and international markets. New vegetable variety development is generally non-existent in most developing countries, with seed typically sourced from developed countries. This situation results in a dependence on developed countries to supply vegetable seed for most of the world’s demands. This dependence is troubling as it creates a myriad of problems, from improper recommendations of vegetable varieties to products growing in areas to which they are not necessarily adapted. The three types of vegetable seed materials (landraces, pure- line inbred and hybrid varieties) are discussed in the context of smaller farmers. The ongoing problems and issues related to the absence of vegetable seed industries in developing countries will undoubtedly affect food production, nutritional health and the resulting food security in these countries for future generations.

Dutch Seeds Debate Report

Babs — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 08:33:15 +0000

In April, Agriterra organized the Dutch Seeds Debate in The Hague, the Netherlands. The debate is an element of ‘Small Farmers, Big Deal’, a campaign designed by Agriterra to connect companies to farmers.‘What can your organization do to support smallholder farmers in developing countries?’ This was the key question during the debate, which was attended by more than 90 representatives of the government, seed companies, research institutions and NGOs. These organizations were triggered to think about what they can do to support smallholder farmers. These farmers can grow their yields via a combination of better seeds, improved farming techniques and services such as financial support to build a business. By helping farmers with appropriate seeds, education and services, the Dutch can contribute to the economic transition of developing countries. To support the reflection on the question how to do this, the Access to Seeds Index (ASI) was presented as a relevant tool. An important conclusion was a focus on engaged organised farmers, especially on young people and females, could broaden and deepen the structural improvement. Furthermore, much can be learned from good case practices but at the same time stakeholders can learn most from what currently goes wrong. The report of the debate can be found here. In preparation for this debate, Agriterra has also published a magazine: “Better vegetable seeds”.

Origins of food crops connect countries worldwide

Babs — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 13:48:36 +0000

This research on the Royal Society shows how the origins of food plants has led to the recognition that specific geographical regions around the world have been of particular importance to the development of agricultural crops. Yet the relative contributions of these different regions in the context of current food systems have not been quantified. The authors determine the origins (‘primary regions of diversity’) of the crops comprising the food supplies and agricultural production of countries worldwide. They estimate the degree to which countries use crops from regions of diversity other than their own (‘foreign crops’), and quantify changes in this usage over the past 50 years. The research shows that countries are highly interconnected with regard to primary regions of diversity of the crops they cultivate and/or consume. Foreign crops are extensively used in food supplies (68.7% of national food supplies as a global mean are derived from foreign crops) and production systems (69.3% of crops grown are foreign). Foreign crop usage has increased significantly over the past 50 years, including in countries with high indigenous crop diversity. The results provide a novel perspective on the ongoing globalization of food systems worldwide, and bolster evidence for the importance of international collaboration on genetic resource conservation and exchange. For further exploring of the geographic origins of our food crops, including an interactive map, please visit this site.

Expert meeting on the impact of seed laws on smallholder farming systems in Africa: challenges and opportunities

Babs — Wed, 11 May 2016 08:34:15 +0000

This Expert Meeting, organized by the Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) Africa Program, in collaboration with partners, took place in Cape Town, 16-17 March 2016. The meeting aimed to present and discuss the findings so far of ISSD Theme 3: Matching global commitments with national realities. The meeting was divided in three sessions, each centered around one of these three action learning questions: 1) How can national and regional seed laws support the development of a robust, integrated seed sector that supports smallholder farmers’ needs?; 2) How can Access and Benefit-Sharing policies make valuable contributions to seed systems that promote farmers’ resilience to climate change?; and 3) How can room be created for informal and intermediary seed systems in a UPOV ’91 informed Plant Variety Protection system? The meeting focused on both the challenges that certain current seed law provisions create for farmer seed systems as well as provisions and initiatives that can support these seed systems, in order to strengthen smallholder farmers’ seed security and livelihoods. This was done by presenting the outcomes of various ISSD Africa pilot studies, reports from partner organisations, and the experiences from country representatives. The outcomes of these discussions and consultations are briefly summarized in the report and will be included in the synthesis reports that will summarize the main findings, conclusions and recommendations that result from the various ISSD Africa pilot activities presented at the end of the 2-year ISSD Africa piloting phase in September 2016.

An integrated approach to maintaining cereal productivity under climate change

Nynke — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 15:02:50 +0000

This article (PDF) in Global Food Security journal focuses on how knowledge sharing and strategic research collaboration could speed-up genetic, physiological, and molecular understanding of important cereal traits. Cereals, like wheat, rice, maize, pearl millet, and sorghum provide over half of the world’s food calories. However, climate change impacts cereal production, since heat and water stress increase, and waterlogging, frost and diseases and pest dynamics change. To maintain global food security, there is an increasing need to exploit existing genetic variability and develop cultivars with superior genetic yield potential and stress adaptation. The opportunity to share knowledge between crops and identify priority traits for future research can be exploited to increase breeding impacts and assist in identifying the genetic loci that control adaptation. The authors claim a more internationally coordinated approach to crop phenotyping and modeling, combined with effective sharing of knowledge, facilities, and data, will boost the cost effectiveness and facilitate genetic gains of all staple crops, with likely spill over to more neglected crops.

Access to Seeds Index Report 2016

Nynke — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 10:07:49 +0000

The Access to Seeds Index 2016 (PDF) published by the Access to Seeds Foundation ranks seed companies by measuring and comparing their efforts to improve access to seeds for smallholder farmers. Access to seeds is important for smallholders since better quality seeds could enhance their productivity, income and food security. The index consists of three indexes: one for major field crop seed companies, one for vegetable seed companies and one regional index for Eastern Africa. The report presents rankings, key findings on industry level, good practices for all measurement areas and scorecards for individual companies. The rankings are relative rankings, meaning companies are compared to each other rather than against an absolute, ideal state. Within the index for major field crops Du Pont ranks highest, while East-West Seed scores relatively well on the index of vegetable seed companies and the regional Eastern Africa Index. In general, the report highlights that local and regional markets remain more important to smallholder farmers for accessing seeds than multinationals companies. Farmers buy more than half of their seeds on local and informal markets. Regional seed companies are investing more in local crops and better address the needs of smallholder farmers than multinationals. The report also states that seed companies do not take a structural approach to address the needs of women farmers. The index is published every two years and is financed through the Dutch government and the Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation. The accompanied website allows you to go through the rankings interactively. Or read this reflection by Ann Tutwiler, Director General, Bioversity International.

India’s seed sector is flourishing. Could African farmers benefit?

Nynke — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 13:52:19 +0000

This expert opinion of Dominic Clover on Future Agricultures assesses to what extend India’s thriving seed sector can play a role in delivering affordable, high-quality seeds to African farmers. Africa’s share in the global seed trade is relatively low, and seed markets are often not supported in African countries. Poor seed supply threatens agriculture’s ability to play its part in economic development, food security and poverty alleviation. In the face of these challenges, African countries are working together across the continent to improve seed systems. One promising partner may be India. Clover argues that India shares some of the diverse agro-ecologies and crops found in Africa, so technologies and methods used by Indian farmers might also be relevant to African situations. India’s development story, as an emerging economy with millions of its own small-scale cultivators, might indeed provide relevant knowledge, expertise and investments to help develop the seed sector in Africa. In addition, India’s seed firms are also accustomed to working in a market comprised largely of millions of small-scale and resource-constrained farmers, which arguably positions them to develop similar opportunities in Africa. Nevertheless, Clover warns that if India’s seed exports to Africa increased, they would need to be supported by strong public investment and policy frameworks.

Also see this report (PDF) by Future Agricultures for a more in-depth analysis on South-South cooperation in seeds between India and the South.

Seed systems smallholder farmers use

Nynke — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 13:01:58 +0000

This article (PDF) in Food Security journal elaborated on the importance of informal seed markets for African family farmers. Using a comprehensive data set with 9660 observations across six countries and covering 40 crops, the authors show that farmers access 90.2 % of their seed from informal systems with 50.9 % of that deriving from local markets. Further, 55 % of seed is paid for by cash, indicating that smallholders are already making important investments in this arena. However, current investments are mostly geared towards formal markets instead of informal ones, while the informal sector remains the core for seed acquisition in Africa. These neglected outlets could present a major opportunity for improving access to better crop varieties, which is crucial for dealing with climate, nutrition, and other production challenges. Therefore, the authors conclude their article with some practical interventions that could render the formal and informal seed sector more smallholder-responsive and for scaling up positive impacts. The countries studied were Congo, Malawi, South-Sudan, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Haiti. See also this article for a more extended summary and the author’s comments.

The Seeds of Freedom trilogy

Babs — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 13:26:14 +0000

The Seeds of Freedom Trilogy tells the story of seed from its roots at the heart of traditional, diversity-rich farming systems across the world, to being transformed into a powerful commodity, used to monopolise the global food system. The films are created by Gaia foundation in partnership with the African Biodiversity Network, MELCA Ethiopia, Navdanya International and Grain. The films highlight the extent to which the industrial agricultural system, and genetically modified (GM) seeds in particular, has impacted on the enormous agro-biodiversity evolved by farmers and communities around the world, since the beginning of agriculture. Seeds of Freedom seeks to challenge the mantra, promoted by the pro-GM lobby, that large-scale, industrial agriculture is the only means by which we can feed the world. In tracking the story of seed it becomes clear how the corporate agenda has driven the take over of seed in order to make vast profit and control of the global food system. Seeds of Freedom is the first film in the trilogy and provides an overview of the history of agriculture, charting the transition of the farm into a factory, and highlighting the impact of the agrochemical and GM industries. Seeds of Sovereignty, the second film, shares the stories of African communities embarking on a journey to revive their traditional seed diversity, and take back control over their food systems. The final film in the trilogy, Seeds of Justice explores the life of Dr Melaku Worede and his work to embrace participatory plant breeding, redignify farmer’s expert ecological knowledge and conserve Ethiopia’s precious seed diversity.

Seeds of justice: In the hands of farmers

Nynke — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 13:38:25 +0000

This movie from the Gaia Foundation narrates the story of Ethiopian plant geneticist Dr Melaku Worede and his lifelong commitment for the acknowledgement of traditional farmers’ knowledge and his commitment to secure Ethiopia’s crop diversity. The movie tries to underscore the importance of the knowledge of farmers. It questions the assumptions of agro-industry, in which scientists hold the answers to ending hunger in stead of farmers. Dr. Melaku Worede also stressed the importance of the control over seeds and he had successes in pioneering local seed banks and participatory plant breeding. The short movie shows how science and farmers’ knowledge can reinforce each other.

How better seeds make Timor-Leste climate resilient

Nynke — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 12:19:07 +0000

This movie on SciDevNet shows how improved seed varieties in Timor-Leste have contributed to improved food security. The movie documents the advances of the project Seeds of Life, which is designed to improve food security through helping farmers produce and distribute improved seed varieties. The farmers can use the seeds themselves but also sell the seeds for profit. Improved seed varieties can in this way improve climate resilience. Timor-Leste is already prone to weather extremes and climate change could deteriorate its impacts. Drought and post-harvest losses from problems such as poor storage worsen poverty and malnutrition in a country where 40 per cent of under-fives have stunted growth. Only a few years before the project began, the government used to import 300 to 400 tonnes of seeds each year, but now farmers grow maize, peanuts, cassava and sweet potato independently. The movie shows why this project has experiences successes while many others have failed.

The expansion of the commercial seed sector in sub-Saharan Africa: Major players, key issues and trends

Babs — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 15:30:56 +0000

The report (PDF) by The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB), describes how the seed industry in sub-Saharan Africa, far from being a homogenous bloc, is comprised of several layers. These include the largest multinational companies: Monsanto, DuPont Pioneer, Syngenta and Vilmorin; a number of large companies from Europe and Asia, many of whom specialise in vegetable crops; and a group of former national seed companies from eastern and southern Africa, such as Zimbabwe’s SeedCo, Zamseed in Zambia, Tanseed in Tanzania, and the Kenya Seed Company. Joining these established players is a plethora of emerging African seed companies, many of which have received financial and technical support from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Maize and horticulture are the two biggest seed markets on the continent. Seed industry activity is mostly concentrated in the Guinea-Savannah agro-ecological zone, a vast area stretching from the east coast to west Africa, identified as being of high agronomic potential.

A Seed Resource Box to help farmers adapt to climate change

Nynke — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 14:20:56 +0000

The Resilient Seed Systems Resource Box, developed by Biodiversity International, is a tool to enhance the access and use of crop diversity to adapt to climate change. It is an open-access toolkit with eight steps that provides a methodology to build resilient seed systems and helps farmers adapt to climate change effects. The box can be used to find selected resource to support research processes, or as a learning tool for building capacity in facilitating, conducting or participating in research processes. It can also be used as pedagogical material for higher education or on-the-job training work. The box is especially useful for plant breeders, researchers, gene banks managers, extension agents, and policy actors currently involved in climate change adaptation research related to the use of plant genetic resources. But also for university lecturers and advanced students with an interest in plant genetic resources and climate change adaptation and seed sector actors concerned about maintaining crop and crop varietal diversity, in particular in the context of climate change adaptation.

Seeds without borders: sharing crop diversity to adapt to climate change

Babs — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 15:32:50 +0000

In this article on the CGIAR website, Michael Halewood of Bioversity International reports on the workshop ‘Mutual Implementation of the Plant Treaty and the Nagoya Protocol in the context of wider policy goals’, held Nov. 16-20 in Addis Ababa. The meeting focused on how countries can identify and access diversity they need and share associated benefits. An earlier report (PDF) by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) shows that some crops which are vital for food security in Africa’s rain-fed agricultural systems, such as maize, common bean and banana, are facing climate-related losses of up to 40%. This means that countries urgently need varieties of these crops, or even different crops altogether, which can adapt to the changing conditions, both now and in the future. Sometimes those crops can be found within their own borders. But increasingly, farmers and breeders are having to look for gene-based traits in plant genetic resources from other countries.

Farmer seed networks make a limited contribution to agriculture? Four common misconceptions

Babs — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 14:55:36 +0000

This paper in the Food Policy Journal identifies four common misconceptions regarding the nature and importance of farmer seed networks today. (1) Farmer seed networks are inefficient for seed dissemination. (2) Farmer seed networks are closed, conservative systems. (3) Farmer seed networks provide ready, egalitarian access to seed. (4) Farmer seed networks are destined to weaken and disappear. The authors challenge these misconceptions by drawing upon recent research findings and the authors’ collective field experience in studying farmer seed systems in Africa, Europe, Latin America and Oceania. Priorities for future research are suggested that would advance our understanding of seed networks and better inform agricultural and food policy.

Social seed networks: Identifying central farmers for equitable seed access

Babs — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:28:06 +0000

This article (PDF) in the Agricultural Systems Journal, demonstrates how informal seed systems’ social relationships are structured in two communities and suggests that community-based agrobiodiversity initiatives could use networks to promote more equitable improved seed distribution. Community-based agrobiodiversity management projects have been at the forefront of integrating informal seed systems into food security initiatives. These projects co-create open-pollinated crops and reintroduce lost varieties. A prevailing critique regarding these projects regards unequal distribution of seed to communities — quality seed, when introduced, does not reach target populations. The purpose of this study is to identify key farmers who can distribute open-pollinated seed through their existing, diverse social channels and evaluate if this method enables vulnerable populations to access improved varieties. Data was collected and combined from two subsistence-based communities in Northern Ghana. This study combines social seed network analysis and regression to determine centrally connected farmers over their project areas. To understand which types of farmers have the most equitable and efficient seed distribution networks, this study uses harmonic closeness centrality as a dependent variable in a set of ordinary least squares regressions. Results suggest that harmonic closeness centrality can best be estimated per study community, but results were not constant after combining communities. Two warnings emerge from this analysis: i) central farmers can leverage their control on resources to maintain their network position, which may promote unequal seed dissemination, and ii) seemingly analogous networks may be difficult to compare when combined due to a scale mismatch between analysis and intended analysis utility (i.e. seed dissemination). These findings validate the utility of social network analysis in unfolding the socioecological complexity of informal seed systems; yet offer warning on using network parameters for equitable (re)introduction of open-pollinated varieties.

The Seeds for Needs Initiative in Ethiopia: integrating farmer and scientist knowledge

Babs — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:21:25 +0000

This set of factsheets by Bioversity International shows how the ‘Seeds for Needs‘ initiative works with farmers to research how agricultural biodiversity can help minimize the risks associated with climate change. The concept is simple – if farmers have better information and access to a wide range of varieties, they are more able to choose what best suits their conditions and cope with unpredictable weather. Seeds for Needs is trying to encourage this by exposing farmers to more crop varieties and increase their first-hand knowledge about different traits and options available and strengthening their seed systems and seed-saving capacity so that they always have access to planting material that fits their changing needs. This is done through a participatory approach that can connect farmers’ qualitative evaluation of landraces with quantitative agronomic and morphological data in a scientifically sound way. This helps participatory breeding programmes focus on improving traits that are relevant to farmers. In order to speed up farmers’ evaluation of the varieties while collecting scientific data on how they adapt to climate change, a crowdsourcing approach was used. Furthermore, the initiative set up community seedbanks for strengthening the informal seed system. The Seeds for Needs initiative is examining durum wheat varieties to find drought-resistance traits, that could be used for breeding drought-resistant varieties that can be used in other drought-prone areas. Moreover, the initiative aims to further improve traditional durum wheat varieties through breeding. In addition, molecular techniques were used to map farmer and breeder preferences.

Review of community seed production practices in Africa

Nynke — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 13:47:48 +0000

This review consists of two parts. Part one (PDF) takes a closer look at implementation strategies and models of community seed production practices, while part two (PDF) focuses on lessons learned and future perspectives. The study covers five case studies in Africa and is based on an analysis of different published and unpublished sources on seed production and seed delivery with a focus on farmer seed management and commercial seed. The review was also informed by interviews with seed system practitioners. The review examines the status and trends in community seed production in order to identify key criteria for success and possible areas of improvement, including the role of community seed production in linking formal (public and private) seed sectors with the farmer seed system. The second part elaborates on how community seed production practices can be improved. The authors state that community seed production is more effective when there is strong collaboration between the public sector, the commercial sector, and civil society/NGOs. In addition, the lack of standard ex-ante seed system diagnostics, including economic analysis to justify the scale and scope of interventions, significantly limits the capacity of donors and seed practitioners to make rational investments and intervention design decisions.

Seed System Security Assessment in West Nile Sub region

Babs — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 14:10:03 +0000

This report is an outcome of a Seed Security Assessment (SSA) conducted in West Nile sub-region in March 2015. The assessment, which was commissioned by the Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) Uganda, was necessitated by the need to fully understand the local community’s perspectives on seed security and how the influx of refugees in the sub-region affects seed demand and supply. The SSA focused on both the formal and informal seed systems which farmers use. Channels assessed included those in the informal seed sector, namely; home stocks, seed obtained from social networks, seed aid, local markets; and the formal seed sector such as agro-input dealers, commercial companies, government, or research stations. The assessment was conducted using the Seed Security Conceptual Framework (SSCF) by attempting to answer questions on seed availability, access, quality, suitability and resilience. A combination of data collection methods was employed, including conducting household survey with 344 households; holding 10 Focus Group Discussions (FGD); conducting 20 Key Informant Interviews (KII); conducting four seed grower interviews; conducting nine agro-input dealer interviews; and conducting 16 local market surveys. The recommendations of the report focus on the need to increase the availability of and access to quality seeds; improve quality; varietal sustainability and resilience of the seed system; build capacities of key actors to improve on their production and business skills; and address issues of enabling environment in seed security.

Seed Systems Support in Kenya: Consideration for an Integrated Seed Sector Development Approach

Babs — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 13:05:02 +0000

This article (PDF) in the Journal of Sustainable Development, reveals that the evolution of seed policies and regulatory frameworks in Kenya since independence exposes a continuous support for the formal seed sector while support given to the informal sector has merely been intended to transform it into formal. The threats of climate change and rising food prices have stirred renewed attention for seed and food security in Africa, inviting new thinking on the role of seed sector development in coping with these concerns. One conceptual framework that has gained attention is the Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) approach. The ISSD approach has evolved as a response to the almost exclusive focus on formal seed systems in seed sector development programs. Instead, ISSD aims to recognize and support all the diverse seed systems that exist in a particular country. The article continues with analysing some of Kenya’s recent policy shifts in order to explore how its new seed policy and legislative framework may fit within ISSD principles, and concludes with some recommendations on how the variety of seeds systems that exists on the ground and in particular local seed systems can be supported. Notwithstanding policy change access to seed problems have continued to exist, making it necessary for alternative approaches to be considered and elaborated. As an alternative approach, ISSD offers opportunities to develop seed policies for the simultaneous and parallel development of various seeds systems that together cater for the diversity of demands related to different crops, farming systems and farmers.

World crop diversity survives in small farms from peri-urban to remote rural locations

Babs — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 07:51:28 +0000

This article in ScienceDaily shows that that small farmers, in many cases women, are the ones preserving landraces of food crops. The researchers looked at new census data from 11 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and combined that data with field observations. In between periurban and marginal areas are a range of environments where small farmers grow crops and preserve diversity. Knowledge of potential problems in these areas and plans for responses to potential disruptions of agriculture are important to preserve diversity and improve food security.

Seed laws that criminalise farmers: resistance and fightback

Babs — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 14:48:20 +0000

This paper (PDF) by La Via Campesina and GRAIN is going deeper into seed laws and legislative processes. They explore how seed laws make farmers’ seeds illegal and which types of seed laws are promoted by the industry. Furthermore, special attention is paid to the struggles of farmers with examples from Africa, America, Asia and Europe. This booklet is intended to serve as an information tool, supporting the work of organisations by informing and explaining, in combination with the poster. Some additional country experiences can be found here.

Towards an integrated market for seeds and fertilizers in west Africa

Babs — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:14:17 +0000

This World Bank Group (WBG) working paper (PDF), explores the development of integrated regional markets and agricultural input supply chains for farmers in West Africa. The paper is a result of consultations with seed, fertilizer, and regional trade experts in the region. The work was undertaken as background to a larger World Bank volume on “Regional Food Staples Trade in West Africa”. The working paper offers recommendations to build on the progress of West African governments that have worked on the development of trade rules and quality control methods. Key messages include increasing regional collaboration on seed and fertilizer and other suggestions to complement long-term harmonization. For example, the creation of a knowledge platform on inputs is proposed as a way to support short-term improvements and long-term harmonization. Constraints in private competition of fertilizer supply and seed variety development was highlighted as a possible threat.

Exploratory study on Rwanda’s seed sector: options for Dutch support

Babs — Mon, 04 May 2015 13:59:03 +0000

This exploratory study by CDI on Rwanda’s seed sector has been commissioned by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kigali. The objectives of the study have been to: analyse the institutional landscape of Rwanda’s seed sector in terms of its capacities, governance and coordination; and advice on policy issues, and potential activities to support Rwanda’s seed sector. The study is based on a literature review, a field study and interviews with stakeholders during a two-week mission. An important observation of the report is that the marketing system is currently the biggest bottleneck in the seed chain; a gradual transition towards a market based system seems crucial. The paper highlights that possible potential for Dutch involvement could be through the support of designing alternative pathways for the seed marketing system.

2014

Developing beans that can beat the heat

Babs — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 14:53:02 +0000

This document (PDF) by CIAT/CGAIR, reports findings from research conducted over the last year on heat tolerance in selected bean lines and show their potential for adapting bean production in Africa and Latin America to future climate change impacts. The paper highlights that high temperatures will become limiting for common bean, especially Latin America is susceptible. Results suggest that from a crop suitability perspective, enhancing the capacity of common bean to resist high temperatures is a very promising adaptation strategy globally. CIAT researchers have identified elite bean lines showing tolerance to temperatures 4 degrees Centigrade above the crop’s normal “comfort zone.” Many of these lines come from wide crosses between common and tepary beans (Phaseolus acutifolius), a species originating in the arid US Southwest and northwestern Mexico.

Preliminary Report Regional Access to Seeds Index for Eastern Africa

Ine — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 11:43:41 +0000

The Access to Seeds Foundation has commissioned a study focused on improving access to seeds by smallholder farmers. The report (PDF) provides baseline information on the East African regional seed sector detailing both regional and country specific scenarios. The research is based on existing literature and interviews with regional and national seed sector actors. Twelve countries are included: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The report covers seed sector profiles of each country and shows that they are at different stages of agricultural development. Results indicate that the countries are heavily dependent on agriculture while smallholders contribute the bulk of the production. The formal seed sector is not well developed and therefore the majority of farmers still depend on informal sources. The data is covering the diverse industry players, the major food crops, the prevailing business environment, the agricultural growth potential and the challenges being faced by farmers.

Seed governance: from seed aid to seed system security in fragile areas

Babs — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 10:55:41 +0000

This report “Seed governance: From Seed aid to Seed system security in Fragile areas” (PDF), by Cordaid, is aimed at developing a coherent and conflict-sensitive approach to seed system rehabilitation, for example through seed provision and/or the revival of seed markets at the local, regional and national level. For this report, Wageningen University conducted a research consisting of expert interviews, an expert consultation and a literature study on seed aid, seed systems, seed security and seed governance. The report was presented during a workshop with seed experts at the Dutch Africa Day. A previous version of this report was discussed during an international Expert Consultation, with about 20 representatives from Dutch government, international institutions, private sector, and NGOs. The focus of the report is on addressing seed system development and resilience in fragile and conflict-affected areas, rather than directly addressing lack of seed availability or access to seeds.

Seed systems, science and policy in East and Central Africa

Babs — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 13:41:56 +0000

This CTA publication (PDF) provides insights into the various seed systems and their policy environments and value chain actors including universities, enterprises, farmers and women’s and regulatory and other support agencies. The paper also discusses the challenges faced in improving seed quality and availability in East and Central Africa. It is based on contributions by actors directly involved in and committed to the integrated development of Africa’s seed sector. It is one of the outputs of the CTA/ASARECA ‘Seed Science and Policy Learning Writeshop’.

Strengthening African Seed Systems: Technical, Economic and Policy Challenges

Babs — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 11:06:51 +0000

In July 2014, a regional dialogue on “Strengthening African Seed Systems: Technical, Economic and Policy Challenges” took place in Nairobi, hosted by Future Agricultures and the Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development. The workshop aimed to examine the institutional, social and political dimensions of getting seed technologies into use and to highlight the challenges of increasing access to improved seeds for poor farmers through both formal and informal channels. This blog highlights lessons learned from the event, such as the need for re-framing of public policy so that it opens up opportunities for donors, civil society, researchers and farmers to investment in plural seed sector development.