seed systems

Nine projects are funded by NWO-WOTRO to strengthen the Netherlands-CGIAR research partnership on generating insights that contribute to improving seed systems in focus regions within Asia and Sub-Sahara Africa. 
This article was first published on December 21, 2018: additional information on the project consortia has been added on February 20, 2019.  »

This discussion paper examines the role of farmers’ seed systems in sustaining peace, with a focus on social cohesion as a pathway to positive local collective action. The paper reveals that certain characteristics of farmers’ seed systems do contribute to sustaining peace, highlighting the two-way interaction of peace-building and agricultural development. »

This article 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 »

In the December Newsletter, the Food & Business Knowledge Platform (F&BKP) indicates that Food and Nutrition Security in conflict sensitive areas is nowadays high on the policy agenda and a priority theme of the Platform. In the newsletter a report is presented about the recent Food _ Stability mission to the Horn of Africa, organized by »

The 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, but reaches only 20% of the smallholder farmers. It is highly research-driven, releasing new varieties for a broad variety of crops. »

This report 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 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. »