Pluralistic Seed System Development: A Path to Seed Security? (original) (raw)
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International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences, 2015
Commercial agriculture is driven by utilization of modern agricultural inputs despite the variable rate of adoption and use intensity. This study investigates the major factors attributed to variation in households' participation and intensity of formal seed useby taking 4 districts as a case in East Gojjam, Northwestern Ethiopia. A total of 250 farmers were selected following 3 stages and data were processed with Heckman Two-Stage Model using STATA (version 13). The result showed that households participation in formal seed use was significantly affected by land allocated for wheat and the number of oxen (positively, P<0.01), farming experience (positively, P<0.1) and age and off-farm income (negatively, P<0.01 and P<0.05 respectively). Similarly, intensity of formal seed utilized was significantly influenced by size of wheat land, number of oxen and frequency of extension services (positively, P<0.01) and sex and family size (positively, P<0.05). The existing seed supply chains are inefficient, seed systems are institutionalized and there are weak initiatives for community based seed systems. Strong extension services, empowering females with financial incentives and encouraging farmer based seed multiplication system can improve farmers' tendency of improved seed use. Rapid intervention on monopolistic distribution of seeds can bring about competitive seed markets which lead to sufficient supply with optimum prices.
Economic Botany, 2007
Many interventions try to address farmers’ seed insecurity, though few assess the causes of farmers’ vulnerability or understand their coping strategies. This paper analyzes farmers’ practices for maintaining sorghum seed security in a specific season (1998–99) in Ethiopia, which provides a richer picture of coping strategies than accounts of “general” practices, as it shows how responses reflect events unfolding over time and household-specific situations. High seeding rates ensure against environmental uncertainty, but not everyone has sufficient seed for repeated sowing should stands fail to establish. Off-farm seed fills this gap, though payment is usually required for substantial quantities; only 20% of seed from other farmers came for free in 1998. Differences between seed suppliers and recipients suggest indicators for chronic seed insecurity. The discussion explores implications for supporting farmers’ coping strategies. Helping the poorest farmers access off-farm seed, from other farmers or from merchants, can reduce their vulnerability.
Seed is a vital input to improve agricultural production and productivity. Farmers obtain seed from both formal and informal sources. The informal seed sector in Ethiopia is the major seed supplier of seed for many crops grown in the country. Access to the formal seed sector is limited for the farmers, and hence the role of informal seed supply system is significant. The study is intended to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and prevailing challenges and institutional frameworks of the informal seed supply system of sorghum and maize crops in Medegha Tolla district of east Haraghe zone, Ethiopia. Purposive sampling method was employed to select four sample KAs and probability proportional to size random sampling was used to select 200 sorghum and maize grower sample respondents. The data collected from sample respondents was using structured interview schedule were processed using descriptive statistics with the help of SPSS software. In addition, the qualitative data were also collected using FGDs, key informant interviews and field observations. The qualitative data were analyzed using narrative analysis, SWOT analysis and actor linkage analysis. The research revealed that the main seed sources for the farmers in the study area were own saved seed, neighbours, local markets, NGOs and the woreda agricultural and rural development office. Farmers in the study area obtain seed mainly by means of exchange with other seed/grain, gift and cash. The respondents and discussants indicated that timely availability, easily accessibility, local adaptability, knowledge and skill sharing along with the seed were the important strengths of the informal seed supply system of the study area. However, the major weaknesses, as reported by the respondents were low quality of seed, lack of purity and lack of specificity of variety. The major challenges faced by the farmers to improve the system were frequent drought, lack of adequate knowledge and skill in seed related activities and lack of appropriate storage. The study also identified the opportunities to strengthen the informal seed system and thereby improve the seed supply system in the area. The presence of traditional seed experts, farmers’ cooperatives, facilitating GOs and NGOs, proximity to research centre and Haramaya University were among the opportunities available. The informal seed supply system in relation to achieving seed security was assessed and it was found that it has a strong contribution. The main actors involved in the informal seed supply system of the study area were farmers, NGO and GOs; and the linkage between these actors found to be very weak. Therefore to strengthen the informal seed supply system, the existing opportunities should be used as a tool and the linkage between actors should be strengthened. Key words: informal seed system, SWOT, institutional frameworks, actor linkages
Social institutions mediating seed access in West African seed systems
FACETS, 2017
Contemporary approaches to market-oriented agricultural development focus on increasing production and economic efficiency to improve livelihoods and well-being. For seed system development, this has meant a focus on seed value chains predicated on standardized economic transactions and improved variety seeds. Building formal seed systems requires establishing and strengthening social institutions that reflect the market-oriented values of efficiency and standardization, institutions that often do not currently exist in many local and informal seed systems. This paper describes and analyzes efforts to develop formal seed systems in Sahelian West Africa over the past 10 years, and identifies the impacts for farmers of the social institutions that constitute formal seed systems. Using qualitative and spatial data and analysis, the paper characterizes farmers’ and communities’ experiences with seed access through the newly established formal seed system. The results demonstrate that th...
Research Square (Research Square), 2024
The previous studies conducted in Ethiopia have mainly concentrated on the adoption of tef and wheat crops, along with complementary inputs. However, there has been a notable gap in research when it comes to examining the factors that influence the demand for certified seeds in the country. The study aimed to assess the factors that influence farmers' decisions to purchase certified seeds and the quantity of certified seeds purchased by tef and wheat farmers. Data were collected from 186 randomly selected sample farmers using a multistage sampling approach. A double hurdle model was used to analyze the data, considering that the decisions to participate in certified seed purchase and the quantity of purchased are influenced by different factors. The results showed that household size, tef farming experience, and proximity to cooperative office, age, and land size had a significant effect on the likelihood of purchasing certified tef seeds. Education level, distance to extension office, certified wheat seed price, and extension contacts were found to significantly influenced the decision to purchase certified wheat seeds. Furthermore, education level, land size, certified tef and wheat seed price, livestock ownership were significantly influenced both quantity of certified tef and wheat seeds purchased. In conclusion, enhancing farmers' skills, ensuring local seed availability through collective actions, and implementing a seed price subsidy program could enhance crop productivity for farmers with limited resources. The study suggests that farmers' seed producer cooperatives and private seed suppliers should be encouraged to increase their involvement in producing certified self-pollinated seeds.
Constraints to private seed sector development in Ethiopia: A case study
African Journal of Agricultural Research, 2018
The purpose of this assessment was to identify, analyse and document major policies, laws, regulations, administrative practices, governance and institutional setups that constrained private seed sector investment in Ethiopia and identify evidence based alternative solutions to improve the supply of certified seed to small holder farmers and livelihoods in the country. The study was conducted in 2017 in Oromia, Amhara, SNNPR and Tigray regions. Both primary and secondary data that comprise quantitative and qualitative data sets were used. Primary data collected using on 21 domestic and international private seed companies, 22 Key informant interviews, and 12 focus group discussions were conducted at various levels. The results of the analysis showed that there are problems connected with policy environment, institutional and administrative bottlenecks. Based on the result of the survey, 89.5 and 82.7% of the respondents replied there is inadequate marketing system and inefficient market access, respectively; 84.2% said availability of poor quality of early generation seed (EGS), and 68.4% limited availability of EGS; 71.4% respondents replied there is inadequate government support in terms of finance, and capacity development; 61.9% inadequate access to fertile land and suitable irrigable land. Hence, to improve the private seed sector investment in Ethiopia there is a need to develop a clear policy and directives across the seed value chain. In general, for the private sector to develop in the country there is a need to foster a stepwise reduction of government intervention in private seed production to ensure a level playing field between the public and private sector producers to attract more private companies to the seed sector and expand farmer choice.