Establishing Community-Based Seed Systems: A Training Manual (original) (raw)

Community-Based Seed System Facilitator's Guide

Africa Rice, 2011

AfricaRice encourages fair use of this material. Proper citation is requested. The designations employed in the presentation of materials in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.

Cultivating knowledge on seed systems and seed strategies: Case of the rice crop

This review gives key information about seed systems with the objective of helping countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to design appropriate strategies based on their own local realities. It starts with an in-depth assessment of the rice seed sector and emphasizes the factors that can influence its development. These factors may be associated with the biological characteristics of the rice crop, the complexity of farming systems, the policy environment, and the markets. The historical background of the seed sector in SSA is described in order to give a clear picture of the different attempts to find solutions in different countries and sub-regions. Five major strategic models and several alternative seed strategies are identified. However, local traditional seed systems will remain the primary source of seed supply for the majority of farmers for many years to come. These systems are based on farmer-saved seed and farmer-to-farmer seed exchanges, which are efficient tools in seed dissemination and food security. It is time to recognize local traditional systems and their contribution to the maintenance of seed quality and crop diversity and to develop tools for their better utilization. The community-based seed system (CBSS) is proposed as such a tool. CBSS encourages technicians to recognize local traditional seed systems and to build integrated seed approaches that take into consideration local realities and the socio-cultural dimension of seed within African communities. This will likely require a transition period of 5 to 10 years to build the fundamentals of sustainable seed systems through the structuring of the seed sector and the creation of appropriate conditions to ensure food security, enriched biodiversity and sustainable production. With climate change, local traditional seed systems, as well as integrated seed approaches, will likely play a more important role to improve the performance of agricultural systems while ensuring farmer autonomy.

Production of Extension Seed Through Local Stakeholders’ Contribution: A Case study of Superior Rice Variety (SRV) Inpari IR Nutri Zinc

Proceedings of the International Seminar on Promoting Local Resources for Sustainable Agriculture and Development (ISPLRSAD 2020), 2021

Pregnant mothers are a nutrition-prone group. Lack of energy chronic has impacts on the fetal and toddler growth, one of it is stunting. The prevalence of stunting in rural areas are higher than those in urban. To overcome the stunting, Ministry of Agriculture through Balitbangtan has released Inpari Nutri Zinc, a nutritious superior rice variety (SRV). This study aims to design an effective channel of propagating the Nutri Zinc seed by collaborate with local stakeholders. The study was done in March 2020 in Bantargebang, Sukabumi. Data was collected through Focus Group Discussion with local stakeholders in District and sub district that contribute with the SRV propagation: the officers, midwife, extension, and farmer group. Result showed that channeling the program with proper stakeholders and target location will establish a successful of the SRV propagation. The collaborated stakeholders were divided from district and sub-district officers. The taskforce in both sites were designed and comprise of a local officer, a village midwife, and an extension. Furthermore, farmers groups managed the propagation and assisted by an extension, where the yield produced will use to support stunting and to provide seed for next farming season.

Regulatory options to improve seed systems for vegetatively propagated crops in developing countries

in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI's strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute's work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI's research from action to impact. The Institute's regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

Community Seed Production (Workshop Proceedings)

2015

During the 1970s and 1980s, seed system support in developing countries was focused on strengthening public sector institutions including agricultural research centers, extension services and state-owned seed corporations. This approach achieved limited success in Africa such that structural adjustment programs in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in general withdrawal of state seed system support. It created space especially for the private sector but also for civil society seed organizations while maintaining linkages with public sector agricultural research systems. The 1990s also saw the emergence of large-scale direct seed purchase and distribution, particularly in Africa, in response to natural disasters and crisis. Since 2000, agricultural development has been at very low levels with widespread under investment in the sector worldwide. However, there are now indications that donors are regaining interest in agriculture and especially in the seed sector...

Strengthening informal seed systems to enhance food security in Southeast Asia

In 2011, the number of hungry people in the world surpassed one billion for the first time. The majority of these people are largely dependent for their food security upon resource-poor smallholder farmers in developing or emerging economies. These smallholders depend on informal seed systems for 75–90% of their food crop cultivation. Southeast Asia, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots in the face of rapidly dwindling global genetic diversity, is at the forefront of seed systems issues. This article examines activities undertaken by a collaboration of researchers and local institutions to enhance food security within informal seed systems in Thai and Cambodian rural communities. We employed a two-step model for strengthening food security using a range of participatory activities to first understand and characterize, and secondly strengthen informal seed systems in the target regions. We documented seed

Direct seeded rice in Lao PDR Summary of learnings from the ACCA and ACCA-SRA projects

2015

The research team is grateful for the interest and enthusiasm in the direct seeders shown by the farmers in Outhoumphone and Champhone districts, their willingness to engage in the project's farmer demonstration testing, and for their suggestions for further improvement to the seeders and to systems of mechanised rice production. We are also grateful to our colleagues Dr Silinthone Sacklokham and Mr Lytoua Chialue (both NUOL), Ms Liana Williams (CSIRO) and Dr Clemens Grunbuhel (AIT) for their assistance and support facilitating stakeholder engagement with farmers. Staff from NAFRI, PAFO Savannakhet, DAFO Outhoumphone, DAFO Champhone and DAEC were invaluable in disseminating information and training materials on the direct seeder and in ensuring the successful establishment of on-farm demonstrations of the direct seeder. We are grateful to Mr Sombat Phakham and his colleagues at World Vision Thailand for their ongoing support and knowledge-sharing in relation to using the direct seeder, and to their assistance sourcing additional project machines. Abbreviations ACCA Shorthand for the LWR-2008-019 project, Developing multi-scale climate change adaptation strategies for farming communities in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Bangladesh and India ACCA-SRA Shorthand for the LWR-2012-110 project, Regional co-learning in simple mechanised tools for rice planting DAFO District Agriculture and Forestry Office DAEC Department of Agricultural Education and Cooperatives DS Direct seed/ed/ing DSR Direct seeded rice FP Farmer practice GAP Good agricultural practice; a system of crop management developed and recommended by NAFRI GM Gross margin

Seed village Programme – A New Vista for Strengthening the Integrated Seed System

2020

The word seed or seeds are used for all propagating material. The seed is provided as most important input in agriculture. It is lower cost than other inputs like irrigation, fertilizer & plant protection measures. Quality of seed is sustained by including various practices like proper winnowing drying, bagging and storage etc. The quality seed availability at proper time determines the agriculture growth through accelerating productivity. The replacement of the farmer saved seed with the certified and high quality seed may bring an enhancement in yield potential to the extent of 15-25%. A village, where in trained group of farmers are involved seed production of various crop's and serve to the essentials of themselves, fellow farmers of the village and farmers of the neighbouring village in appropriate time and at economical cost is called Seed Village. The Seed Programme covers the participation of state government, SAU system, public sector, cooperative and private sector institutions. The Seed Village Programme is a constituent of the Central Government Scheme, Development and supporting infrastructure facilities for production and distribution of quality seed is being affected on all India bases from the year 2005-06. Objectives of Seed Village Programme are (1) Increasing production of certified/quality seed (2) Increasing Seed Replacement Rate in crop like paddy, wheat, soybean, gram, etc. (3) Upgrading the quality of farm saved seeds with specific objective to shift 10% village and produce a lot amount of seed each year through farmers participatory seed production. (4) Familiarizing new varieties to uplift varietal replacement. (5) Securing availability of seed in contingent situation. The applying agencies will be