Suchergebnisse

The learning visit aimed to meet and learn from the government officials in Bangladesh and India who have been advocating the better utilization of regional cooperation in seed sector to strengthen food and nutrition security in the South and Southeast Asian Regions.

The use of quality seed is a major component of increased yields in crop production. Quality seed and seed programs in a country does not emerge by happenstance; it is created by a combination of many factors that include variety development, seed production, quality control, processing, marketing, and governmental oversight. As the seed sector in a country matures, each of these factors becomes more important and plays a more important role in the growth of the agricultural sector. The seed program in Cambodia is interestingly different from that in many other developing countries. Even without a true seed program in Cambodia, farmers understand the need to plant quality seed to increase crop yields. When structuring this growing seed industry, it is important to look at current practices and to incorporate these practices into programs. Since a major thrust of the seed program in Cambodia involves rice, it is important to consider its role in the average Cambodian's life. Cambodia's climate must also be accounted for in any decisions regarding seed. Its heat and humidity causes rapid deterioration of seed viability and germination in rice and other seeds in both the growth and storage phases. CARDI research has shown that the level of rice germination falls below 80-85 percent within 6-8 months after harvest; this means that seed must be planted during the growing season following harvest. Therefore, any seed produced beyond immediate planting needs for the next crop is used for milling; seed production costs for that seed cannot be recouped. When seed producers' budgets are constrained, they often plan their seed production based on conservative seed sales estimates.

We investigate the effects of common ownership on firms' incentives to compete. Using a theoretical model, we illustrate how common ownership changes the nature of competition among firms in the same sector. Our empirical analysis examines these dynamics in the U.S. seed industry and shows that the rise of common ownership concentration is a significant contributor to increase in soy, corn, and cotton seed prices over the 1997–2017 period. These findings contribute to the current literature regarding the anticompetitive effects of common ownership and confirm the result of studies performed in other sectors, such as airlines.

This analysis is based on interviews conducted in June-July 2018 with selected seed companies, input dealers, industry representatives, USAID personnel, private sector participants, and a few additional stakeholders. Though not intended to be a fully rigorous analysis, these interviews shed some light on the recent experience with e-Verification programs in Uganda and the challenges that these programs faced. This debrief reflects the opinions expressed by select industry stakeholders. If desired, a more thorough post-mortem would require a formal survey of all input companies participating in e-Verification (including both seed and agricultural chemicals), as well as conversations with government officials and additional private sector participants. A broad survey of farmers and input dealers who were impacted by the programs would also be recommended. Our conversations focused specifically on maize seed, as maize was one of the priority crops for Feed the Future Uganda and given that e-verification faced some of its biggest challenges with maize seed. Indeed, the e-verification labels are still being used for vegetable seed in Uganda, which is almost exclusively imported, and certain agricultural chemicals, but are no longer widely used on maize seed packages. ; USAID

Seed is an essential input in agriculture, and the availability of quality seed of superior varieties is often critical for improved food security and poverty reduction in developing countries like Nigeria. However, while the Nigerian government recognizes the importance of improving seed availability, its recent focus in the seed sector has mostly been on improving seed quality rather than on varietal development. This report argues that this is partly due to a knowledge gap regarding the relationship between varietal technology levels and the effectiveness of seed sector policies. We first provide a brief conceptual discussion on how the effectiveness of selected seed sector policies, such as certification, subsidies, and private sector promotion, may depend on underlying varietal technology levels. Using rice as an example, we then provide key historical and international perspectives on how varietal technology development by the public sector through intensive rice breeding had pre-ceded the expansion of seed certification and testing, and show that there still is a substantial need for the Nigerian government to develop improved rice varieties through intensified domestic plant breeding in order for its seed certification and seed subsidy programs to be more effective. ; Non-PR ; IFPRI1; CRP2; NSSP; Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project; A Ensuring Sustainable food production; D Transforming Agriculture; DCA ; DSGD; PIM ; CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM)

This paper analyses the organization of the rice seed sector in Guinea with the overall objectives to assess how organizational settings affect seed supply to small-scale farmers and to suggest institutional changes that would favour seed service and uptake of varieties. Data were collected in Guinea, West Africa, using focus group discussions with extension workers, farmers, representatives of farmers' associations, agro-input dealers, researchers and non-governmental organization (NGO) staff, and surveys of 91 rice farming households and 41 local seed dealers. Findings suggest that the current institutional settings and perceptions of stakeholders from the formal seed sector inhibit smallholder farmers' access to seed. Seed interventions in the past two decades have mainly relied on the national extension system, the research institute, NGOs, farmers' associations and contract seed producers to ensure seed delivery. Although local seed dealers play a central role in providing seed to farmers, governmental organizations operating in a linear model of formal seed sector development have so far ignored their role. We discuss the need to find common ground and alternative models of seed sector development. In particular we suggest the involvement of local seed dealers in seed development activities to better link the formal and the informal seed systems and improve smallholder farmers' access to seed from the formal sector

This book assesses the seed sector's performance in Malawi, including the appropriateness of seed varieties, quanitities and quality, the accessibility of improved seed and its cost to farmers, as well as the operational efficiency of the major seed sector institutions. Detailed profiles are presented of how farm families make their seed sourcing decisions and of the range of factors which influence them. The relative impact of exogenous factors, including agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions in the small farm sector as well as national economic and agricultural policy is evaluated. (DÜI-Hff)

A case-study approach is used to track research funding decisions made by the private seed sector. The three cases chosen provide a range of intellectual property protection (IPP) environments, crops, and companies, namely, (1) wheat in the United States and the European Union, (2) rootworm-resistant corn, and (3) hybrid tomatoes. ; The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) provided funding and data for the present research project.

Smallholder farmers around the world obtain their seed from various sources, which can vary over time. In some countries, smallholder farmers are gaining ground as local seed producers and sellers. This study focuses on the seed production and marketing operations, achievements, and challenges of a particular type of such producers—community seed banks—which are new players in the seed market. Pioneer case studies are presented from countries where grain legumes and dryland cereals are important crops: India, Nepal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. A mixed methodology was used to collect data, including a literature review, focus group discussion, key informant interview, and participatory observation. The case studies demonstrate the viability of community seed banks as seed businesses but becoming successful is not easy and depends on managerial, technical, financial, social, and policy factors. The cases benefitted from strong initial support provided by a committed and experienced organization, as part of a trajectory of nurtured seed development and empowerment. Embedding local seed enterprises in seed sector networks is crucial to creating demand and gaining recognition and support. Government and development organizations could learn from the case study experiences and support programs to foster local seed businesses as key actors in integrated seed sector development.

The European Union (EU) has been in recent years the biggest market for agricultural and horticultural seeds. Although, in the recently enlarged EU, the branch has been developing very well, still there are challenges that Europe should be ready to face. The seed production procedures need to be simplified to face the increasing pressure of the US seed exporting companies and organizations. There must be some liberation in transgenic cultivars registration and seed production. One should be more aware of the fast coming globalization of the sector and consequences of intellectual property rights. At the same time some branch activities have been moved outside Europe. Other big challenges for the branch are privatization of the sector, increasing competition of consumption seeds and limiting chemicals for seed dressing.