Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: Mind the seed system gaps -a perspective on seed systems research for development in One CGIAR

Seed systems research is central to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Improved varieties with promise for ending hunger, improving nutrition, and increasing livelihood security may be released, but how do they reach and benefit different types of farmers? Without widespread...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: McEwan, M., Almekinders, Conny J.M., Andrade-Piedra, J.L., Garrett, K.A., Kumar, L., Mayanja, S., Omondi, Bonaventure Aman Oduor, Rajendran, S.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: SAGE Publications 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/111060
_version_ 1855539120600776704
author McEwan, M.
Almekinders, Conny J.M.
Andrade-Piedra, J.L.
Garrett, K.A.
Kumar, L.
Mayanja, S.
Omondi, Bonaventure Aman Oduor
Rajendran, S.
author_browse Almekinders, Conny J.M.
Andrade-Piedra, J.L.
Garrett, K.A.
Kumar, L.
Mayanja, S.
McEwan, M.
Omondi, Bonaventure Aman Oduor
Rajendran, S.
author_facet McEwan, M.
Almekinders, Conny J.M.
Andrade-Piedra, J.L.
Garrett, K.A.
Kumar, L.
Mayanja, S.
Omondi, Bonaventure Aman Oduor
Rajendran, S.
author_sort McEwan, M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Seed systems research is central to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Improved varieties with promise for ending hunger, improving nutrition, and increasing livelihood security may be released, but how do they reach and benefit different types of farmers? Without widespread adoption the genetic gains achieved with improved crop varieties can never be actualized. Progress has been made toward demand responsive breeding, however the draft CGIAR 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy fails to recognize the complexity of seed systems and thus presents a narrow vision for the future of seed systems research. This points to the lack of evidence-based dialogue between seed systems researchers and breeders. This perspective paper presents findings from an interdisciplinary group of more than 50 CGIAR scientists who used a suite of seed systems tools to identify four knowledge gaps and associated insights from work on the seed systems for vegetatively propagated crops (VPCs), focusing on bananas (especially cooking bananas and plantains), cassava, potato, sweetpotato, and yam. We discuss the implications for thinking about and intervening in seed systems using a combined biophysical and socioeconomic perspective and how this can contribute to increased varietal adoption and benefits to farmers. The tools merit wider use, not only for the seed systems of VPCs, but for the seed of crops facing similar adoption challenges. We argue for deeper collaboration between seed systems researchers, breeders and national seed system stakeholders to address these and other knowledge gaps and generate the evidence and innovations needed to break through the 40% adoption ceiling for modern varieties, and ensure good quality seed once the new varieties have been adopted. Without this, the achievements of breeders may remain stuck in the seed delivery pipeline.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace111060
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher SAGE Publications
publisherStr SAGE Publications
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1110602024-09-09T10:04:48Z Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: Mind the seed system gaps -a perspective on seed systems research for development in One CGIAR McEwan, M. Almekinders, Conny J.M. Andrade-Piedra, J.L. Garrett, K.A. Kumar, L. Mayanja, S. Omondi, Bonaventure Aman Oduor Rajendran, S. crops roots tubers bananas farmers seed seed quality Seed systems research is central to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Improved varieties with promise for ending hunger, improving nutrition, and increasing livelihood security may be released, but how do they reach and benefit different types of farmers? Without widespread adoption the genetic gains achieved with improved crop varieties can never be actualized. Progress has been made toward demand responsive breeding, however the draft CGIAR 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy fails to recognize the complexity of seed systems and thus presents a narrow vision for the future of seed systems research. This points to the lack of evidence-based dialogue between seed systems researchers and breeders. This perspective paper presents findings from an interdisciplinary group of more than 50 CGIAR scientists who used a suite of seed systems tools to identify four knowledge gaps and associated insights from work on the seed systems for vegetatively propagated crops (VPCs), focusing on bananas (especially cooking bananas and plantains), cassava, potato, sweetpotato, and yam. We discuss the implications for thinking about and intervening in seed systems using a combined biophysical and socioeconomic perspective and how this can contribute to increased varietal adoption and benefits to farmers. The tools merit wider use, not only for the seed systems of VPCs, but for the seed of crops facing similar adoption challenges. We argue for deeper collaboration between seed systems researchers, breeders and national seed system stakeholders to address these and other knowledge gaps and generate the evidence and innovations needed to break through the 40% adoption ceiling for modern varieties, and ensure good quality seed once the new varieties have been adopted. Without this, the achievements of breeders may remain stuck in the seed delivery pipeline. 2021-03 2021-01-29T22:23:55Z 2021-01-29T22:23:55Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/111060 en Open Access SAGE Publications McEwan, M. A., Almekinders, C. J. M., Andrade-Piedra, J. J. L., Delaquis, E., Garrett, K. A., Kumar, L., Mayanja, S., Omondi, B. A., Rajendran, S., Thiele, G. (2021). “Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: Mind the seed system gaps.” A perspective on seed systems research for development in One CGIAR. Outlook on Agriculture. ISSN: 2043-6866. 8 p.
spellingShingle crops
roots
tubers
bananas
farmers
seed
seed quality
McEwan, M.
Almekinders, Conny J.M.
Andrade-Piedra, J.L.
Garrett, K.A.
Kumar, L.
Mayanja, S.
Omondi, Bonaventure Aman Oduor
Rajendran, S.
Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: Mind the seed system gaps -a perspective on seed systems research for development in One CGIAR
title Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: Mind the seed system gaps -a perspective on seed systems research for development in One CGIAR
title_full Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: Mind the seed system gaps -a perspective on seed systems research for development in One CGIAR
title_fullStr Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: Mind the seed system gaps -a perspective on seed systems research for development in One CGIAR
title_full_unstemmed Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: Mind the seed system gaps -a perspective on seed systems research for development in One CGIAR
title_short Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: Mind the seed system gaps -a perspective on seed systems research for development in One CGIAR
title_sort breaking through the 40 adoption ceiling mind the seed system gaps a perspective on seed systems research for development in one cgiar
topic crops
roots
tubers
bananas
farmers
seed
seed quality
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/111060
work_keys_str_mv AT mcewanm breakingthroughthe40adoptionceilingmindtheseedsystemgapsaperspectiveonseedsystemsresearchfordevelopmentinonecgiar
AT almekindersconnyjm breakingthroughthe40adoptionceilingmindtheseedsystemgapsaperspectiveonseedsystemsresearchfordevelopmentinonecgiar
AT andradepiedrajl breakingthroughthe40adoptionceilingmindtheseedsystemgapsaperspectiveonseedsystemsresearchfordevelopmentinonecgiar
AT garrettka breakingthroughthe40adoptionceilingmindtheseedsystemgapsaperspectiveonseedsystemsresearchfordevelopmentinonecgiar
AT kumarl breakingthroughthe40adoptionceilingmindtheseedsystemgapsaperspectiveonseedsystemsresearchfordevelopmentinonecgiar
AT mayanjas breakingthroughthe40adoptionceilingmindtheseedsystemgapsaperspectiveonseedsystemsresearchfordevelopmentinonecgiar
AT omondibonaventureamanoduor breakingthroughthe40adoptionceilingmindtheseedsystemgapsaperspectiveonseedsystemsresearchfordevelopmentinonecgiar
AT rajendrans breakingthroughthe40adoptionceilingmindtheseedsystemgapsaperspectiveonseedsystemsresearchfordevelopmentinonecgiar