Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali

In Mali, liberalization of seed markets for sorghum and millet, the staple food crops, has not advanced at the same rate or with the same measurable success as liberalization of grain markets. Most seed of these crops is uncertified and continues to be supplied to farmers by farmers, according to cl...

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Autores principales: Smale, Melinda, Diakité, Lamissa, Dembélé, Brahima, Traoré, Issa Seni, Guindo, Oumar, Konta, Bouréma
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2008
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161750
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author Smale, Melinda
Diakité, Lamissa
Dembélé, Brahima
Traoré, Issa Seni
Guindo, Oumar
Konta, Bouréma
author_browse Dembélé, Brahima
Diakité, Lamissa
Guindo, Oumar
Konta, Bouréma
Smale, Melinda
Traoré, Issa Seni
author_facet Smale, Melinda
Diakité, Lamissa
Dembélé, Brahima
Traoré, Issa Seni
Guindo, Oumar
Konta, Bouréma
author_sort Smale, Melinda
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In Mali, liberalization of seed markets for sorghum and millet, the staple food crops, has not advanced at the same rate or with the same measurable success as liberalization of grain markets. Most seed of these crops is uncertified and continues to be supplied to farmers by farmers, according to clan and ethno-linguistic group. After poor harvests or when replanting after a dry spell, farmers rely on local markets for grain as sources of seed. This paper summarizes the findings of a vendor survey conducted in two marketsheds during weekly fairs. No certified seed is sold. Almost all vendors are women who are also farmers. Variety integrity is maintained particularly for millet seed in the marketshed of the Sahelian zone, where the range of variety adaptation is very limited. Grain that is suitable for seed is brought to market directly from granaries. Varieties are identified by their provenance. Socially prescribed behavior is apparent in price-fixing, price discounts, procurement practices, and the spatial organization of vendors. Preliminary hypotheses are tested with a simple regression. Marketshed, which is highly correlated with the ethnic composition of the population, agro-ecology, market infrastructure and crop sold, has a dominant impact on quantities sold. Quantities sold do not respond to expected prices. Greater specialization of the vendor in trade as compared to farming, younger age, and additional years in school positively influence amounts sold. A better comprehension of this type of trade could contribute to policies that improve the access of poor farmers to valuable crop genetic resources, enhancing their seed security and productivity.
format Artículo preliminar
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spelling CGSpace1617502025-11-06T07:04:57Z Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali Smale, Melinda Diakité, Lamissa Dembélé, Brahima Traoré, Issa Seni Guindo, Oumar Konta, Bouréma agricultural development informal sector seeds markets trade millets sorghum women biodiversity gender In Mali, liberalization of seed markets for sorghum and millet, the staple food crops, has not advanced at the same rate or with the same measurable success as liberalization of grain markets. Most seed of these crops is uncertified and continues to be supplied to farmers by farmers, according to clan and ethno-linguistic group. After poor harvests or when replanting after a dry spell, farmers rely on local markets for grain as sources of seed. This paper summarizes the findings of a vendor survey conducted in two marketsheds during weekly fairs. No certified seed is sold. Almost all vendors are women who are also farmers. Variety integrity is maintained particularly for millet seed in the marketshed of the Sahelian zone, where the range of variety adaptation is very limited. Grain that is suitable for seed is brought to market directly from granaries. Varieties are identified by their provenance. Socially prescribed behavior is apparent in price-fixing, price discounts, procurement practices, and the spatial organization of vendors. Preliminary hypotheses are tested with a simple regression. Marketshed, which is highly correlated with the ethnic composition of the population, agro-ecology, market infrastructure and crop sold, has a dominant impact on quantities sold. Quantities sold do not respond to expected prices. Greater specialization of the vendor in trade as compared to farming, younger age, and additional years in school positively influence amounts sold. A better comprehension of this type of trade could contribute to policies that improve the access of poor farmers to valuable crop genetic resources, enhancing their seed security and productivity. 2008 2024-11-21T09:57:54Z 2024-11-21T09:57:54Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161750 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Smale, Melinda; Diakité, Lamissa; Dembélé, Brahima; Traoré, Issa Seni; Guindo, Oumar; Konta, Bouréma. 2008. Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali. IFPRI Discussion Paper 746. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161750
spellingShingle agricultural development
informal sector
seeds
markets
trade
millets
sorghum
women
biodiversity
gender
Smale, Melinda
Diakité, Lamissa
Dembélé, Brahima
Traoré, Issa Seni
Guindo, Oumar
Konta, Bouréma
Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali
title Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali
title_full Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali
title_fullStr Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali
title_full_unstemmed Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali
title_short Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali
title_sort trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of san and souentza mali
topic agricultural development
informal sector
seeds
markets
trade
millets
sorghum
women
biodiversity
gender
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161750
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