Characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes: Insights from northern Nigeria
CONTEXT: Despite the significant roles that intermediary seed systems play in the supply of quality seeds in developing countries, including Africa south of the Sahara, the knowledge gap remains generally substantial regarding the general characteristics and seed quality control performance of inter...
| Autores principales: | , , , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo preliminar |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
International Food Policy Research Institute
2024
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163452 |
| _version_ | 1855524947032539136 |
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| author | Takeshima, Hiroyuki Ragasa, Catherine Bamiwuye, Temilolu Fasoranti, Adetunji Omoigui, Lucky |
| author_browse | Bamiwuye, Temilolu Fasoranti, Adetunji Omoigui, Lucky Ragasa, Catherine Takeshima, Hiroyuki |
| author_facet | Takeshima, Hiroyuki Ragasa, Catherine Bamiwuye, Temilolu Fasoranti, Adetunji Omoigui, Lucky |
| author_sort | Takeshima, Hiroyuki |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | CONTEXT: Despite the significant roles that intermediary seed systems play in the supply of quality seeds in developing countries, including Africa south of the Sahara, the knowledge gap remains generally substantial regarding the general characteristics and seed quality control performance of intermediary seed systems such as community seed schemes (CSS), which still operate predominantly outside the formal seed systems.
OBJECTIVE: We aim to narrow the knowledge gap on seed production practices implemented by CSS, their economic and technical characteristics, the extent of seed quality control achieved, and potential challenges CSS is facing.
METHODS: Using primary survey data of seed producers of key grains (maize, rice, and sorghum) and legumes (cowpea and soybean) from 380 CSS in Kano state in northern Nigeria, we qualitatively assess origins and drivers of their growth, extent of seed production, relations with upstream actors (breeder and foundation seed providers) and downstream actors (seed buyers), economic structures of their seed production, aspects of quality control measures they engage, and potential roles of external support, such as training on the implementation of these quality control measures.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We discovered that many of the interviewed CSS have emerged endogenously, taking up seed production to address the challenges in access to quality seeds in their locality. Their seed production has often grown into viable businesses that have provided potentially significant additions to their incomes. Oftentimes, these CSS implemented some seed quality control measures, including making closer visual checks of seeds, checking germination rates, and bagging/packing seeds, among others. However, fuller seed quality control may be significantly skill-intensive, and most CSS still do not implement many of the recommended measures under some of the intermediary quality assurance standards, such as Quality Declared Seed. Our qualitative assessment suggests that future support for CSS can focus on technical support to raise the ability to engage in broader categories of quality assurance activities in economically viable ways and to improve the awareness and knowledge of different varieties and access to foundation seeds.
SIGNIFICANCE: The quality assurance provided by existing CSS in Nigeria may be relatively limited, particularly in proper maintenance of the seed production field and the quality of original seeds that CSS intend to multiply. Providing external support through training and technical assistance can be an effective way to transform community seed schemes into critical providers of seed quality assurance in the intermediate seed system and to fill gaps in the formal seed system. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace163452 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1634522025-12-02T21:02:52Z Characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes: Insights from northern Nigeria Takeshima, Hiroyuki Ragasa, Catherine Bamiwuye, Temilolu Fasoranti, Adetunji Omoigui, Lucky quality control seed quality training legumes CONTEXT: Despite the significant roles that intermediary seed systems play in the supply of quality seeds in developing countries, including Africa south of the Sahara, the knowledge gap remains generally substantial regarding the general characteristics and seed quality control performance of intermediary seed systems such as community seed schemes (CSS), which still operate predominantly outside the formal seed systems. OBJECTIVE: We aim to narrow the knowledge gap on seed production practices implemented by CSS, their economic and technical characteristics, the extent of seed quality control achieved, and potential challenges CSS is facing. METHODS: Using primary survey data of seed producers of key grains (maize, rice, and sorghum) and legumes (cowpea and soybean) from 380 CSS in Kano state in northern Nigeria, we qualitatively assess origins and drivers of their growth, extent of seed production, relations with upstream actors (breeder and foundation seed providers) and downstream actors (seed buyers), economic structures of their seed production, aspects of quality control measures they engage, and potential roles of external support, such as training on the implementation of these quality control measures. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We discovered that many of the interviewed CSS have emerged endogenously, taking up seed production to address the challenges in access to quality seeds in their locality. Their seed production has often grown into viable businesses that have provided potentially significant additions to their incomes. Oftentimes, these CSS implemented some seed quality control measures, including making closer visual checks of seeds, checking germination rates, and bagging/packing seeds, among others. However, fuller seed quality control may be significantly skill-intensive, and most CSS still do not implement many of the recommended measures under some of the intermediary quality assurance standards, such as Quality Declared Seed. Our qualitative assessment suggests that future support for CSS can focus on technical support to raise the ability to engage in broader categories of quality assurance activities in economically viable ways and to improve the awareness and knowledge of different varieties and access to foundation seeds. SIGNIFICANCE: The quality assurance provided by existing CSS in Nigeria may be relatively limited, particularly in proper maintenance of the seed production field and the quality of original seeds that CSS intend to multiply. Providing external support through training and technical assistance can be an effective way to transform community seed schemes into critical providers of seed quality assurance in the intermediate seed system and to fill gaps in the formal seed system. 2024-12-13 2024-12-13T14:48:47Z 2024-12-13T14:48:47Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163452 en https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104471 https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.12466 https://doi.org/10.1080/15427528.2014.977476 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148593 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134873 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136474 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Takeshima, Hiroyuki; Ragasa, Catherine; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Fasoranti, Adetunji; and Omoigui, Lucky. 2024. Characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes: Insights from northern Nigeria. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2302. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163452 |
| spellingShingle | quality control seed quality training legumes Takeshima, Hiroyuki Ragasa, Catherine Bamiwuye, Temilolu Fasoranti, Adetunji Omoigui, Lucky Characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes: Insights from northern Nigeria |
| title | Characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes: Insights from northern Nigeria |
| title_full | Characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes: Insights from northern Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes: Insights from northern Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes: Insights from northern Nigeria |
| title_short | Characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes: Insights from northern Nigeria |
| title_sort | characteristics of community seed schemes for grains and legumes insights from northern nigeria |
| topic | quality control seed quality training legumes |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163452 |
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