Household vegetable agro-biodiversity in northern Vietnam requires diversity in seed sources
CONTEXT: Despite increasing interest in agro-biodiversity, there is little research on the role of diversity in seed sources and related seed systems in supporting vegetable diversity. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze drivers of vegetable diversity and of farmers' choice of seed sources. Moreover, we...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2026
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176785 |
| _version_ | 1855520633839943680 |
|---|---|
| author | Nguyen, Phuong Thi Struik, Paul C. Swaans, Kees Pham Thi, Huong Mai Hoang, Ky The Nabuuma, Deborah Stomph, Tjeerd-Jan |
| author_browse | Hoang, Ky The Nabuuma, Deborah Nguyen, Phuong Thi Pham Thi, Huong Mai Stomph, Tjeerd-Jan Struik, Paul C. Swaans, Kees |
| author_facet | Nguyen, Phuong Thi Struik, Paul C. Swaans, Kees Pham Thi, Huong Mai Hoang, Ky The Nabuuma, Deborah Stomph, Tjeerd-Jan |
| author_sort | Nguyen, Phuong Thi |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | CONTEXT: Despite increasing interest in agro-biodiversity, there is little research on the role of diversity in seed sources and related seed systems in supporting vegetable diversity.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze drivers of vegetable diversity and of farmers' choice of seed sources. Moreover, we explored how vegetable diversity and the use of seed sources were related. We focused on households of communities in northern Vietnam with large vegetable diversity as a case in point.
METHODS: We conducted 51 stakeholder interviews, 13 focus group discussions, and a survey among 409 households in 32 villages in 2 contrasting regions. Vegetable diversity was defined as counts of unique vegetables. Bayesian mixed-effect models were used to elucidate which factors influenced vegetable diversity at household level, and farmers' seed sourcing decisions.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: On average, households grew 8 (range 1–27) vegetables and used 2 (range 1–6) seed sources. Smaller crop land area resulted in less diversity. Growing more vegetables was associated with women having more years of experience in vegetable production and using more seed sources. Self-saved seed was common, but households relied on off-farm sources for seed that was difficult to produce and/or preserve. Intermediaries created intermediate seed systems, thus linking farmers to formal seed systems.
SIGNIFICANCE: As households with larger vegetable diversity used more seed sources, integrated seed sector development should strengthen reliability of all current seed sources to maintain vegetable diversity. This includes reliability of intermediaries and information, and enhancing farmers' capacity for and role in producing and preserving their own seed. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace176785 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| publisherStr | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1767852025-12-02T10:59:51Z Household vegetable agro-biodiversity in northern Vietnam requires diversity in seed sources Nguyen, Phuong Thi Struik, Paul C. Swaans, Kees Pham Thi, Huong Mai Hoang, Ky The Nabuuma, Deborah Stomph, Tjeerd-Jan markets seed systems mercado sistema de semillas self-sufficiency trusts autosuficiencia CONTEXT: Despite increasing interest in agro-biodiversity, there is little research on the role of diversity in seed sources and related seed systems in supporting vegetable diversity. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze drivers of vegetable diversity and of farmers' choice of seed sources. Moreover, we explored how vegetable diversity and the use of seed sources were related. We focused on households of communities in northern Vietnam with large vegetable diversity as a case in point. METHODS: We conducted 51 stakeholder interviews, 13 focus group discussions, and a survey among 409 households in 32 villages in 2 contrasting regions. Vegetable diversity was defined as counts of unique vegetables. Bayesian mixed-effect models were used to elucidate which factors influenced vegetable diversity at household level, and farmers' seed sourcing decisions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: On average, households grew 8 (range 1–27) vegetables and used 2 (range 1–6) seed sources. Smaller crop land area resulted in less diversity. Growing more vegetables was associated with women having more years of experience in vegetable production and using more seed sources. Self-saved seed was common, but households relied on off-farm sources for seed that was difficult to produce and/or preserve. Intermediaries created intermediate seed systems, thus linking farmers to formal seed systems. SIGNIFICANCE: As households with larger vegetable diversity used more seed sources, integrated seed sector development should strengthen reliability of all current seed sources to maintain vegetable diversity. This includes reliability of intermediaries and information, and enhancing farmers' capacity for and role in producing and preserving their own seed. 2026-01 2025-10-02T09:43:06Z 2025-10-02T09:43:06Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176785 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Nguyen, P.T.; Struik, P.C.; Swaans, K.; Pham Thi, H.M.; Hoang, K.T.; Nabuuma, D.S.; Stomph, T. (2025) Household vegetable agro-biodiversity in northern Vietnam requires diversity in seed sources. Agricultural Systems 231: 104515. ISSN: 0308-521X |
| spellingShingle | markets seed systems mercado sistema de semillas self-sufficiency trusts autosuficiencia Nguyen, Phuong Thi Struik, Paul C. Swaans, Kees Pham Thi, Huong Mai Hoang, Ky The Nabuuma, Deborah Stomph, Tjeerd-Jan Household vegetable agro-biodiversity in northern Vietnam requires diversity in seed sources |
| title | Household vegetable agro-biodiversity in northern Vietnam requires diversity in seed sources |
| title_full | Household vegetable agro-biodiversity in northern Vietnam requires diversity in seed sources |
| title_fullStr | Household vegetable agro-biodiversity in northern Vietnam requires diversity in seed sources |
| title_full_unstemmed | Household vegetable agro-biodiversity in northern Vietnam requires diversity in seed sources |
| title_short | Household vegetable agro-biodiversity in northern Vietnam requires diversity in seed sources |
| title_sort | household vegetable agro biodiversity in northern vietnam requires diversity in seed sources |
| topic | markets seed systems mercado sistema de semillas self-sufficiency trusts autosuficiencia |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176785 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nguyenphuongthi householdvegetableagrobiodiversityinnorthernvietnamrequiresdiversityinseedsources AT struikpaulc householdvegetableagrobiodiversityinnorthernvietnamrequiresdiversityinseedsources AT swaanskees householdvegetableagrobiodiversityinnorthernvietnamrequiresdiversityinseedsources AT phamthihuongmai householdvegetableagrobiodiversityinnorthernvietnamrequiresdiversityinseedsources AT hoangkythe householdvegetableagrobiodiversityinnorthernvietnamrequiresdiversityinseedsources AT nabuumadeborah householdvegetableagrobiodiversityinnorthernvietnamrequiresdiversityinseedsources AT stomphtjeerdjan householdvegetableagrobiodiversityinnorthernvietnamrequiresdiversityinseedsources |