Engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in Tanzania: key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts
Seed systems in sub-Saharan Africa face constant challenges such as limited access to quality seeds and low varietal turnover. Despite numerous efforts aimed at formalizing seed markets, informal seed systems still dominate with 97% of smallholder farmers sourcing seeds of sorghum, common beans a...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Springer Science+Business Media
2025
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179967 |
| _version_ | 1855534762513399808 |
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| author | Ong’or, Dennis Ochieng, Justus Mwakatwila, Atupokile Mutua, Mercy Radegunda, Kessy Kelemera, Sylvia Aseete, Paul Mwenda, Emmanuel Kadege, Edith Madeni, Joachim Rubyogo, Jean Claude |
| author_browse | Aseete, Paul Kadege, Edith Kelemera, Sylvia Madeni, Joachim Mutua, Mercy Mwakatwila, Atupokile Mwenda, Emmanuel Ochieng, Justus Ong’or, Dennis Radegunda, Kessy Rubyogo, Jean Claude |
| author_facet | Ong’or, Dennis Ochieng, Justus Mwakatwila, Atupokile Mutua, Mercy Radegunda, Kessy Kelemera, Sylvia Aseete, Paul Mwenda, Emmanuel Kadege, Edith Madeni, Joachim Rubyogo, Jean Claude |
| author_sort | Ong’or, Dennis |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Seed systems in sub-Saharan Africa face constant challenges such as limited
access to quality seeds and low varietal turnover. Despite numerous efforts aimed
at formalizing seed markets, informal seed systems still dominate with 97% of
smallholder farmers sourcing seeds of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts
through farm-saved seed and local grain markets. Traders are deeply embedded
in these local markets and are better positioned in shaping the seed demand,
particularly among smallholders who buy grains as seeds from informal outlets.
However, in most cases traders remain disconnected from formal breeding and
seed dissemination efforts, subsequently leaving a gap between the development
of improved varieties and their adoption by farmers. This scenario perpetuates the
use of old varieties that are well known to traders, limiting potential benefits from
genetic gains. In this study, we examine the factors that could influence traders’
decisions to sell grains of improved varieties. Data from a structured survey of 976
traders in Tanzania is used. We find that traders with higher financial capacity, stable
market access, and those having strong relationships with farmers through credit
provision are more likely to sell grains of improved varieties. Similarly, we find positive
associations with switching to improved varieties among traders facing business
challenges, accessing information through channels other than social media, and
traders selling grains as seeds at sowing. In contrast, traders engaged inthe sale of
highly demanded varieties are less likely to switch to new and improved varieties.
Therefore, to spur the uptake of improved varieties, strengthening trader-farmer
linkages, integrating traders into structured procurement systems, and enhancing
trader involvement in participatory variety selection to refine existing and preferred
varieties without changing them altogether are recommended. Additionally, there is
need to strengthen business modeling programs to make grain traders’ businesses
bankable, expand information sharing and facilitate access to credit enabling them to
adequately offer technical support to the farmers they source grains from. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace179967 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Springer Science+Business Media |
| publisherStr | Springer Science+Business Media |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1799672026-01-17T02:12:29Z Engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in Tanzania: key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts Ong’or, Dennis Ochieng, Justus Mwakatwila, Atupokile Mutua, Mercy Radegunda, Kessy Kelemera, Sylvia Aseete, Paul Mwenda, Emmanuel Kadege, Edith Madeni, Joachim Rubyogo, Jean Claude varieties seed systems market demand improved germplasm Seed systems in sub-Saharan Africa face constant challenges such as limited access to quality seeds and low varietal turnover. Despite numerous efforts aimed at formalizing seed markets, informal seed systems still dominate with 97% of smallholder farmers sourcing seeds of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts through farm-saved seed and local grain markets. Traders are deeply embedded in these local markets and are better positioned in shaping the seed demand, particularly among smallholders who buy grains as seeds from informal outlets. However, in most cases traders remain disconnected from formal breeding and seed dissemination efforts, subsequently leaving a gap between the development of improved varieties and their adoption by farmers. This scenario perpetuates the use of old varieties that are well known to traders, limiting potential benefits from genetic gains. In this study, we examine the factors that could influence traders’ decisions to sell grains of improved varieties. Data from a structured survey of 976 traders in Tanzania is used. We find that traders with higher financial capacity, stable market access, and those having strong relationships with farmers through credit provision are more likely to sell grains of improved varieties. Similarly, we find positive associations with switching to improved varieties among traders facing business challenges, accessing information through channels other than social media, and traders selling grains as seeds at sowing. In contrast, traders engaged inthe sale of highly demanded varieties are less likely to switch to new and improved varieties. Therefore, to spur the uptake of improved varieties, strengthening trader-farmer linkages, integrating traders into structured procurement systems, and enhancing trader involvement in participatory variety selection to refine existing and preferred varieties without changing them altogether are recommended. Additionally, there is need to strengthen business modeling programs to make grain traders’ businesses bankable, expand information sharing and facilitate access to credit enabling them to adequately offer technical support to the farmers they source grains from. 2025-11-10 2026-01-16T09:35:06Z 2026-01-16T09:35:06Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179967 en Open Access application/pdf Springer Science+Business Media Ong’or, D.; Ochieng, J.; Mwakatwila, A.; Mutua, M.; Radegunda, K.; Kelemera, S.; Aseete, P.; Mwenda, E.; Kadege, E.; Madeni, J.; Rubyogo, J.C. (2025) Engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in Tanzania: key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts. Discover Agriculture 3(1): 241. ISSN: 2731-9598 |
| spellingShingle | varieties seed systems market demand improved germplasm Ong’or, Dennis Ochieng, Justus Mwakatwila, Atupokile Mutua, Mercy Radegunda, Kessy Kelemera, Sylvia Aseete, Paul Mwenda, Emmanuel Kadege, Edith Madeni, Joachim Rubyogo, Jean Claude Engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in Tanzania: key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts |
| title | Engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in Tanzania: key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts |
| title_full | Engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in Tanzania: key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts |
| title_fullStr | Engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in Tanzania: key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in Tanzania: key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts |
| title_short | Engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in Tanzania: key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum, common beans and groundnuts |
| title_sort | engaging traders in strengthening seed systems in tanzania key drivers for selling grains of improved varieties of sorghum common beans and groundnuts |
| topic | varieties seed systems market demand improved germplasm |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179967 |
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