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Towards
sustainable seed production and supply systems: lessons from the
literature and a maize seed project in western Kenya and Uganda
D.
Beck, S. Mugo, M. Siambi & G. Bigirwa
Among agricultural inputs,
seed has the greatest ability to increase on-farm productivity and
enhance food security. The
genetic properties of seed help determine the plants response to stress,
set the upper limit on performance, and influence the productivity of
other inputs by determining the ability of plants to convert sunlight,
water, air, soil, and other nutrients into biomass.
Unfortunately, the lack of availability of high quality seed of
suitable varieties at affordable prices is a common constraint for
farmers throughout Africa and other parts of the developing world.
Seed may be supplied through “formal” commercial channels or
more commonly in Africa through “informal” means largely based at
the farming community level. Successful seed production and delivery at the commercial
level is complex requires bringing together numerous technical,
institutional, economic, social, and political factors handled by a wide
range of organizations. Although
community based seed production is generally simpler, efficient
production and delivery at this level involves many of the same complex
set of factors. This paper
will attempt to synthesize these factors drawing on the literature and
the authors’ experience in several seed projects with particular
examples taken from a RF funded maize seed project working in Western
Kenya and Uganda. Critical issues addressed will include farmer
participation, capacity building, networking, marketing, flexibility,
and sustainability.
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