Integrating Genetic Resource Conservation and Sustainable Development into Strategies to Increase the Robustness of Seed Systems

Boef, Walter Simon de; Dempewolf, Hannes; Byakweli, Jean Marie; Engels, Johannes

doi:10.1080/10440046.2010.484689

Cited by 50 publications

(51 citation statements)

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“…Traditionally seed systems in Ethiopia are broadly categorized into two systems: formal and informal (e.g., Atilaw and Korbu 2011;De Boef et al 2010). Louwaars, De Boef, and Edeme (2013) classified the seed systems as farm-saved seed, community-based, public companies, commercial companies, and closed value chain.…”

Section: Overview Of the Seed Sector In Ethiopiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed producer cooperatives in the Ethiopian seed sector and their role in seed supply improvement: A review

Sisay

Verhees

Trijp

2017

Journal of Crop Improvement

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The role of seed producer cooperatives (SPCs) in the Ethiopian seed sector and their contribution to seed supply improvement have received attention from researchers, policymakers, and development partners. However, limited work has been done in reviewing and documenting their involvement in the seed sector development. In this paper, we review and discuss the SPCs in the Ethiopian seed sector. Specifically, we reflect on the contribution of SPCs to improving seed availability and access in the country. The current liberal market system of Ethiopia creates new opportunities for growth as successful enterprises, but also brings new challenges, such as more intense competition for smallholder producers. The government policy encourages SPCs to engage in seed business. We draw on scientific literature, reports, white papers, project documents, and websites. The review reveals that the seed sector in Ethiopia consists of three seed systems: formal, informal, and intermediary seed systems. Each seed system has a specific contribution to the delivery of seed to farmers, but they vary in their approach and respective strategies. The SPCs are categorized in the intermediary seed system because they have features of both formal and informal seed systems. They play a key role in meeting seed demand and contribute greatly to seed supply improvement through high-volume production of seed, crop, and variety diversification, and seed delivery to farmers. They produce and market the seed through various market channels, including direct sales to farmers, sales through contractual agreement, and sales directly to institutional buyers. Their contribution to improving the seed supply and seed security has received considerable recognition by policymakers and development practitioners. Therefore, government and development partners should support and strengthen SPCs to maximize their success in the seed business and their contribution to improving the seed supply in Ethiopia.ARTICLE HISTORY

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Section: Overview Of the Seed Sector In Ethiopiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed producer cooperatives in the Ethiopian seed sector and their role in seed supply improvement: A review

Sisay

Verhees

Trijp

2017

Journal of Crop Improvement

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Despite this disparity in coverage, seed policies continue to target the formal sector. The historical disconnect between farmer participation and the amount of policies targeting the formal sector undermines the intended impacts of seed policy (McGuire & Sperling, 2016;de Boef et al, 2010). While the formal sector may continue to be strengthened by policies and programs, the varieties, knowledge and practices of smallholders could be weakened by negligence (de Boef & van Gastel, 2008;Engels et al, 2008).…”

Section: Seed Policy Impacts On Formal and Informal Seed Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Genetic richness across different local varieties and within populations of the same variety allows the crop to more quickly and easily evolve and adapt to changing conditions as compared to the less genetically diverse modern varieties (Jarvis et al, 2016;Vigouroux et al, 2011;Bellon, 2004). A number of experts have pointed out that the exclusive attention to and promotion of modern varieties by governments and international initiatives may have negative effects on countries" agricultural production (de Boef et al, 2010). In the short term, a shift towards decreasing genetic diversity in smallholder farm communities may reduce farmers" capacity to adapt to environmental stressors (Lipper et al, 2010;Di Falco et al, 2010;Lipper et al, 2005).…”

Section: Formal and Informal Seed Systems In Agricultural Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has also been argued that an emphasis on seed traits such as genetic purity, seed cleanliness and good germination performance undermines traditional seed suppliers" capacities to continue providing seed which meets farmers" other exigences of quality (African Centre for Biodiversity, 2016). Indeed, the definition of quality in the sense presented above is aligned with the work carried out by research organizations, seed enterprises and other institutions involved in the formal seed sector, but it may not provide enough space for more rudimentary and unespecialized seed systems, which rely on farmers as the main seed suppliers, and which still represent the majority of the seed produced in developing countries (McGuire & Sperling, 2016;de Boef et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One way government policies can influence smallholder food production is through strengthening seed systems (Vernooy, 2017;Mahop, 2015;de Boef et al, 2010;Bezabih, 2008;Tripp & Louwaars, 1997) and improving the overall availability and accessibility of high quality seeds (Barungi et al, 2015;Lukwago, 2010). A growing body of scholarship and field research now shows that access to high quality and diverse planting materials is associated with reductions in pests and disease, increased resilience to drought and other crop stressors (Bangwayo-Skeete et al, 2012), and ultimately increased food production, food security, and farmer livelihood stability (Joughin, 2014;Louwaars et.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Implications of Seed Policies for On-Farm Agro-Biodiversity in Ethiopia and Uganda

Otieno¹,

Reynolds²,

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Across East Africa, national seed policies and commercial seed enterprises have focused on increasing farmers" access to modern seed varieties. These new varieties are developed and delivered to farmers via the formal seed system, which is comprised of government and private sector seed breeders, processors, and vendors. However, the formal seed system only provides a small share (<20%) of smallholders" seed in the region. Most farmers source seed from informal seed systems, including own-saved seed, exchanges with neighbors, and local seed markets. At the local level, informal seed systems are preferred by farmers because of proximity and local varietal preferences (e.g., crop variety tastes and suitability for local environmental conditions). At the national and regional levels, the conservation and use of local crop varieties through informal systems has also provided a wealth of crop genetic diversity increasingly recognized as critical for climate change adaptation. To evaluate how policies in East Africa impact seed systems we systematically code 117 provisions in 21 national seed policies in Ethiopia (n=11) and Uganda (n=10), highlighting the implications of current and proposed policies for the availability and accessibility of: (i) improved seed; (ii) quality-controlled seed; and (iii) genetically diverse local seed in both the formal and informal seed systems in each country.

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A Comprehensive and Participatory Approach to the Valorisation of Biodiverse Products

Brunori

Rossi

D'Amico

2018

LITES - Legal Issues in Transdisciplinary Environmental Studies

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Preserving agro-biodiversity can contribute to the broader goal of protecting and enhancing biodiversity. Acknowledging and managing the complexity of values connected to agro-biodiversity, translating them in coherent practices, is the key to its conservation and valorisation. These processes may take place at different stages of agro-biodiversity management and interact with other factors, dynamics and processes that intervene in it.This study presents the EU funded DIVERSIFOOD project as an exemplification of the comprehensive approach that is needed to effectively preserve and enhance agro-biodiversity. The main objective of the project is to deepen the factors and processes of various nature that can support the reintroduction of biodiversity in cropping systems, improve its management and promote a social and economic valorisation of final food products. To that end, the project explores the processes underlying the re-shaping of practices according to the objective of agro-biodiversity enhancement in all the stages of the food chain.The need to take into consideration the different perspectives on values and ways of preserving agro-biodiversity, together with the development of new shared knowledge and practices underlies the adoption of participatory, multi-actors approaches to each of these stages. Similarly, an inter-disciplinary approach, aimed at combining natural sciences and social sciences characterises the work of researchers.

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Integrating Genetic Resource Conservation and Sustainable Development into Strategies to Increase the Robustness of Seed Systems

Cited by 50 publications

References 20 publications

Seed producer cooperatives in the Ethiopian seed sector and their role in seed supply improvement: A review

Seed producer cooperatives in the Ethiopian seed sector and their role in seed supply improvement: A review

Implications of Seed Policies for On-Farm Agro-Biodiversity in Ethiopia and Uganda

A Comprehensive and Participatory Approach to the Valorisation of Biodiverse Products

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