This post is written by Bhramar Dey, senior technical advisor with Support Seed Systems for Development at Catholic Relief Services, and Bert Visser, scientific advisor with Oxfam’s SD=HS.

Farmers have always played a key role in seed production, varietal maintenance and serving local and regional communities with agroecologically adapted varieties that are demanded by smallholder farmers. Increasingly, smallholder farmers have organized themselves in various ways to produce seed for local markets. However, the operational efficiencies, structure and management of these seed-producer groups across countries have not been examined in a systematic manner. Catholic Relief Services under Supporting Seed Systems for Development (S34D) and Oxfam Novib under SD=HS jointly conducted a study to fill in that gap. It drew on cases from 25 seed-producer groups across five countries — Vietnam, Uganda, Zambia, Niger and Guatemala — spanning three continents (Asia, Africa and Central America) and nine crops (rice, potato, sweet potato, common bean, cowpea, pearl millet, soybean, groundnut, maize and sorghum).

The study explored the histories, operational structures, social networks, legal and policy systems, and the agroecosystems within which these seed producer groups exist and function. The overarching goal was to assess their operational strengths and weaknesses, to discern commonalities across seed producer groups across a range of countries and crop types and to assess relationships between efficiency and operational parameters.

Findings

Across different countries and production systems, the empirical analyses show several commonalities across all seed producer groups. Regardless of the crop they specialize in, these producer groups usually produce seed for one or two varieties at the individual producer level and three or four varieties at the group level. Many of these groups supply significant amounts of seed to individual farmers in local markets. Caring much for reputation and branding, almost all groups have a subgroup that is responsible for seed monitoring and inspection and that functions as an internal seed quality control committee. Therefore, regardless whether formal seed inspection is occurring, seed producer groups are able to deliver high-quality seed, often using producer labels to confirm seed quality.

Another strong feature of all seed producer groups is that the market is the ultimate factor that determines the crop varieties produced; each group responds to market signals by changing their crop and variety portfolios. Over time, groups ceased to produce some varieties and introduced or increased production levels of others. Local markets, as much as institutional buyers, demand seed that is clean and not affected by pests and diseases, providing stable yields, and adapted to more recent climate conditions such as shorter growing seasons. In addition, culinary properties of the produce, such as short cooking times and good taste, are major consumer determinants steering varietal choice by seed producer groups.

Two key challenges emerge across all the seed producer groups interviewed in the five countries. First, each seed producer group has difficulties in accessing affordable, good-quality early-generation seed on time. In most cases, the early-generation seed was provided by either local research institutions, development projects and/or seed companies, often at low cost or as part of production contract arrangements. However, such support did not always meet seed producer group demands.

Second, all groups find it a challenge to adequately label the seed produced. Many producer groups are not aware of labelling requirements, nor of potential advantages of proper labelling. In addition, many groups were unable to arrange for labelling due to lack of labelling material and equipment (such as sewing machines). The implied cost of packaging seeds further adds to this constraint.

The price of seeds was largely set in two alternative ways: one, through contracts with institutional buyers before onset of actual production, or, after examining actual expenses (input costs) and reviewing competitors’ market prices at the end of the production season.

Actors involved in the formal seed system assisted almost all groups, in all countries and for all crops, with access to early generation seed, albeit with varying results. Strengthening such ties appears crucial for smallholder seed producers to access good-quality seed of new varieties and to scale up production and seed multiplication. This major dependence should be considered, especially when seed system stakeholders allocate limited budgetary resources across seed systems and its actors. Furthermore, in general, the price of seed that the seed producers paid to acquire the early-generation seed has been very low, as it was either provided through development projects or by the Agricultural Research Institutes or local governments at no or low price, or given out during fairs or other promotional affairs. Similarly, early-generation seed was often seemingly provided either free or against a reduced price by the private companies who contracted producers for seed multiplication. However, once development projects or government promotion campaigns come to an end, seed producers face major difficulties in maintaining timely access to early-generation seed — a major and most common constraint to seed multiplication.

Table 1 below summarizes the enablers and challenges faced in seed producer group operations.

Table 1. Operational Areas: Enablers and Challenges

Stakeholders contributed to the operations of the seed producer groups in different ways. Figure 1 summarizes the major roles played by various stakeholders in each of the countries covered in the study.

Figure 1. Stakeholder Roles

Although the seed producer groups in the five countries and three continents share many common features, they also differ in a smaller number of aspects. Climate change seems to affect the seed producer groups in Zambia, Niger and Guatemala more than those in Uganda and Vietnam. Groups in Niger and Guatemala specifically report a role in seed provision in emergencies after drought or hurricanes. The groups in Vietnam focus on rice seed production only, and the groups in Niger either on cowpea and pearl millet, in Guatemala either on potato or beans. The groups in Zambia and Uganda grow several crops simultaneously. Participation of women varies from low in Vietnam to high in Zambia and Niger, the latter country even features women-only groups. Substantial youth participation is explicitly reported from the groups in Zambia and Uganda. Farmer-buyers in Guatemala exclusively belong to indigenous peoples with a strong food culture.

In each of the countries, during the COVID-19 pandemic period, government measures affected the operations of the farmer seed-producer groups. Travel and meeting restrictions temporarily halted group meetings, which delayed group decision-making and blocked trainings as well as local peer visits to individual farmer producers. In some cases, producer groups kept meeting in small groups, and peer review continued by use of mobile phones or internet devices. In addition, field inspections by certification authorities were delayed or canceled, affecting the marketing of the seed produced. Travel restrictions also blocked or hindered sales to institutional buyers operating internationally, or in local cross-border markets causing the producer groups to look for alternative outlets in local markets and/or to reduce seed production levels, and as a secondary response to adapt the crop portfolio. In some cases, input prices (labor, chemicals) increased, causing a reduction in net income from seed sales, and occasional disruption of group activities. In summary, the pandemic did severely affect group operations, but also provoked sensible responses of the seed producer groups, that adapted to the circumstances caused by the pandemic.   

Concluding remarks

First, access to early-generation seed should be embedded in development projects in a sustainable manner, such that at the end of project implementation seed producers will be able to pay the required market price for the early-generation seed accessed. Second, development partners and international organizations should support market intelligence needed by seed producer groups, allowing the groups to adequately respond to changing market conditions and customer preferences, thereby enhancing the long-term sustainability of seed producer groups. Third, a closer examination of the roles that various stakeholders perform, including local and regional governments, as well as development partners, national research systems and private entities, should allow for better collaboration between stakeholders and alignment of funding and development activities. Better coordination, collaboration, and co-location would optimally empower seed producer groups to fulfill their role in providing smallholder farmers with good-quality seed of locally adapted improved crop varieties.