Maize , legume and forage seed systems in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia : Current status, bottlenecks and strategies for improvement

Rubyogo J.C. et al. CIAT

Africa RISING East and Southern Africa Research Review and Planning Meeting,

Arusha, Tanzania, 1-5 October 2012

BACKGROUND • Hundreds of varieties (maize & legumes) with good traits

released. • Several seed system models are implemented to disseminate

improved maize, legumes

• Seed systems actors: Govt Orgs (MoA) /NARS, Farmers Orgs, NGOs: • Decentralized e.g. QDS and non inspected quality seed of improved

varieties • Centralized: in partnership with private sector (positive results

for maize hybrid but not legumes )• Relief/subsidized

• Despite the efforts, variety ?(legume) dissemination is limited/unreliable! why?

Objectives of Seed Systems Assessment (SSA)

i. To take inventory of public released varieties for the last 15 years and their current level of seed availability and dissemination

ii. To assess the seed systems with regard to production capacity e.g. scale and seed access to different farmers categories, particularly women & small scale farmers.

iii.To identify bottlenecks in seed systems including policies

iv. To identify strategies to strengthen seed systems particularly increase seed access to women & small scale farmers.

Process : national stakeholders workshops and ground truthing interactions with actors

1. Status of the seed sector in each country reviewed;

2. Seed systems challenges/constraints/bottlenecks identified

3. Potential interventions suggested.

Participants: Reps of Govt (policy makers)-NARS (breeders); NGOs;

FOs; Input suppliers & seed companies,

Nbr of released varieties VS. their use in Zambia

Crop Nbr of varieties released Number of varieties disseminated in 2011 (Certifed +QDS)

1996-2011 2006-2012

Maize (Hybrid) 154 73 74

Maize (OPV) 18 9 6

Beans 18 12 8

Ground nut 8 3 2

Cowpea 2 1 2

Soybean 20 8 7

Pigeon pea 1 0 0

Nbr of Released varieties VS. their use in Tanzania

Crop Nbr of varieties released Number of varieties disseminated in 2011 (certified and QDS)

1996-2011 2006-2012

Maize (Hybrid) 45 11 3

Maize (OPV) 16 5 9

Beans 11 5 7

Ground nut 5 5 ?

Cowpea 1 0 ?

Soybean 2 1 ?

Pigeon pea 3 0 2

Seed production scheme/grades

Country Certified Quality declared Seed Informal

Malawi Yes No Yes

Tanzania Yes Yes Yes

Zambia Yes Yes Yes

Quality Declared Seed ( QDS) : QSDS is produced by a registered smallholder farmer that conforms to the specified quality standards for crop species concerned and which has been subject to the quality control measures prescribed/relaxed in the regulations e.g. only 10-15% of areas under seed production is inspected

Price differentials between QDS and certified seed of crops under study– the case of Tanzania in 2011

Government support programs – case of Zambia (Maize)

Current seed supply coverage (Certified +QDS) in Zambia

Crop Total seed demand (TSD) in MTs

Certified and QDS Seed produced (MTs)

actual seed supply /TSDCoverage (%)

Maize 25,200 75,000 (excess/export)

300%

Gnut 21,560 759 3.5

Beans 5950 259 4.3

Soybean 3100 1104 35.6

cowpea 300 276 92.0

Pigeon Pea - -

Malawi: Beans (5%), Gnut (5.5%)Tanzania : Beans (2%), Gnut (1.5%), Pigeon Pea (1.0%)Research: is this amount enough to inject seed of new variety in the community?

What are major bottlenecks and strategies ?Major areas of concerns

Bottlenecks Strategies

Seed policies

1. Current seed policies are favorable to legumes integration e.g. lack of interest of private

1. Support research farm to produce early generation

2. Strengthen (training & minimum equipment) decentralized seed enterprises/business supported mainly by FOs- and linked to NGOs and local government

3. Engage government to expand legumes to government subsidies (Zambia and Malawi) !!

Production of early generation of seed

Very limited or no production of breeder, pre- basic & basic seed

1. Understand farmer seed variety preferences 2. Support research farms to undertake seed

production as an seed enterprise 3. License private producers

What are bottlenecks /strategies (contd)?Major areas of

concerns Bottlenecks Strategies

Production of certified, QDS and locally accepted quality seed

Inadequate availability especially for legumes

1. Support the expansion of QDS targeting women seed entrepreneurs as business

2. Encourage FOs /researchers to link on farm variety test to local seed production of pre-released varieties (additional amount of seeds)

Marketing and dissemination

1. Inadequate information on varieties

2. Seed availability (Production, producers and amount)

3. Inadequate number of seed outlets

1. Develop a catalogue of released varieties and make it widely available (web of MoA, National Seed Agencies

2. Build partnership with local service providers (NGOs, FOs and local Govts) to carry out demos/field days, open days etc.

3. Embed small packs of legumes in maize packs (seed companies are willing)

1

2

3

4 Certified seeds 2 (large and small packs) using market and non market channels

Farmers

Quality seeds by local seed producers (individual or groups –supported by Development partners (GOs, NGOs-CBOs etc)

Certified seed 1 (Private seed producers )

Basic seeds (NARS/Private )

Breeder seeds (NARS/Private )

Farmers 5 Traders

Integrated Seed System

NARS: EIAR/SARI

ECABREN

PABRA

SHDISelf Help Development

International

ESEEthiopian Seed

Enterprise

FCU:(Farmers Cooperative

Unions

MoARDMinistry of Agric. and

Rural Development

CRSCatholic Relief ServiceCARE-E

Private seed producers

HLI Higher learning

Institutions

RECOMMENDATION : PARTNERSHIP INBEAN TECHNOLOGY GENERATION,

DISSEMINATION AND PROMOTION

since 2003 till now IN ETHIOPIA Grain exporter:

ACOS

Grain exporter: POORTMAN

CIAT

Value of transformative partnership in seed systemsTrend in seed systems parameters Year No. partners Seed amount

(tons) No. Varieties

2003 3 425.00 3

2004/5 24 3400.00 10

2009/10 54 6612.95 7

Trend in bean production

Key Issues/findings • A good number of farmers are not aware of improved varieties

(particularly legumes) • Even those who are aware, they don’t have access

• Even if they access varieties, it takes time to get new varieties in the hands of farmers

• No released forage variety- no existing seed systems• More important: Farmers are eager to try/get new varieties of

legumes and to some extent maize • Need to establish/carry out research – action on Integrated

Seed systems