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Byron Reyes, Rick Bernsten, Mywish Maredia, and Eric CrawfordPrepared for the DGP CRSP Global Meeting

Rwanda, Feb. 13-17, 20121

Seed Systems as a Basis for Achieving Impacts from Research Investments in Bean and Cowpea Breeding

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Impact Pathways Recalled

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Going from Outcomes to Impact

Outputs need to be delivered to ‘end users’

There are different alternatives to do this, each involving different stakeholders but related to seed systems

The question we want to answer is: Why are seed systems important in order to achieve impact?

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Outline Will present three case studies:

• Honduras: high volumes of certified seed distributed for free

• Ecuador: low volumes of non-conventional seed sold

• Senegal: certified seed produced

Additional considerations

Discussion

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Honduras: high volumes of certified seed distributed for free

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Seed System

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PIF/EAP

Seed Unit EAP Seed Unit DICTA Hondugenet

PAS Network

Government’s Seed Distribution Program (BTP)

MAG’s Certif. Unit

Bean Producers

CIALs (seed + bean

producers)

NGOs

Markets (grain)

Recycled seed

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Impact on producers

Government’s seed program initiated in 2006/2007

In four years, it distributed for free 3,152 MT of certified seed

Rough total cost of certified seed => US$6.9 million (@ $100/cwt or 45kg-sack)

On average, 34,672 small-to-medium farmers received certified seed each year

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Impact on producers (continued)

Certified seed data suggests average (4 yrs.) adoption rates of 18%

Experts estimate adoption rates of 45% for the same period (certified + recycled)

Yield gains of new IVs = 12 kg/ha/yr Using expert estimations (1991-2015):

NPV = US$ 36.6 million IRR = 26%

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Ecuador: low volumes of non-conventional seed sold

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Seed System

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PRONALEG-GA/INIAP

CIAL “Semilleristas”

ASOCIAL

Bean Producers

NGOs

MAG’s Nat. Seed Council

Traders clean grain & sell it

@ higher price

Recycled seed

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Impact on producers

ASOCIAL started producing seed in 2007/2008 in Northern Ecuador

In three years, it sold 38 MT of ‘non-conventional’ seed

Rough total cost of seed => US$79,420 (@ $95/cwt or 45kg sack)

Farmers (many CIAL members) purchase this seed (no free seed)

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Impact on producers (continued)

Non-conventional seed data suggests average (3 yrs.) adoption rates of 2%

Experts estimate average adoption rates of 49% for the same period (non-conventional + recycled)

Yield gains of new IVs = 21 kg/ha/yr Using expert estimations (1991-2015):

NPV = US$ 7.2 million IRR = 35%

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Senegal: certified seed produced

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Seed System

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ISRA (Breeder + Foundation)

DISEM (Seed Certif. Unit)

NGOs Producer Organizations

Private Org.

Directorate of Plant

Protection

Cowpea ProducersRecycled seed Markets

(grain)

Experienced farmers

(Foundation)

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Preliminary results on Impact In 2010, approx. 2.5 MT of breeder seed of

two IVs were produced by ISRA Preliminary results suggest that in 2010:

1. 45% of sampled HH plant at least one cowpea IV & 38% of the sampled cowpea area was planted to IVs

2. Melakh (1993) and Yacine (2004) are the most widely planted IVs across the sampled farmers

3. Most adopters of IVs planted recycled seed or seed purchased in the market (grain)

4. Average yields in the sample are 244 kg/ha (IVs) vs. 104 kg/ha (TVs) (***)

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Additional considerations Aware of issues regarding seed quality

and timely deliver (Honduras, Senegal) Demand for ‘non-conventional’ seed is

mainly from CIAL members (Ecuador) Sustainable seed systems (avoid bubble

market--free seed problem) Farmers need technical assistance in

addition to receiving seed New varieties need to have traits

demanded by farmers and consumers16

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Thanks for your attention!