Summary Document

The Enhancing Seed Systems through Farmers' Organizations webinar, organized by PAFO and AgriCord (6th December 2024), focused on enhancing seed systems through farmers' organizations in Africa, with discussions on formal, community-based and informal seed production systems, challenges faced by farmers, and the aspects of quality control and certification. Presenters shared experiences and insights from various projects and organizations, highlighting the need for improved seed quality farmer engagement, and policy support. The conversation ended with emphasis on coordination, collaboration, and ongoing efforts to boost African seed systems, including support from international organizations and the importance of preserving and sustainably using farmer seeds.

Recommendations And Insights

1. Farmers’ Organizations

should collaborate more closely with research institutes to bring innovations to farmers for improving seed quality
should (together with researchers) explore the production of seeds for neglected and underutilized crop species
should engage with their country's signatories of the FAO's International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
PAFO and its members should continue to work on regulatory and policy issues related to community-based and farmers' seed systems

2. Policymakers

should prioritize the strengthening of farmer-managed and community-
based seed systems through technical support, infrastructure and resources
should promote synergies between formal and informal seed systems

3. All stakeholders

can leverage the African Seeds and Biotechnology Partnership Platform
(ASBPP) for collaborative governance of the seed sector
and interested parties can contact EU representatives for more information
on seed-related support and initiatives by the European Union
should consider participating in seed-related interventions under the
DESIRA+ initiative, especially in Western Africa

The African Union Commission and its partners are in the final stages of a scoping study on farmers' managed seed systems. This study will pave the way for the development of a continental policy framework, strategy, and action plan on farmers' managed seed systems. The upcoming regional consultations on this framework present a valuable opportunity for stakeholders to contribute, ensuring inclusivity and broad ownership of the framework.

Summary

Enhancing Seed Systems Through Farmers

The webinar aimed to improve understanding of managing seed systems,
gain insights into best practices, strengthen networks, and leverage existing
policies.

Relevance of farmer seeds

Family farmers in Africa feed over 70% of the population
Farmer seeds help to preserve genetic diversity
Diverse seed systems are important to achieve global food security and
nutrition targets

African Seed Systems and Integration

An integration of formal and informal systems can be beneficial to ensure genetic diversity, a strength of informal systems, and guarantee consistent quality, a strength of formal seed systems
The financial impact and cost implications of the formal system for farmers should not be underestimated
Experience shows that it is possible to combine systems. With the right support, farmers can improve and ensure the quality of seeds

Case presentation: Best practices for the production and management of
farmers' vegetable seeds in the FO-RI-Mali project

The project involved 100 farmers in three communities, with the goal of increasing the quality and quantity of seed production.Traditional seed saving involves storing most seeds in mineral water plastic bottles. For optimal conservation of mother onion bulbs, they are harvested at full maturity when all the leaves have dried out. After harvesting, the bulbs are sorted, and medium-sized ones are selected for seed production. These bulbs are stored in a local onion conservation warehouse, where they are turned over and sorted once or twice a month until they are planted. These conservation innovations have significantly improved the quality of the seeds produced.

Policy advocacy is being conducted to ensure that vegetable seeds are included in regulatory and legislative documents on seeds. It is crucial that the selected varieties are resistant to diseases and drought, and also meet taste preferences. Key activities include the production of biopesticides and biofertilizers, as well as training farmers in agro-ecological practices. However, challenges such as limited access to endogenous seeds, the impact of climate change, and the involvement of farmers need to be addressed.

Case Presentation: Ingabo’s seed multiplication program in Rwanda

The Ingabo Farmers Organization in Rwanda boasts 16,000 members, with 54% being women and 20% young farmers. They engage cooperatives in the cassava, rice, maize, beans, and sorghum value chains. Their primary mission is to enhance the technical and economic capacities of agricultural producers, making them more competitive. However, they face challenges such as market demand uncertainty, disease spread, geographical distances, and the overall commercial viability of seed production. The seed multiplication program has created business opportunities for producers. Key factors for mobilizing farmers for improved seed production include awareness building, financial support for producers, and capacity building. Research institutes have been identified as crucial partners for the identification of quality foundation seeds.

Conclusion

Coordination and collaboration between all stakeholders are crucial in achieving sustainable agriculture
There are ongoing efforts to boost the African seed system
The European Union Commission discussed their support for the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the importance of preserving and sustainably using farmer seeds (Marion Michaud)
The conversation ended with a group picture and closing remarks in which PAFO and AgriCord expressed their gratitude for the insightful discussions and pledged to continue the discourse in future webinars

Additional resources on the seed topic

EN_Summary Document Seed Webinar

Download the Summary Document