Food security in Africa depends on seed security, but in many countries seed supply is precarious. Coaxing the private sector to take up the
challenge of supplying high quality seed of well-adapted varieties will
require sound government policy and imaginative approaches. ICARDA can help.

Why seeds?

Plant breeding to produce improved crop varieties remains one of the major strategies of the International agricultural research centers (IARCs) and seeds are the vehicle by which the products of that research are delivered to farmers. Therefore, crop improvement research by the IARCs and the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) must be matched by an effective seed supply system if full impact is to be achieved at the farm level.
    The Seed Unit at ICARDA has been focusing its attention increasingly on institutional problems in the seed supply system--particularly in its mandate areas of North Africa and the Nile Valley. Because such problems are common in most developing countries, the Unit also maintains strong contacts with seed organizations in Africa south of the Sahara.

The changing seed system

It is nearly three decades since the developing world saw the first wave of seed projects. They followed the early success of the Green Revolution in Asia, which introduced packages of new technologies including high yielding varieties. National seed projects and programs in Africa were expected to put in place the institutions and facilities for ensuring the rapid delivery of improved varieties and quality seed to farmers as a basis for increased productivity. In practice, experience in much of Africa has not lived up to these early expectations and this is a source of frustration to those who work in the seed sector and agricultural development. The failure has largely been due to too much emphasis on the techniques of seed production and less consideration to factors that contribute to seed use.
    Developing seed systems to deliver the results of research to farmers was seen as such a simple message that early seed projects assumed that once quality seed was made available, farmers would rush to buy it. With the benefit of hindsight we understand the limitations of this approach, reflected in the poor adoption of improved varieties in developing countries. Many countries are now paying greater attention to ways of creating a more sustainable seed supply without dependence on subsidies. Participation of the private sector is being encouraged, particularly small-scale seed enterprises that can deliver seed to farmers at economically attractive prices.

Seed and food security

Food security is a necessary component of poverty reduction, and for countries to be food secure they must be seed secure. But seed security is a challenge for many African countries, particularly those that suffer recurrent natural and/or man-made disasters. The restoration of productive agriculture after such disasters is a costly and difficult task for national governments and international relief organizations. Nonetheless, working together, IARCs, NARS, nongovernmental organizations, United Nations agencies, and the donor community have successfully responded to disaster situations in Rwanda, Somalia, and, more recently, in Mozambique, through the Seeds of Hope program. IARCs played an active part in coordinating that response, which was implemented in collaboration with NARS from the region. Besides meeting farmers' immediate seed requirements, efforts were made to restore valuable genetic resources that were lost. An international conference on the seed industry, held in Libya in 2000 and organized in cooperation with various organizations including ICARDA, provided a forum for deliberation and exchange of ideas on how to improve seed programs in less-developed countries.

Key challenges

So what are the special challenges facing the African seed sector and what are we doing to meet those challenges? First, we must recognize the effect of risk, which forms a backdrop to much of African agriculture. Farmers are cautious about investing in inputs at the start of the season for fear of losing their investment if the weather turns bad. Next, we must consider the suitability of the varieties offered to farmers. Often these have been released with little regard to the complex needs of subsistence farmers, for whom yield is seldom the main consideration. Apart from yield, small farmers give importance to other attributes, such as byproducts, cooking quality, and taste. Finally, we must consider alternative systems that are potentially more effective in making seed widely available, particularly to smallholders located in remote areas. The seed needs of this group have not been adequately addressed by large enterprises. We believe that small indigenous enterprises with low-cost structures and close trustworthy relationships with the farming communities they serve are better suited to the task.
    ICARDA maintains an active dialog with countries in Africa with regard to seeds and food security. Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan were part of a study on seed security assessment in drought-prone areas, which was conducted between 1996 and 1998. The study was undertaken to find ways to mitigate food insecurity by restoring or maintaining the food production capacity of farmers in disaster stricken environments. These farmers are often at risk of losing all the seed they have, including indigenous varieties adapted and passed along for generations. The ICARDA Seed Unit also contributed to international debates organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1997 and 1998 to formulate strategies and policies for improving seed security within the wider context of achieving food security. The proceedings of these meetings are proving useful to many developing countries.

Alternative delivery systems

  In 1997, ICARDA also co-organized a workshop in Harare, Zimbabwe, with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), on Alternative Strategies for Smallholder Seed Supply. The workshop brought together more than 60 specialists from around the world to discuss seed issues related to small farmers in Africa. It was followed in 1998 by a workshop organized by ICARDA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the Finance and Management of Small-scale Seed Enterprises. The proceedings of these two meetings have been published and serve as valuable reference material in guiding project formulation and management in developing countries.

     The Seed Unit is currently implementing a project sponsored by GTZ to examine ways of raising the efficiency and effectiveness of seed delivery for small farmers in eight countries within West Asia and North Africa (WANA), including Egypt, Ethiopia, and Morocco. The project will produce, among other things, models for supplying quality seed to small farmers. These models will be of use in many farming situations since the problems faced are broadly similar.

Strengthening human resource capacity

Weak technical expertise h as constrained the development of seed programs in many countries, so ICARDA is working actively to strengthen human resource capacity. The Center's train-the-trainers program, workshops, and seminars have attracted participants from many African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Training covers the technical aspects of seed production and handling, policy, and business management, and is tailored to meet a country's specific needs.

Promoting information exchange

To promote the exchange of information and expertise, ICARDA established the WANA Seed Network  in 1992. It is a catalyst for seed sector development, encouraging interaction among countries and the harmonization of policies and regulations in broadly similar agro-ecological sub-regions. This Network seeks to pave the way for increased seed trade that would generate enough demand to attract private investment and create a more diverse, competitive, and sustainable seed industry in the region. Such an industry could also be of great practical benefit in times of emergency when rapid movement of seed might be critical.
    The WANA Seed Network provided a stimulus for similar regional initiatives in East and Central Africa, South Africa, and West Africa. Harmonization of seed policies and regulations is now high on the policy agenda in these regions. The Network's newsletter, Seed Info, is distributed widely in Africa and attracts considerable interest as a source of valuable information on seed science, technology, and related issues in seed industry development.

Policy implications

In most African countries, the seed industry is dominated by public sector seed enterprises, while private companies occupy selected markets. Establishing a more diverse seed system requires broader participation of the private sector to attract both domestic and foreign investment. In 2000, the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) was established to provide a forum for a more commercially oriented and dynamic seed industry. ICARDA contributed to debate on regional collaboration leading up to the establishment of AFSTA, which held its first congress in March 2001 in Cairo. The congress was a resounding success, attracting 262 delegates from 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, USA, and the Middle East. Delegates discussed policy reforms required to mobilize the commercial seed sector. These included intellectual property rights, biotechnology, and biosafety regulations. ICARDA contributed to these deliberations.

     The seed business is risky, particularly selling seed of self-pollinating cereal and legume crops. Business people are naturally reluctant to rely for their survival on a product that farmers can reproduce for themselves. Therefore, governments still have an important role to play, especially in creating favorable policy environments and providing services to assist in establishing seed systems that meet the diverse needs of farmers. For instance, governments can encourage informal on-farm seed production, small to medium-size enterprises, cooperatives, farmer associations, and agribusinesses. Investment in these, and achieving an efficient balance between public and private roles, depends on the policies and programs put in place.

    As the seed industry develops, governments should continuously assess the roles they can play. Governments should only intervene as seed suppliers in those areas that other parties, particularly the private sector, do not find attractive.
    However, there are several policy-related activities that could be undertaken by governments or development agencies interested in promoting appropriate seed systems in Africa. For examples, setting national seed policies, rules, and regulations; training local institutions and enterprises; implementing realistic and effective quality control systems; and promoting linkages between seed organizations and related institutions, such as research and extension services. Involvement of the public sector to handle a range of functions might be justified in the early stages of seed system development, but the public sector should gradually withdraw as the private sector becomes active and competent. Care should be taken that a heavily subsidized public agency does not present unfair competition to emerging private ventures. Depending on the crop, seed production and marketing are usual functions of private enterprises, while regulation and enforcement are the roles of government.

Conclusions

Delivering seeds to small farmers--the major food producers in African countries--is difficult because they live in diverse and often isolated agroecological environments. To raise production and food quality, they need high quality seed of varieties adapted to specific environments. Developing good varieties and delivering quality seed to farmers will, therefore, remain a major objective in Africa, if the agriculture sector is to grow and support the livelihood of farmers and feed the rapidly growing populations. Such research and development, supported by sound government policy, is essential to address the high incidence of poverty and food insecurity suffered in many parts of Africa.