Enhancing Access and Utilization of Improved Seed for Food Security in Kenya Miltone Ayieko and...

Enhancing Access and Utilization of Improved

Seed for Food Security in Kenya

Miltone Ayieko and David Tschirley18th May 2006

Correspondence:

Tegemeo Institute of agricultural policy and development

Kindaruma Lane, Off Ngong Road P.o. Box 20498 00200, Nairobi Phone: +254-20-2717818

The Seed Challenge

Overarching Goal of Kenyan Agriculture: Increasing agricultural Productivity for

accelerated economic growth

The Seed Challenge: Development of a Seed system that

encourages wider use of quality seed at all levels to tackle poverty and food security

Kenyan Seed Industry Structure

The Formal and Informal Systems

Formal system Purchases of hybrids and OPVs, most

industrial crops, flowers

Informal system Seed retained from production or

received from other farmer seed systems

Purchases of local varieties

Sources of Seed and Planting Materials (All

Crops)

Seed Type % of Households

using Type Frequency of Use (%)

Retained Seed 99 63

Informal Seed Purchases 86 19

Formal Seed Purchases 83 18


Crops)



Retained Seed 99 63



Households tend to use all three sources of seed …


Crops)



Retained Seed 99 63



Households tend to use all three sources of seed …

Most frequent source of seed is retained production…

Value Share of Seed and Planting Materials Sources (All Crops)

Seed Type

Share of total value of seed used in

country

Share of total value of crop production in

country

Retained Seed 40 42


Formal Seed Purchases 52 48 Source: TAMPA, 2004


Seed Type


country


country

Retained Seed 40 42



Value of seed purchases from formal source exceeds that of informal


Seed Type


country


country

Retained Seed 40 42



… same pattern for value of production coming from each channel

Value Share of Seed Source

by Commodity GroupCommodity

Group Retained

Seed Informal

Purchases Formal

Purchases

---- % of Total Value of seed ----

Cereals and Pulses 34 14 52

Of which: Maize 10 3 88

Others 58 24 17

Tubers 84 16 0

Veg & Non-Tree Fruit 43 34 22

Industrial Crops 1 0 99

Tree Crops 93 7 0

Fodder 98 1 1

Overall 40 8 52 Source: TAMPA, 2004



Group Retained

Seed Informal

Purchases Formal

Purchases




Others 58 24 17

Tubers 84 16 0



Tree Crops 93 7 0

Fodder 98 1 1


The formal seed source is dominated by maize and industrial crops …



Group Retained

Seed Informal

Purchases Formal

Purchases




Others 58 24 17

Tubers 84 16 0



Tree Crops 93 7 0

Fodder 98 1 1


Non-maize cereals dominated by informal seed sources



Group Retained

Seed Informal

Purchases Formal

Purchases




Others 58 24 17

Tubers 84 16 0



Tree Crops 93 7 0

Fodder 98 1 1


Tubers and vegetables dominated by informal seed


by Agro Regional Zones

Retained Informal FormalZone Seed Purchases Purchases Total

----- % of value in the region -----Central Highlands 49 10 41 100High Potential Maize Zone 31 7 61 100Eastern Lowlands 80 11 9 100Western Lowlands 45 7 48 100Western Transitional 11 4 85 100Western Highlands 35 6 60 100Coastal Lowlands 55 26 19 100Source: 2004 Tampa data set, authors' calculations


by Agro Regional Zones

Retained Informal FormalZone Seed Purchases Purchases Total

----- % of value in the region -----Central Highlands 49 10 41 100High Potential Maize Zone 31 7 61 100Eastern Lowlands 80 11 9 100Western Lowlands 45 7 48 100Western Transitional 11 4 85 100Western Highlands 35 6 60 100Coastal Lowlands 55 26 19 100Source: 2004 Tampa data set, authors' calculations

Formal seed source important for all ARZ … except Eastern lowland

Where does the Seed go? (by Value)

Over 40% of all seed purchases from formal channels, by value, are for maize in the High Potential Maize Zone

Seed from the informal channels is spread over more crops and a broader area

Who uses Seed Source?

Income Quintile

Retained Seed

Seed from Informal Sector

Seed from Formal Sector

Mean total value of seed used

---- % of value for each quintile -----1 35 12 53 5,1362 44 10 46 7,8643 48 10 42 11,7174 41 8 51 15,1655 36 7 57 29,976

Overall 40 8 52Source: 2004 Tampa data set, authors' calculations


Income Quintile

Retained Seed






Retained seed is important for all income levels…


Income Quintile

Retained Seed






Retained seed is important for all income levels… but so is the formal


Income Quintile

Retained Seed






Retained seed is important for all income levels… but so is the formal

Higher income hhs seed value 5-6 times the lower income hhs

Summary of Basic Patterns

Highly diversified seed sector Nearly all HHs rely on all three types of seed

Very high shares of retained seed Low shares of seed purchased in

informal sector Except for vegetables and non-tree fruits

Formal sector primarily serves higher income HHs … … and is heavily focused on maize in HPMZ

Enhancing Access and Utilization of Improved Seed

in Kenya: Examples

Challenges: Unavailability of clean seed and

cases of fake seed Certified seed costs expensive Also marketing problems: Linking

farmers to markets

Horticultural Crops

Horticultural Crops (1):Positive Seed Selection in

Irish Potato

Certified Seed

Local Variety

Positive Selection

Seed Cost (Ksh/kg) 38 13 13 Yield (bags/acre) 40 - 60 20 - 30 40 - 60 Features: Yields High Low High Seed Quality High Low High Certification Certified Not Certified Not Certified Farmers Reached 1% --------------99%----------------- Transfer of Tech Moderate -- Easy Disease Prevalence Disease-free Highly

infected Effective against wilt

than virus Challenges: Unavailability Diseases; low

yields No verification done

Horticultural Crops (2):Quality Declared Seed

(QDS) Seed produced at village level as Quality

Declared Seed (QDS), Does not meet the full requirement of certified

seed Advantages:

Farmers trained on seed production; Access to clean and high yielding seed; Production costs drastically reduced Rules and regulations developed and entrenched

in the Laws, including graduated seed qualities;

Horticultural Crops (2):Quality Declared Seed

(QDS)Kenya Tanzania

Seed Variety

Imported Seed

Imported Seed

Locally Produced Seed (QDS)

-------------------- Ksh/kg ---------------------

Onions

Red Creole 2958 3250

Red Bombay 1500 1813 1250

Mang'ola red - 600

Horticultural Crops (3):Contract Farming –

Export crops Private sector approach to link farmers to

export markets and avail improved inputs and services.

Two approaches: Direct delivery of quality seed to farmers Training of farmers to multiply seed and share

among groups Key challenge:

Side selling risks undermining the approach to input provision

Approach only works for certain crops that have limited local market

Grains and Pulses

Challenges: Most of the crops included in the

schedule II crop list Due to lack of availability, many

farmers forced to use “illegal” seed Also many cases of fake certified

seed Heavy KEPHIS involvement in the

formal Seed System

Grains & Pulses (1): Community-Based Seed

Prod. Farmer-group based approach to seed

multiplication and bulking Collaboration between MoA, research

institutions (KARI, CIMMYT), donor community, development agencies

Programs revolve around food security: promotion of drought tolerant crops

Support includes training, extension, provision of initial seed for multiplication

Challenge: Seed source not legally recognized; Most groups do not meet the isolation distances, Groups not licensed as seed merchants

Grains & Pulses (2): Seed Vouchers and Fairs

(SVF) Objective: to enhance food security and access to

seeds of preferred crops, and to ensure seed security.

Model challenges the assumption that seed is unavailable in a community during emergency

Farmers bring their own seeds to sell to other farmers

Seed companies also sell their seed Seed vouchers distributed according to

vulnerability Advantages:

Cost-effective; Additional source of income for communities Expands the reach of the commercial seed sector

Grains & Pulses (3): Integrated Model

Based on hypothesis that better access to markets leads to increased adoption of improved technology

Components: Cereal Banks, Input Market, Market information, Variety trials

Participation in more components leads to higher and better results

The Seed Regulatory Framework

Seed and Plant variety Act (Cap 326) Seed Policy The current seed regulations only recognize

seed from formal source Over-regulation of the seed industry:

hinders release of new seed varieties by local breeders Faking of seed

Selective application of the Seed Regulations e.g., Committees and Tribunals

Schedule II crops

Key Policy and Programmatic Challenges

How to expand the scope and quality of the informal system?

Help farmers do better selection of retained seed Improve quality of seed locally selected for sale Promote more active trade in locally selected

seed How to expand access to the formal seed

system? How to reduce costs in the formal system Encouraging integrated approaches to

technology adoption Fallback position for farmers who buy fake seed

Key Policy and Programmatic Challenges

Strengthen Private-Public partnerships in Seed Production

Seed Regulation and the Role of KEPHIS Amendment of Regulations to provide

enabling environment for seed producers. Establishment of Committees and Tribunals

provided for in the Act Stakeholder groups (STAK, FPEAK, KFC,

KENFAP)

Thank You

Enhancing Access and Utilization of Improved Seed for Food Security in Kenya Miltone Ayieko and...

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