Session 4.1 Identifying key intervention points

Summarising the discussion in previous sessionsThe main objective of our discussion

The seed system Dysfunctional seed systems Identified problems Learning from crop seed systems

Sub-sector analysis and follow-up Actors and roles and leveraged interventions

The main objective of our discussion

PATHWAYS OUT OFPOVERTYFarming

Enhance smallholdercompetitiveness.

Facilitate market entry

Improve market access.Establish efficient value

chains

Increase employment inagriculture and the rural non-farm

economy

Improve livelihoods insubsistence agriculture andlow skill rural occupations

AGRICULTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT

World Development Report 2008

• Reputable local seed distributors and dealers are required to provide local knowledge, distribution in the region– Released public varieties not available– Farmers unaware of new varieties– Very few seed companies– Inadequate distribution networks– Uncoordinated seed development efforts

• Policy makers and other seed participants need to accept the development of independent seed delivery through commercial entities

• Create incentives for innovation

• Policies are needed to promote the further development of seed companies

Crop seed system issues for

smallholders

Constraints CROP SEED(Richard Jones,

ICRISAT)

• Seed delivery is the domain of commercial companies not public sector

• Collaboration between public and private sectors

• Enabling regulatory environment

• Availability of support services - “SEEDS”

• Relief interventions/subsidies through market channels

Solutions CROP SEED(Richard Jones,

ICRISAT)

Crop seed system issues for

smallholders

Actors• Research organisations• NGOs• NTSCs• Small seed dealers\ enterprises

Institutional environment• Rules and regulations for seed/ seedling production and distribution• Other laws for: land tenure, business, credit possibilities• Pathways for information exchange between actors• Extension, networks•...

Formal sectorPublic and private organisations with specialised roles

and legal recognition

Informal sectorIndividual farm households, small-scale nursery

owners, seed vendors with no clear policy support and NGOs organising seed production

Learning from the crop seed sector- Analyzing the sectorThe smallholder tree seed system – Formal sector limitations

Formal support to make the

informal sector efficient

Smallholders Traders Retailers

Value chain of agroforestry products

Distributio

n

Procurement

Sources

Production speed and quality

Input supply chain

Two challenges:Output: Smallholders as efficient producers of qualityInput: How smallholders' access quality production machinery

Demand for input

Input supply and value chains in smallholder agroforestry

Cost efficiency of inputNumber of smallholders reached

Customers

© Lillesø & Moestrup ICRAF/FLD

The main objective of our discussion

A well functioning seed system requires

How to make business

Efficient input supply chains

Information must flow within the chain and to customers

Trust in the market

Species availabilityand technical advise

Information

Seed/seedling Procurement

Seed/seedlingDistribution

Seed/vegetativeSources

Seed-Seedlings

Information

Learning from the crop seed sector

NTSC National Tree Seed Centres

NARS National Agricultural Research Systems

NGO Non Governmental Organisations

FD Forest Departments

LG Local Governments

CBO Community Based Organisations

SD Seed Dealers

F Farmers

Major Actors in Tree Seed Supply Systems

Smallholders'value chainsDistributionProcurement

Plantations

Tree seed input supply chains in smallholder agroforestry

Naturalforest

Vegetativepropagation

Farmlandsources

SeedOrchards

Species in sources

Organisationof collection

Distribution to nurseries

and direct users

5 types of seed sources. Different with respect toEvaluation of qualityMost efficient way to procure (and distribute)

Seed sources are particular for seed systems

Different ways of organising the seed supply chain

Enterprise chains are not actively supported by Government

Seed Supply Model

Example of operational Seed Supply Systems

1 CCC Centralised government/large NGO model NTSCs, NARS, NGOs

2 CCD Not applicable.

3 CDD Centralised seed sources, decentralised enterprise model

CBOs and SDs using NTSC’s sources

4 CDC Contract worker model CBO/F collect for NTSC

5 DDD Decentralised seed sources, decentralised enterprise model

CBOs,SDs, Fs

6 DDC Out-grower model, procurement done by producer

NTSCs, NARS, NGOs buying from CBO/F

7 DCC Out-grower model, procurement done by distributor

NTSCs, NARS, NGOs coll./sell from CBO/F sources

8 DCD Not applicable.

Conclusions from partial seed sector analyses

Genetic quality of germplasm is generally not considered

Almost all NGOs and projects distribute seed for free to farmers (some fruit tree seedlings are sold at a subsidised price)

Species selection is almost exclusively based on availability of seed and seedlings

There is no strategy or support to set-up independent structures to deliver tree seed and seedlings

With respect to documentation of origin formal sources are not generally of higher quality relative to informal sources

Protection and maintenance are major constraints for long term survival of formal sources

It is likely that protection and maintenance of informal sources in the long term will require that they can provide income for producers and distributors of seed.

Current tree seed systems are inadequate for supporting smallholders’entry into commercial agriculture based on tree crops

Subsector reviewsThe objective of a sub-sector assessment is toanalyse all of the participants, their linkages, and influential factors in theagribusiness system in order to identify constraints and opportunities forgrowth

The following question should be answered: Which opportunities offer the best chance of reaching the largest number of participantswithin the sub-sector?

Actors’ roles and leveraged interventions

One of the most important criteria for efficient intervention is the presence of a division of labour between public and private actors, including the roles of NGOs (whose activities often substitute for government services).

Relevant government agencies should actively support a process of change towards finding new roles for tree seed sector actors