22c Jupiter Ndjeunga Objective8

Developing sustainable seed production and delivery systems for reaching the poor in drought-prone

zones of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia: Case of Groundnut in WCA

J Ndjeunga, B R Ntare and NARES of Mali, Niger and Nigeria

Outline

• Current seed systems • Seed production • Approaches tested • Cost of seed production • Sale of small-pack seed • Challenges and lessons learned

Variety development IER, ICRISAT 

Variety release Na,onal Species and Variety release 

Commi;ee (CNEV) 

 Nucleus and breeder seed IER, ICRISAT 

Registered seed FO, SCSP under the Na,onal Seed 

Service (SSN) 

Cer8fied seed  FO, SCSP, Outgrowers  C

omm

erci

al s

eed

Founda8on seed Founda,on seed Unit ‐ IER, ICRISAT, FO, 

SCSP 

Village markets and seed traders 

Farmer‐to‐farmer exchange 

Extension services 

Development and relief projects 

Non governmental organiza8ons 

Farmers associa8ons / small scale seed 

producers 

Farm

er s

eed

INFORMAL 

FORMAL 

Supply channels Variety development and Seed produc8on  

Groundnut seed channels in Mali 

Private companies FASOKABA, Comptoir 

2000 

Seed production •  High quality foundation and certified seed

produced – 1.225 tons of breeder seed, about 22 tons of

foundation seed and about 42 tons of certified seed in year 1 (65 tons of seed)

–  In Mali, •  11 tons of basic seed planned but only 5 ha were planted •  54.5 ha of certified seed planted vs 24 tons targeted

–  In Niger •  Foundation seed (planned 14 tons, planted 18 ha) •  Certified seed (targeted 18 tons, planted 42 ha)

–  In Nigeria •  13.5 tons of foundation seed vs 17.5 ha planted •  54 tons of certified seed targeted vs 60 ha planted

Seed P&D strategies

Breeder seed

Basic seed

Certified Seed II

Certified Seed I

NARS ICRISAT

FA/FO FA/FO

SCSP

NARS SCSP

Priv. Priv.

SCSP

Priv.

FA/FO

Small retailers

Priv. outlets

Input shops

“Grains”

Contract farmers

Cost of seed production by institution (US$/kg)

1.21

0.86

0.87

1.50

3.28

1.25

1.83

- 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50

Cost of seed production (US$/ha)

Inst

itutio

n

Testing the demand for small pack seed

•  Number of selling points (SP): 11

•  6908 small packs (4600 treated and 2300 non-treated)

•  Seed price : 2.26 US$/kg •  Percent sold: 27-100%

(avg 64%) •  Avg distance to SP: 3 km

(0 - 11 km) •  Percent loss per kg of

seed: 23%

Rural radios: dissemination of information on: prices, varieties and location of selling points

Not covered by rural radios

•  Created in 2007 – supported by AGRA •  Encourage to engage in small pack sales last

year (Sold more than 150 tons) •  10.705 tons of seed of which 10.200 sold

(percent sold 95.28%) •  Training of retailers •  Varieties: JL 24, ICGV0128, ICGV015, Fleur 11,

Tikaba, 47-10 •  Pack size (0.5kg, 1, 5, 10, 30, vrac) •  48 outlets in Koulikoro, Kayes, Segou and Kita

Constraints - Fasokaba •  High cost of labor for shelling •  Limited access to capital •  Interested in with hybrid seed •  Lack of appropriate monitoring scheme to track

the demand •  Market for seed remains thin – After farmers

have obtained seed, they will not go back to market for few years

Exposure to technologies and capacity building

•  Exposure to technologies – Six rural radio themes – Minikit distributed to 3500 farmers in non-project sites – 1755 attended 6 field days – Manual on seed production – Manual in small-scale business and mrketing in process

•  Capacity building – 650 trained in seed production techniques – Academic training (1 at University of Ouaga) – Training in small-scale business skills and marketing In

Mali (30 in Mali and 32 in Niger)

•  Production of breeder seed remains inconsistent? (Revolving funds….)

•  Private sector still shy in entering the seed industry

• How to build sustainable seed systems with CBOs?

• How to sustain the demand when farmers have acquired the seed of varieties?

•  Should government be encouraged t provide subsidies in the groundnut seed sector?

Lessons learned •  CBOs should be strengthened and tasked with

seed production & delivery •  SCSP and farmers’ associations can produce

and deliver seed at lower costs •  There are market niches for groundnut seed •  Training in seed marketing and small-scale

business skills •  Training agro-dealers in marketing and small

business skills is essential •  Partnership with WASA/AGRA needs to be

strengthened to avoid duplications

What next?

• Training CBO in small-scale business and marketing skills

• Linking “agro-dealers” to source of financing

• Small- pack sale more emphasized •  Integrate seed to “grain” markets

Thank you