S EED S YSTEM S ECURITY A SSESSMENT S OUTHERN M ALAWI October 2011
SEED SYSTEM SECURITY ASSESSMENT
SOUTHERN MAL AWI
October 2011
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Acronymns
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................. vi
I. Introduction .............................................................................................. 1
II. Background to Seed System Security Assessment .............................. 3
III. Seed Systems in Southern Malawi: Brief overview .............................. 9 Salient points: Formal and Informal Seed Systems………………………..28
IV. Field Findings: across Sites .................................................................. 35 Summary: Acute Seed Security Finding………………………………….....50 Summary: Chronic Seed Security Findings +Emerging Opportunities....63
V. Overall Recommendations: across sites ............................................. 66 Seed Security: Immediate Responses Needed Seed Security: Medium-term Responses Needed
VI. References ............................................................................................ 722
VII. Annex: Action plans by site ............................................................... 744
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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I. ACUTE SEED SECURITY FINDINGS
1 At the time, the official exchange rate was approximately 160 MWK to 1 US$
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II. CHRONIC SEED SECURITY ISSUES AND EMERGING
OPPORTUNITIES
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Mixed (qualified) factors: positive and negative
Negative and ongoing stresses
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RECOMMENDATIONS General Overview
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Seed security: immediate responses needed
Seed security: medium-term responses needed
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I. INTRODUCTION
Rationale for Report
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Aims and Structure of Report
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II. BACKGROUND TO SEED SYSTEM SECURITY ASSESSMENT
The Concept of Seed Security
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2 This section draws on Sperling et al., 2008.
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Seed System Security Assessment ).
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Household sample
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III. SEED SYSTEMS IN SOUTHERN MALAWI: BRIEF OVERVIEW
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FarmerExch. Market
Govnt . Relief
Genebanks
Cultivation
Harvesting
SEED
Storage
Consumption
BreedersSeed
production
Planting
OTHER LOCAL
SYSTEMS
Commer .
OwnStocks
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Formal Breeding for Southern Malawi •
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Overview for Formal Seed and Fertilizer Systems in Malawi
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Certified seed
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Agro-dealers
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Farm Input Supply Program (FISP)
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* Source: Kabambe and Mhango – Consultants’ Report, September 2011
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Informal Seed Systems in Southern Malawi :
Distinguishing seed from grain
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Distinguishing among traders : general structure of seed/grain markets
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Potential seed and price
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Figure 3.4. Trends in crop and seed prices in local seed/grain markets through the season, showing seed price peaks at sowing time and grain price peaks before harvest. Seed price differential takes into account variety quality (for the most sought-after varieties), plus sometimes additional seed quality features (i.e. a price premium for well-sorted stocks).
Salient points : Formal and informal seed systems in Southern Malawi Plant Breeding
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Formal Seed Sector.
Informal Seed Sector
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IV. FIELD FINDINGS: ACROSS SITES
Acute Seed Security Findings, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012
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Potential problem areas
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The real seed security issue: Money
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Spurring production
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Agro-dealer and formal seed supply 2011-2012
Agro-dealer: problem areas
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Local seed/grain market-supply 2011-2012 Market seed availability
7 Note that the SSSA did not conduct an analysis of formal sector seed or other input prices.
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Market seed quality Market seed access/price
9 Post SSSA follow-up showed that potential seed stocks poured into markets mid—to late October.
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CHRONIC SEED SYSTEM CONCERNS AND EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES
Casual Labor/ Ganyu
4 Govern
ment FISP 5
Own stocks
3 NGO
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Agro dealer
1 Local
market
Maize
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11 The SSSA team did visit One Village One Product (OVOP) offices in Zomba. This GoM program under the Ministry of Trade and Industry is working on value-addition initiatives. In the SSSA districts, the OPOV work included The Likangala Rice Processing Cooperative and the Bwaila Meat and Milk Producers and Marketing Cooperatives. However, the SSSA was unable to visit either of these.
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Manure/Compost Use
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Mineral Fertilizer use
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Storage Chemical Use – 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons
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Mixed (qualified) factors: positive and negative
Negative and ongoing stresses
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V. OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS: ACROSS SITES
General Overview
Seed security: immediate responses needed
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Seed security: medium-term responses needed
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Annex 1: Technical Issues related to Recommendations
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VI. REFERENCES
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VII. ANNEX: ACTION PLANS
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Seed System Security Assessment (SSSA) Action Plan Zomba- Mlumbe -2011: PROBLEM SHORT TERM
RESPONSE MEDIUM to LONGER –TERM RESPONSE 1-3 seasons
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