Putting quality seeds in the hands of farmers
One of the maxims of agriculture is that to harvest a crop, one has to start by planting a seed.
Getting an agricultural commodity to the market therefore has to start with good seed selection, and crop management. The same is applicable to the livestock sector, where breed selection is paramount.
Nowhere is the importance of a good start to farming better portrayed than in the exhibition booths of agricultural conferences, trade shows, and related events. Events like the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), International Exhibition and Conference on Agriculture Technology (Agritech Africa), and Agra Innovate West Africa, attract an influx of visitors interested in learning about the latest agro-products. For input suppliers, this is an important opportunity to showcase and sell their farm inputs, such as seeds and fertilizers.
It starts with a seed
Despite the importance of seed selection in good agronomic practice, many farmers do not have access to quality seeds, nor the power to demand relevant institutions to ensure that proper regulation of seeds in the market. Poor seed quality, or even “fake” seeds are one of the key reasons that many African farmers lose up to 50% of their potential yield.
With the global population expected to rise to around nine billion people by 2050, (of which 2.5 billion will be in Africa) this presents a daunting challenge for feeding Africa’s growing population. Ensuring reliable access to quality seeds, and other essential inputs, is critical for achieving the aspiration of “zero hunger,” and related global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The disruptions caused by measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic have further exposed already-weak seed supply chains. Many seed companies and agro-dealers are currently experiencing difficulties in restocking supplies, and delivering them to distribution points. Alternative distribution channels, such as field demonstrations, open days, and training workshops on good agronomic practices for farmers, have also been affected.
In Nigeria for instance, agro-input suppliers were unable to meet the high demand during the new planting season, which coincided with the onset of the pandemic. Tomiwa Adesanya, Co-founder of TheSeedHub, Nigeria, explains that the market disruptions have led to a rise in their logistical costs, as well as higher prices for imported seeds due to exchange rate fluctuations.
Olayemi Abosede, Founder of Farm-OMA, a vegetable farm located in Ekiti State, Nigeria highlights the inability to get hybrid cucumber seeds from agro-dealers. She has been forced to plant an open seed variety, which often gives a lower yield.
Bringing essential inputs to the farm level
Smallholders continue to play a key role at the frontline of food security, hence there is need for strategic mapping and distribution of quality inputs within easy access of farmers. It is also critical that regulatory institutions step up to deliver on their mandate of classifying, and monitoring the quality of seeds and other agro-inputs.
There are a number of ongoing regional, and national-level research and development (R&D) initiatives that seek to address some of these challenges by bringing better, and more adaptive, seeds to farmers. Examples include AGRA’s Planting the Seeds of a Green Revolution in Africa; ISSD Africa — Creating Seed Demand, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA GoSeed).
As we work to keep food systems afloat amid the Covid-19 pandemic, it is also important to pick up some lessons from previous crises, notably the Ebola outbreak, on how to support smallholder farmers to increase food production, reduce post-harvest losses, and remain connected to markets.
Written by John Agboola
This article is part of Covid-19 Food/Future, an initiative under TMG ThinkTank for Sustainability’s SEWOH Lab project (https://www.tmg-thinktank.com/sewoh-lab). It aims at providing a unique and direct insight into the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on national and local food systems. Also follow @CovidFoodFuture, our Video Diaries From Nairobi, and @TMG_think on Twitter. Funding for this initiative is provided by BMZ, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
