Integrated seed sector development in Africa: Adaptation of the approach in national seed programs

Following the 2007/2008 food crisis, agriculture and food security re-emerged on the global development agenda. The seed sector became a priority for its potential in raising crop productivity and adapting crops to climate change. Since then, Wageningen University & Research, in collaboration with partners, has been implementing national seed programs in Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria, guided by ‘integrated seed sector development’ (ISSD) that recognizes and supports multiple seed systems through which farmers obtain their seed. The study characterizes and analyzes features of national seed programs in Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria that have been managed and implemented by WUR together with national partners, and that draw upon insights for future design. This study has been structured around interviews with resource persons involved in these national seed programs. They characterized the programs in outcomes and ranked the relevance of ISSD principles and sector functions to those outcomes, using the ISSD principles and a sector framework. The ranking, supported by the justification for the ranking, provided inputs to the characterization and analysis of the programs. While the application of ISSD principles has been similar in the three countries, the seed sector realities, opportunities and ambitions differ. In Ethiopia and Uganda, the programs engaged in the development of local seed businesses, with groups of farmers producing and marketing quality seed of a range of crops, and strengthened seed quality assurance and early generation seed supply. The programs in all three countries worked with multiple types of seed entrepreneurs, from local seed businesses to international seed companies. The programs used an evidence-based approach to innovation for strengthening an enabling environment in the seed sector, and engaged multiple stakeholders in assessing challenges, piloting innovations, and consolidating and scaling solutions. Learning from the programs, an update of ISSD principles, including key attributes of the sector framework, emerged as opportune. The revised principles reflect the move from a binary position delineating formal and informal systems to one that is more pluralistic in recognizing multiple seed systems; the interdependency between sector functions within the domains of seed markets and seed sector governance; and the adaptation from sector development to sector transformation, which is more intentional in terms of the direction pursued. The aim is that the updated principles inspire and guide future seed programs, practices and policies. • ISSD principles have guided seed program design in Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria. • Pluralism in seed sector development recognizes more than informal and formal seed systems. • Local seed businesses challenge the binary – formal/informal – position in seed systems. • Evidence was instrumental in innovating seed systems, structures and institutions. • Transformation of sector governance is essential to transformation of seed markets.