CBSS_Technician Guide

The Community-based seed system: The
case of traditional rice farming systems
The Technician’s Manual
Amadou M. Bèye, Monty P. Jones and Brent M. Simpson
Afr caR ce
CGIAR
GCRAI

About Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice)
The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) is a leading pan-African research organization working to contribute to
poverty alleviation and food security in Africa through research, development and partnership activities. It is
one of the 15 international agricultural research Centers supported by the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR). It is also an autonomous intergovernmental research association of African
member countries.
The Center was created in 1971 by 11 African countries. Today its membership comprises 24 countries,
covering West, Central, East and North African regions, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central
African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt ,Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Madagscar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Senegal,
Sierra Leone, Togo and Uganda.
AfricaRice’s temporary headquarters is based in Cotonou, Benin; research staff are also based in Senegal,
Nigeria, Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire.
For more information, please visit www.africaricecenter.org
Temporary Headquarters and Research Center
Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice)
01 BP 2031, Cotonou, Benin
Tel.: (229) 21 35 01 88; Fax : (229) 21 35 05 56
E-mail: AfricaRice@cgiar.org
Nigeria Research Station
c/o International Institute of
Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Oyo Road, PMB 5320
Ibadan
Nigeria
Tel: (234-2) 241 2626
Fax: (234-2) 241 2221
E-mail: f.nwilene@cgiar.org
Sahel Research Station
AfricaRice, B.P. 96,
Saint-Louis,
Senegal
Tel: (221) 962 6493
(221) 962 6441
Fax: (221) 962 6491
E-mail: AfricaRice-sahel@cgiar.org
Tanzania Research Station
c/o Mikocheni B/Kawe
PO Box 33581
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel: (255) 222 780 768
(255) 744 788 495
Fax: (255) 222 780 768
E-mail: p.kiepe@cgiar.org
Bouaké Research Station
01 BP 2551 Bouak 01,
Côte d’Ivoire
Tel : (225) 31 63 25 78
Fax : (225) 20 22 01 33
E-mail : a.beye@cgiar.org
01 BP 4029, Abidjan 01,
Côte d’Ivoire
Tel : (225) 20 22 01 10
(225) 20 21 28 79
Fax : (225) 20 22 01 33
E-mail : a.beye@cgiar.org

The Community-based seed system:
The case of traditional rice farming
systems
The Technician’s Manual
2011
Afr caR ce
Amadou M. Bèye1
, Monty P. Jones2
and Brent M. Simpson3
1
Africa Rice Center, Cotonou, Benin
2
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, Accra, Ghana
3
Michigan State University, USA
CGIAR
GCRAI

© Copyright Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) 2011
AfricaRice encourages fair use of this material. Proper citation is requested.
The designations employed in the presentation of materials in this publication do not imply
the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice)
concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning
the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.
Citation
Bèye, A.M., M.P. Jones and B.M. Simpson, 2009. The Community-based seed system:
The case of traditional rice farming systems. The Technician’s Manual.AfricaRice Training
Course Collection. AfricaRice, Cotonou, Benin, xi + 69 p.
ISBN:
Print 978-92-9113-331-4
PDF 978-92-9113-335-2
Cover picture: Farmers proudly showing their harvest of NERICA rice seeds
BP 2031
Cotonou, Benin
Tel. +229 21.35.01.88
Fax +229 21.35.05.56
Email: AfricaRice@cgiar.org
Web site: www.AfricaRice.org
Design: AfricaRice
Layout: PAO Bougou, Bamako, Mali – aissatasylla@paobougou.com

Contents
Preface..................................................................................................................... v
Acknowledgements............................................................................................... vi
Information on the manual ................................................................................... ix
Module I
Seed systems and Farmers’ initiatives................................................................. 1
Objective .............................................................................................................. 3
Conventional seed system................................................................................... 3
Support from development agencies ..............................................................................9
Quality Declared Seed ....................................................................................................9
Truthful labeling ............................................................................................................10
Traditional indigenous seed system or Farmers’ Initiatives...........................................10
Community-Based Seed System ....................................................................... 11
Module II
Community-based seed system implementation.............................................. 17
Objective ............................................................................................................ 19
Rapid rural appraisal.......................................................................................... 19
Useful discussion themes to be tackled during a rural appraisal ....................... 21
Institutional aspects............................................................................................ 24
Organizational aspects at village community level............................................. 27
Information ....................................................................................................................28
Awareness raising.........................................................................................................28
Inter-groups meetings ...................................................................................................29
Reinforcing farmers’ capacity in seed production............................................... 29
Module III
Role of the main stakeholders of the community-based seed system ........... 33
Objective ............................................................................................................ 35
Farmers’ organizations....................................................................................... 35
Basic seed producers......................................................................................... 35
Acceptable Quality seed producers ................................................................... 36
................................................. 37
Senior technicians (extension, private sector, NGOs)........................................ 37
National leaders (agriculture, research, extension, private sector).................... 37
Module IV
Interactions between varietal testing, variety release and seed production
activities ................................................................................................................ 39
Objective ............................................................................................................ 41
Varietal testing.................................................................................................... 41
Releasing varieties............................................................................................. 44
Seed production................................................................................................. 45
Linkages between activities ............................................................................... 45
iii
The Technician’s Manual – The Community-based seed system: The case of traditional rice farming systems

iv
Module V
Practical advice for maintaining seed quality.................................................... 48
Objective ............................................................................................................ 50
Managing harvest and post-harvest operations................................................. 50
Conservation in the granary in the Savannah zone ......................................................56
Conservation in the kitchen in the Forest zone.............................................................57
Conservation in sacks...................................................................................................57
Germination tests..........................................................................................................58
Purity test ......................................................................................................................58
Checking purity .............................................................................................................59
Annexes
............................ 61
Annex 2: Problem tree developed by farmers in Danané, in Côte d’Ivoire ..... 62
Annex 3: Results of a participatory rural appraisal conducted in N’zerekore
in Guinea ......................................................................................... 63
Annex 4: Comparison of prices in conventional and community-based seed
systems in Côte d’Ivoire................................................................... 65
Annex 5: Cost estimates of Registered seed production in N’Goran village,
in Côte d’Ivoire................................................................................. 66
Annex 6: Cost estimates of Acceptable Quality seed production in N’Goran
village, in Côte d’Ivoire..................................................................... 67
Annex 7: Recommended reading ................................................................... 68

v
Preface
Thismanualwaselaboratedbasedonfarmers’practicesandknowledgeinseedproduction,
conservation and dissemination. It gives practical guidelines and recommendations
on how to improve the farmer-saved seed production system used by farmers from
generation to generation, to increase their productivity and market competitiveness.
The aim of the authors is to create a permanent dialogue among the major stakeholders
by using participatory methods with a view to facilitating the availability of quality
seed to farmers and contributing thereby to sustainable rice production in sub-Saharan
African countries. The manual therefore enables technicians to better understand the
solutions.
In fact, it describes seed issues down to the community level and helps to build a national
seed system based upon the improvement of the indigenous production techniques, the
reinforcement of traditional seed diffusion networks and linkages to appropriate public
sector institutions.
The community-based seed system is complementary to the conventional seed system. It
aimstoperfectlyintegratethestrengthsandopportunitiesinboththeconventionalandthe
traditional seed systems and to enable traditional farmers meet their seed requirements by
improving their know-how for addressing basic seed production and quality constraints.
Consequently, it provides a good opportunity for farmers’ organizations to improve the
supply of quality seeds in their communities and to gradually develop into viable seed
enterprises.
Papa Abdoulaye Seck
Director General

vi
Acknowledgements
The manual is a follow-up to the work entitled Improved Farmer-Saved Seed Production
System, published in 2000 and which has served as a basis for the community-based
seed system.
The manual describes the strategy for implementation the community-based seed system,
the role of the various partners, and the interactions among different stakeholders. Its
development was initiated by Dr. Joseph Kwarteng, a Lecturer at the University of Cape
Coast in Ghana. However, due to time constraints, Dr. Kwarteng could not complete the
work as expected. The authors have therefore revised the entire manual.
The authors sincerely thank Dr. Kwarteng for the high quality of the work he started.
They are also grateful to all Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) colleagues, who reviewed
the manual, provided useful information and raised relevant questions. Among them
are: Marie-Joseph Dugue, Aliou Diagne, Olaf Erenstein, Assetou Kanoute, Robert
Guei, Kouame Miezan, Frederic Lançon, Guy Manners, Willem Stoop, Toon Defoer
and Moustapha Gaye. Marijke Loosvelt edited the manual and Aissata Sylla did the
desktop publishing.
We also acknowledge the contributions of Ankon Goli of the National Agency for Rural
Development Support (ANADER) in Côte d’Ivoire, Ipou Gbangbo of the National
Rice Project (PNR), Placide N’Guessan1
of the National Agronomic Research Center
(CNRA), and Abibatou Diallo of the NGO OVDL2
.
Like any new system, the community-based seed system needed a sustained support
and inspiration from administrative authorities in order to start on a strong footing and
to grow rapidly. This support was provided by Dr. Kanayo F. Nwanze, AfricaRice’s
Director General (1995-2006), who was able to convince scientists on the need to take
into account traditional indigenous knowledge in seed system models. The authors of
this manual appreciate the advice and support provided by Dr. Nwanze and would like
to thank him very much for these.
The Forum for Agrucltural Research in Africa (FARA) and Michigan State University
(MSU) provided funds for translating the manual into French.
The authors
1
Placide N’Guessan died during the civil war in Côte d’Ivoire
2
Local Development Volunteers’ Organization
1

vii
The authors wish to warmly thank the following persons, who took part in the manual
validation workshop from 27 to 31 March 2001.
N° Surname and names Institution and/or position Location
1. Coulibaly Bema Prefecture Bouaké
2. Nagumo Fujio World Food Program Abidjan
3. Oya Bou Alain ANADER Abidjan
4. Dr Lançon Frederic AfricaRice scientist Bouaké
5. Kouame Christophe CNRA scientist Bouaké
6. Dr N’Degbeu N’Dri ANADER regional delegate Bouaké
7. Dr Traore Amadou Representing MINAGRA regional Director Bouaké
8. Kouame N’Dri ANADER specialized technician Mankono
9. Kouakou Kouadio Leonard ANADER specialized technician Vavoua
10. Latah Sour ANADER specialized technician Divo
11. Tiapo Kouame Felix ANADER specialized technician Katiola
12. Kpangassa Yao ANADER specialized technician Man
13. Soro Klotioloma ANADER specialized technician Bondoukou
14. Kouakou Yao Marc ANADER specialized technician Beoumi
15. Yapi Martial ANADER specialized technician Korhogo
16. Sylla Youssouf ANADER specialized technician Seguela
17. Mme Gbo Dzamla Amin ANADER specialized technician Bouaké
18. Koulou Nazarette ANADER specialized technician Bouna
19. D.E. Kouassi ANADER specialized technician Sakassou
20. Dje Bi Dje Felix ANADER specialized technician Dabakala
21. Diarrassouba Karim ANADER specialized technician Tabou
22. Gaille Blaigouere ANADER zone leader Korhogo
23. Cisse Ibrahima ANADER specialized technician Bouaké
24. Diarrassouba Ousmane ANADER specialized technician Bouaké
25. Dr Kadisha Katlombo ANADER specialized technician Bouaké
26. Diaby Karamoko ANADER specialized technician Yamoussoukro
27. Mme Amangoua Therese ANADER specialized technician Bouaké
28. Kissy Kraidy Michel ANADER specialized technician Bouaké
29. Toure Aboukari Sekou ANADER specialized technician Bouaké
30. Kouame Kouame Joseph ANADER specialized technician Abengourou
31. Yapo Yapo Jean Paul ANADER trainer Grand Lahou
32. Kouassi N’Goran Zone Leader Man
33. Akpoue Yao MINAGRA Bouaké
34. Gabehonry Karidioula Research Assistant Man
35. Dr N’Guessan Placide CNRA scientist Man
36. Kouadio N’Guessan Farmer Beoumi
37. Kouakou Kouakou Kan Farmer Beoumi
38. Kouakou Kossonou Farmer Bondoukou
39. Mme Ouattara Manaman Farmer Bondoukou
40. Mme Dabire Ziem Monique Farmer Bouna
41. Kambou Loufate Pierre Farmer Bouna
43. Ouamien Konan Prosper Farmer Brobo
44. Coulibaly Siaka Farmer Dabakala
45. Ouattara Tiguesolo Farmer Dabakala
46. Berte Moussa Farmer Katiola
47. Traore Karim Farmer Katiola
48. Kouassi N. Valentin Farmer Sakassou
49. Kouame N. Raymond Farmer Sakassou
50. Yeo Zana Farmer Niofouin
51. Pregnon Gnaore OVDL NGO Chairman Bouaké
52. Pregnon Zokou OVDL NGO Secretary Bouaké
53. Mme Abibatou Diallo OVDL NGO Project Coordinator Bouaké
54. Kpla Kadio Georges IDC NGO Coorperative Leader Agou
Resource persons
1. Dr. Guei Robert INGER-Africa Coordinator, AfricaRice Bouaké
2. Dr. Goly Ankon ANADER Seed Service Head Abidjan
3. Konan Gnamien ANADER Training Unit Head Bouaké
4. Ipou Gbangbo National Rice Project Yamoussoukro
5. N’Zue Kouame LANADA Yamoussoukro
Drawings: Inkpe Perpetue

viii
Information on the manual
* The manual provides the
needed information on how to
implement the Community-based
seed systems at the technical,
organizational and institutional
levels.

ix
Information on the manual
Objective of the manual
improvement in sub-Saharan Africa. National seed systems are unable to meet farmers’
needs in supplying quality seed of improved varieties and at affordable prices. Most
farmers therefore regularly resort to traditional varieties and know-how in seed
production, conservation and diffusion.
This knowledge, which has been acquired over many generations of plant breeding,
conservation, utilization and seed exchange, is elaborated in the previous manual entitled
“Improved Farmer-Saved Seed Production System”.
Theauthorsofthisnewmanualprovideonlythetechnical,organizationalandinstitutional
information required for a systematic implementation of the community-based seed
system (CBSS). In fact, this manual is not designed as a guide for facilitators. This
and their implementation explained.
The main pillars of the CBSS are farmers’ organizations and innovative farmers.
These are mandated to markedly improve the seed quality and seed availability at the
community level. Therefore, CBSS gives responsibilities to certain innovative farmers
as focal points for farmers’ organizations to produce quality seed for supply to the
community. Hence the name: Community-based seed system.
acquaint themselves with the community-based seed system by providing them with
information on: (1) Farmer seed production techniques, (2) the importance of traditional
variety diffusion networks, (3) low cost seed quality improvement methods and (4)
institutional and organizational arrangements of the system.

x
End-users of the manual
The manual was designed for three categories of end-users:
Breeders and agronomists involved in plant breeding and variety improvement
Seed program leaders working at the ministries of agriculture and within agricultural
research centers, who monitor seed legislation issues, and variety release and
maintenance of elite seeds of principal cultivated varieties.
Outline of the manual
The manual was designed around seven principal questions:
1. What are the main seed systems existing at the local and national levels in sub-
Saharan African countries?
2. How to value be added to farmers’ traditional know-how in seed production,
conservation and distribution?
3. Why is it important to establish the community-based seed system? What are its
advantages compared to the formal or conventional seed system?
4. Who are the main CBSS partners?
5. Howcantheimplementationofthecommunity-basedseedsystemattheinstitutional,
organizational and technical levels be ensured?
6. How can seed quality be maintained in the community-based seed system?
7. How can an effective interaction between the community-based seed system and
varietal testing activities be achieved?
critical information needed by public institutions, national research and extension
the community-based seed system.

xi
Module 1 describes the conventional seed system and farmer initiatives used to deal
with farmers’ demands for quality seed. It also introduces the community-based seed
system, its implementation and the concept of “Acceptable Quality Seed”.
Module 2 explains how to tackle seed issues through participatory appraisal methods. It
then emphasizes the conditions for the success of this system both at institutional (what
must public institutions do?) and community levels (how to consolidate the achievements
of local initiatives through the reinforcement of seed networks and farmers’ capacity
building).
Module 3 explains in detail the role of each stakeholder in the implementation of the
community-based seed system. This approach seems to be fundamental because CBSS
is a new system.
Module 4 describes links to be established between varietal testing and release activities
within the community-based seed system. This module values the achievements made
in research-development and explains how to anticipate the varietal release process and
seed production activities.
Module 5 focuses on practical advice that can enhance seed quality maintenance.
Interactions between the various modules of the manual
Module I
Conventional system
Traditional indigenous
system
Community-based seed
system
Module II: CBSS implementation (MoA,
Research, Extension, NGOs, Private Sector,
Farmers’ Associations, and Innovative
Farmers)
Module III: Role of the different CBSS
partners (MoA, Research, Extension, NGOs,
Private Sector, Farmers’ Associations, and
Seed Producers)
Module V: Advice for a good quality seed
maintenance (Farmers’ Organizations and
Seed Producers)
Module IV: Interactions between activities
(MoA, Research, Extension, NGOs, Private
Sector and Farmers)

Module I
Seed systems and Farmers’
initiatives

2
Module I: Seed systems and Farmers’ initiatives
This module:
* aims to describe the existing
seed systems within the sub-
region, their advantages and
limitations
* explains their organization and
functions
* gives some alternative strategies

3
Objective
This module aims to describe existing seed systems within the sub-region, their
advantages and limitations. It explains their organizational structures and functions and
offers several alternative strategies.
There are three major categories of seed systems: (1) the conventional system commonly
called the formal system and currently used in most sub-Saharan African countries, (2)
the traditional system or farmers’ initiatives and (3) the community-based seed system
which draws its strength from the opportunities offered by categories 1 and 2. It was
designed by the Senegalese Institute for Agricultural Research (ISRA) and developed
further by the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice). In contrast to the conventional system,
the community-based seed system favors the full involvement of farmers in seed
production, quality control, management and diffusion operations at the community
level.
Conventional seed system
Organization and functioning of the system
Consistent with the regulation in force, the conventional seed system is usually regulated
by the ministry of agriculture.
Six main activities are conducted within the framework under this system by well
Commercialization.
The seed value chain organization aims to ensure an effective functioning of the seed
sector at all levels: villages, zones and regions. It helps to plan production activities, to
varieties that will be cropped according to the locations involved. It helps to establish
the process for variety release, diffusion, and marketing.
Foundation seed production is generally done by research centers or a specialized
organization under very strict conditions in which each line is regularly inspected to
detect any anomaly. It aims to increase breeder seed or G0 seed on one hand and to

4
are produced by contract
These producers are often contracted by private seed companies to produce seed. The
companies collect the harvests from production farms and process and store them in
their premises. Alternatively the seed producers organize themselves into associations
and use public sector facilities to process and store their seed. They are linked to seed
the compliance of production and quality standards through the use of appropriate seed
rules and norms prescribed by the agency. These norms are adapted from international
rules made by the International Seed Trial Association (ISTA), and the Association
roguing, plant health protection, harvesting, processing, storage and quality testing.
Criteria Breeder
seed
Foundation
seed seed
Minimum isolation distance in meters 10 5 3
Maximum percentage of off-type plants 0.05% 0.3% 0.5%
Maximum percentage of diseased plants 0.01% 0.01% 0.5%
separate
0.01% 0.01% 0.02%
Maximum percentage of dangerous weeds 0.01% 0.01% 0.02%
verify that: (i) rice is not the preceding crop, unless the variety and the class of seed of
the preceding crop are the same as the new crop (ii) the cultivar is uniform or in such a
state that makes it possible to accurately determine varietal and species purities.
The rice seed production farm should be inspected at least once during the appearance
To determine the number of off-type plants and the number of plants of other species,
the inspector should use the appropriate method such as the OECD “Guidelines for
trials in control plots and the inspection of seeds”.

5
For laboratory analyses, the following standards should be respected:
Types of analyses Breeder
seed
Foundation
seed R1
R2
Minimum varietal purity 99.9% 99.9% 99.7% 99.7%
98% 98% 98% 98%
Minimum germination rate 80% 80% 80% 80%
Maximum moisture content 12% 12% 12% 12%
Maximum inert material 2% 2% 2% 2%
Seed of other cultivated species 10 seed/kg 10 seed/kg 0.5% 0.5%
Maximum noxious weed seed 10 seed/kg 10 seed/kg 0.5% 0,5%
Maximum red rice 0 0 5 seed/kg 5 seed/kg
four types of labels are used for the different categories of seed:
Foundation seed: White with a purple diagonal stripe
Registered seed: White
: Blue
: Red
The number of classes (generations) and the color of tags may differ in different
countries.
label must have the following minimum information:
Year of harvest (month, year)
Name of the species
Name of the variety
Germination percentage
Percentage pure seed
Percentage seed moisture content
Lot number
Seed treatment chemical
Country of origin
Seed net weight
The other face of the label should not have any writing on it.

6
The material used for the labels must be strong enough to prevent damage in ordinary
usage.
For post-harvest controls, a sample must be taken from each seed lot by the seed service
(for conformity to variety characteristics), laboratory analyses and the remnant kept as
Processing is conducted before marketing. It involves seed quality improvement after
harvest. It is conducted in three phases:
Treatment with pesticides (e.g. insecticide, fungicides), etc
Packaging and labeling.
During processing, seed samples are collected from various batches. These samples are
analyzed in the laboratory to ascertain the following four main characteristics:
Varietal purity.
Seed commercialization is mostly in the domain of the private sector. In some instances
this may be organized by public seed institutions. They buy the seed from contract
farmers, process it and distribute it to farmers against cash payment or through a local
is only given upon the recommendation of seed services / organizations.
Organizing production activities
The conventional seed system begins with the supply of Breeder seed (G0) obtained
from the mother lines held by the breeder (Figure 1).
The Breeder seed is then multiplied during three cropping seasons to produce Foundation
seed (G1, G2 and G3). Off-season production is often conducted to fast-track the
multiplication of the Foundation seed. In most countries, Foundation seed is produced
by research, although the involvement of extension and NGOs under development
projects is more and more noted at this level.

7
G3 Foundation seed is sold to contract farmers to produce G4 Registered seed and the
consequently 1st
, 2nd
, and sometimes 3rd
may be conducted under the direct supervision of trained personnel of the extension
It must be noted that various seed multiplication schemes exist with different numbers of
generations ranging from 3 to 7. The advantage of the extended number of generations
is that it is able to produce large quantities of seed at the end. The disadvantage is that
through exponential multiplication of off-type seeds that occur at the early stages.
Figure 1. Conventional seed system
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Year 7
Year 8
Research
S
E
E
D
S
E
R
V
I
C
E
C
O
N
T
R
A
C
T
F
A
R
M
E
R
S
G0
G1
G2
G3
G4
R1
R2
Ordinary paddy

8
Limitations of the conventional system and alternative strategies
In more or less all countries within the sub-region, seed services / organizations have
showntheirlimitationsintheearlyyearsofindependence(lowquantitiesofseedproduced,
high cost of quality seed). Subsidies were therefore used through development projects.
Many causes were found to explain these failures. They include among others:
The centralized organization of the conventional seed system, which is not adapted
High cost of improved seed compared to farmers’ seed.
to the low supply of quality seed. These include: support to development agencies
and projects, the Statement of Quality Declared Seed, truthful labeling and Farmers’
Initiatives.
The main seed production stages of the conventional seed system
Breeder seed
Seed or planting materials including the parental material “G0” directly controlled by
originating or sponsored plant breeder of the breeding program or institution or seed,
provides the source for the initial and recurring increase of Foundation seed.
Foundation seed
Seeds or planting materials produced from Breeder seed according to generally approved
seed production standards and are intended for the production of Registered seed. They
include G0, G1, G2, and G3.
G1: First generation Foundation seed is produced by multiplying G0 seed
G2: Second generation Foundation seed is produced by multiplying G1 seed
G3: Third generation Foundation seed is produced by multiplying G2 seed
Registered seed
Seeds or planting materials which result directly from Foundation seed G3 are named G4.
They represent the transition generation between Foundation seed usually produced by
st
generations are known as 2nd
and 3rd

9
Support from development agencies
This support is initiated in most cases under donor-funded development projects. This
is a privileged area for NGOs. This support helps to introduce new varieties and to
meet local demand for seed. Its impact is however limited over time by the fact that it
has not been developed and implemented by institutions that organize seed production,
seed commercialization and seed exchange, if any. No wonder, at the end of these
development projects, the actions initiated are not sustained.
The most well known support forms are:
The mini-dosage promotion (the farmer who receives seed is bound to reimburse
The rehabilitation of lost varieties.
Quality Declared Seed
Since 1993, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been
asking for softer seed legislation. It has been promoting the concept of Quality Declared
Seed based on the accountability of a number of seed sellers or distributors known for
their ability to process quality control operations.
The procedures to be observed mainly involve:
Fair supervision of sales by the public sector.
Functions of the conventional seed system
Public institution functions: Programming and control
Programming
Legislation and controls
Training
Production and maintenance of Breeder and Foundation seeds (G0, G1, G2, G3)
Selection of seed producers and elaboration of production contracts
Seed processing
Organization of commercialization operations
Function of seed organizations

10
seed services / organizations and to have certain autonomy to conduct quality seed
control operations. It is been successfully used in Guinea by the Agricultural Production
and Inputs Commercialization Company (SPCIA), which was able to sell about 2000
tonnes of seed to Sierra Leone in 1999.
Truthful labeling
especially preferred for self-pollinating plants and vegetatively propagated plants.
Traditional indigenous seed system or Farmers’ Initiatives
Many farmers’ initiatives exist in the sub-region. These initiatives are in different forms
(separated or connected). They mainly involve seed producers’ organizations, trading
and mutual support groups.
Common cropping plots are more and more noted together with the empowerment of
a number of farmers to produce seed on behalf of farmers’ groups or communities as
against the involvement of group members in operations such as weeding and harvest.
Farmers’ initiatives are frequent in the Savannah and Sahel zones. In the Forest zone,
Farmers’ initiatives are not well known.
They are barely studied by public
institutions which call them “informal
sector”. Meanwhile, according to the
information provided by FAO in 1998 at
the Abidjan Regional Meeting on Seed
policies, more than 90% of the seeds
available in the sub-region are produced
by this sector. It is therefore desirable
to evaluate it by taking into account its
underlying socio-cultural and socio-
economic values.
That is why ISRA and AfricaRice have developed a seed system integrating the
conventional and traditional indigenous seed systems. This new system called
community-based seed system mainly aims to help farmers to better meet their seed
needs by: (i) Valuing more their know-how in seed production, (ii) Thoroughly knowing
new varieties, (iii) Training in seed production and seed conservation techniques
and (iv) Facilitating large information dissemination on seed requirements and seed
availability.
Farmers’ initiatives

11
Community-Based Seed System
Organization and functioning of the system
The community-based seed system (CBSS) is a new approach which aims to foster
the ownership of the main seed activities by farmers’ organizations and local village
communities.
CBSS is used to help communities produce their own seed and sell the surpluses to
needy clients. It essentially involves farmers’ associations and emerging small-scale
private seed growers. Farmers are trained in crop management and seed production
techniques, marketing and small-scale business management.
CBSS takes into account the performances and failures of various initiatives that were
run in many countries within the sub-region and promotes the concept of “Acceptable
Quality Seed” as a solution to lack of quality seed.
The community-based seed system integrates two complementary systems: the
Centralized (conventional) Seed system and the Decentralized (traditional) Seed
system.
The Centralized system is managed by public institutions. It is more oriented to the
management of a nationwide data base and provides leadership in a seed production
program. This is the business of farmers’ organizations.
The Decentralized system aims to ensure the availability of Basic Seed and Acceptable
Quality Seed.
In contrast to the centralized system in which the role of farmers’ organizations is
limited to 1st
, 2nd
and 3rd
reproductions (R1, R2 and R3), the CBSS system favors the
involvement of farmers’ organizations and innovative farmers in many activities. The
CBSS activities are:
Basic seed production practices
The use of Foundation seed production
Acceptable quality in seed production
Seed quality control
Seed processing
Seed diffusion.
Foundation seed production in the meantime may be conducted by research or a
designated organization. However, parastatal institutions and especially private
companies are strongly invited to get involved in the production of Foundation seed.

12
obligatory for
Foundation and when possible, for Basic seeds according to prescribed standards. These
measures aim to guarantee good seed quality before it is ushered into a decentralized
system fully managed by farmers.
Basic seed production is carried out by farmers’ organizations and innovative
done under good conditions (fertilizer application, weeding when necessary, regular
roguing, local processing, etc.) and supervision by senior extension agents trained
in seed production.
Seed is accessed through the multiplication of Basic seed. It can
be produced by any farmer, who wishes to do so. Practical advice has been developed to
limit the occurrence of foreign matter and the decline of germination rate.
The main production stages of Community-based seed system
Breeder seed
Seed or planting materials including the parental material “G0” directly controlled by
originating or sponsored plant breeder of the breeding program or institution or seed,
provides the source for the initial and recurring increase of Foundation seed.
Foundation seed
Seeds or planting materials produced from Breeder seed according to generally approved
seed production standards, which are intended for the production of Registered seed. They
include G1, G2, and sometimes G3. The integration of G3 class is important especially for
crops with low seed multiplication rate such as groundnut.
G1: First generation Foundation seed is produced by multiplying G0 seed
G2: Second generation Foundation seed is produced by multiplying G1 seed
G3: Third generation Foundation seed is produced by multiplying G2 seed
Basic Seed
In this system, Basic seed refers to the 3rd
or 4th
generation of Foundation seed. Basic
Acceptable Quality Seed
and the physical variety purity more than 90%.

13
Processing is conducted after good seed drying and threshing. It involves good seed
winnowing to remove impurities (plant debris, weed seeds, broken and shriveled seeds,
and seeds of other crops and varieties). At the end of this operation, the seed is treated
with a chemical or natural insecticide (biopesticide) in order to ensure good storage. If
the seed is stored on panicles, seed processing is conducted soon before sowing.
occurs through traditional channels.These channels are very diverse.They
stocks’ availability and farmers’ requirements.
Organizing Seed Production activities
Production activities (Figure 2) are as follows:
Foundation seed production includes G0 Breeder seed maintenance and the
multiplication of Foundation seed G1 by using G0 and G2 by using G1 seed.
Foundation seed G2 is sold to seed producers located in the big producing rice zones.
These producers multiply the G2 seed to obtain Basic seed. The name basic seed under
CBSS does not have the same meaning as under the conventional seed system, because
decline of the seed quality. Training sessions, information delivery and awareness
raising sessions are held to reinforce farmers’ capacity building in seed production,
quality control and diffusion techniques at the village community level. However, for
meet international standards.
Training is one of the major CBSS tools. It is intended to help farmers to better cater
for themselves and to evolve from traditional agriculture to intensive agriculture. Basic
whose mandate is to assist farmers in improving seed quality and to take advantage of
existing trade opportunities in neighboring locations.

14
Production of is carried out by farmers living within the village
their production is closely monitored especially at the harvest and post-harvest phases.
Field rapid rural appraisals have shown that low germination rate and high variety
admixtures are the main seed quality problems. These problems are monitored by
farmers to keep them at acceptable levels, that is, above 80% for germination rate and
above 90% for varietal purity.
maintenance. Every producer must be able to manage his nucleus seed for a period of
Figure 2. Community-based seed system
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
G0
G1
G2
Basic seed
Research /
Private sector
Extension
NGOs
Farmers’
Organizations
Innovative farmers and
farmers’ organizations
organize Foundation
seed renewal, record
requirements and facilitate
production in collaboration
with Senior technicians
Villages where
seed is monitored
by Innovative
farmers and
Farmers’
organizations in
collaboration with
about 3 - 5 years
Seed
Service
Farmers’
Organizations

15
It is important to highlight that the concept of quality should be promoted not only at
the level of the producer but also at the level of end-users who must be well informed
of the quality and the characteristics of the seed in which they are investing. In carrying
favor of creating local internal controls.
Advantages of the community-based seed system
In contrast to the conventional system, which determines the operations to be conducted
upstream and downstream, CBSS is limited to facilitation. Most of its activities are
conducted by farmers and their organizations, according to information provided and
local production needs).
The system relies on empowering farmers and their associations through: (i) capacity-
varieties together with indigenous and additional knowledge that accompany them. The
development of the CBSS is being strongly motivated by the fact that the private sector
may be small in these crops due to the ease for farmers to maintain genetic purity and
consequently save their own seeds. CBSS is also designed to link traditional agriculture
to the market.
For bulky seeds, such as rice and groundnut with low out-crossing and hence low genetic
degradation, improvement in seed uptake should focus on the improvement in seed
supply through the CBSS. This should go along with the reinforcement of the capacities
of local communities. This will go a long way in helping to reduce transaction costs and
bringing quality seeds closer to the farmer.
The information given below should help to improve the CBSS system with respect to
certain activities that are conducted upstream:
Evaluation of new varieties, especially through the participatory varietal selection
Information management on seed stocks and seed requirements.

16
The community-based seed system has many advantages that complement the
conventional seed system. These advantages are as follows:
1.
since it is supported by internal village community dynamics.
2. CBSS favors collaboration between farmers, technicians and public sector partners
3. Varieties are accessible to farmers quite early, on the average two to four years after
its release.
4. By gaining early access to good varieties, farmers can rapidly improve their crop
productivity and, consequently, their incomes.
5. Quality seed is directly available at the village communities and not only at seed
producing and marketing centers.
6. Seed is easily made accessible to surrounding village communities through the
traditional diffusion mechanisms.
7.
necessary, particularly as new varieties become available or when seeds are lost
through calamities.
8. CBSS favors the emergence of small-scale seed enterprises in village communities
and attracts the establishment of related agri-business, such as fertilizer and pesticide
businesses adapted to the realities of small-holder farmers (Annexes 4, 5 and 6).
9. CBSS encourages the promotion of traditional local and preferred improved
cultivars by making them available to farmers. This approach tends to reduce
the disappearance risks of traditional cultivars. It also aims to promote farmers’
awareness and appreciation of the value of traditional varieties.
Functions of the Community-based seed system
Functions of public institutions: facilitation
Foundation seed production and maintenance
Nationwide database management
On-farm evaluation and awareness raising workshops
Function of farmers’ organizations
Participatory varietal selection
Basic seed and Acceptable quality seed production
Seed stocks and requirements information supply
Local seed quality control
Seed diffusion

Module II
Community-based seed system
implementation

18
Module II: Community-based seed system implementation
This module:
* Aims to facilitate the
implementation of the
community-based seed system
* Provides information on the tools
and techniques needed to ensure
an effective functioning of the
community-based seed system

19
Objective
This module aims to facilitate the implementation of the community-based seed system.
It provides information on the organizational instruments and techniques needed to
ensure an effective functioning of the CBSS. It is therefore important to conduct a good
Rapid rural appraisal
method. It helps to highlight quality seed supply constraints that farmers face and the
solutions used. There are several rural appraisal methods. However this manual focuses
Global rural appraisal
A well conducted participatory rapid rural appraisal helps to:
Set up a value chain of the main stakeholders.
A permanent participatory diagnosis can be organized to regularly update knowledge
for example the problem involving indigenous rice seed conservation techniques within
a community.

20
general subjects and also involves multidisciplinary teams, as is often the case in writing
development projects.
1. Whether seed production is a major constraint to improved rice production. If yes,
why?
2. Whether there were local solutions for this problem.
If yes, what were those solutions?
If no, how do farmers manage?
these problems relating to the supply and quality of seed? If yes, which approach
should be used at the village community and national levels?
Individual interview

21
Useful discussion themes to be tackled during a rural appraisal
This should involve discussion on themes that the technician must highlight. They will
include: farming systems, seed access modes, farmers’ initiatives and socio-economic
considerations.
Farming systems
Analyzing farming systems helps to draw closer to farmers’ realities. It is important to
pay attention to the following characteristics:
Organizing harvest and post-harvest activities (drying, threshing, winnowing,
households.
Seed access modes
Farmers have access to seed through: (1) Farmer-saved seed, (2) Commercial seed
production and (3) Use of external channels. For each mode, the technician must try to
collect maximum information on the ways used by farmers to access seed.
Farmer-saved seed
its advantages and drawbacks. He or she must also enquire about farmer seed
requirements coverage and when necessary, about the alternative solutions used.
Commercial seed production. The technician must enquire about the inputs used:
- fertilizers (which ones, price, purchasing place). If it is compost, he or she must
- chemical insecticides (which ones, price, purchasing place) or natural pesticides
- herbicides (which ones, price, purchasing place).

22
. The technician must enquire about the channels
used and their mode of operation. For example, if they involve loans, he or she must
show interest in both seed acquisition mode and seed reimbursement modalities
(cash, in kind, quantities). If they involve purchasing, it would be relevant to know
the seed purchasing place, the price of a kilogram or local unit (bowl, pot, and
calabash). The technician must also collect comments on prices and possible seed
Main seed supply sources
Farmer-saved seed: This relates to seed collected by the farmer from his or her own
harvest.
Donations: Small seed quantities are often given to relatives, in-laws and friends to
help them acquire new varieties. In a number of communities, seed sales are banned by
custom.
Loans:
times however when in a number of cases, a larger quantity of seed or cash payment is
requested instead.
Exchanges: They are very frequent. Exchanges are made to get access to new varieties
or to replace old ones. They are also made to pay for a job done.
Sales: Small quantities of grain (which may be byproducts) are often sold to local traders
each time the farmer needs money.
These small quantities are collected and then resold in the local or weekly markets.
Seed movement over long distances is done through weekly markets and cooperatives,
Main seed supply sources
Farmer-saved seed: This relates to seed collected by the farmer from his or her own
harvest.
Donations: Small seed quantities are often given to relatives, in-laws and friends to
help them acquire new varieties. In a number of communities, seed sales are banned by
custom.
Loans:
times however when in a number of cases, a larger quantity of seed or cash payment is
requested instead.
Exchanges: They are very frequent. Exchanges are made to get access to new varieties
or to replace old ones. They are also made to pay for a job done.
Sales: Small quantities of grain (which may be byproducts) are often sold to local traders
each time the farmer needs money.
These small quantities are collected and then resold in the local or weekly markets.
Seed movement over long distances is done through weekly markets and cooperatives,

23
Farmers’ initiatives
The technician must analyze local initiatives (past and current) in seed production and
seed distribution/marketing. It is particularly important to know:
The objectives of these initiatives (meeting farmers’ seed and marketing require-
The background of the initiatives. If in the past, farmers collaborated with a number
of Government services / organizations, Non-Government Organizations or seed
projects, specify the advantages and disadvantages of that collaboration. If they
were setbacks, how can they be explained and what are the solutions that were
proposed to address them?
Socio-cultural conditions
Taking social realities into account is the basis of the community-based seed system.
The most critical factors are the land tenure status and gender issues.
Analyzing land tenure status helps to understand the ways used to access land.
Ownership rights to land are a rather complex phenomenon. Land generally belongs
to the founding families of villages. However, with inter-cultural marriages coupled
with different inheritance systems, land can belong to people who are foreigners in the
village.
Land can be lent, leased or seasonally contracted for use or simply donated.
Depending on these arrangements, the farmer can make a long or short term investment
in the land use.
A farmer explaining land
tenure status during rural
appraisal

24
Socio-cultural analysis clearly distinguishes man and woman roles in carrying
cultural purposes.
Man or woman’s knowledge varies according to their role within the society and whether
seed is meant for self-use or for commercial purpose.
In traditional farming systems, women play a leading role in rice production. They
are basically the local labor for manual weeding, harvesting, drying, threshing and
winnowing. Men especially contribute in land clearing and land plowing activities.
Women also take care of germplasm management and play an important role in the
choice of varieties, depending on the type of soils and production objectives. They
dormancy and storability. Women are excellent managers and have very good knowledge
of seed constraints and opportunities, and preference for local and improved varieties.
Women represent a good source of information on indigenous knowledge in seed
production and conservation, as well as traditional channels of diffusion. Understanding
Institutional aspects
Community-based seed system is a new model. Its implementation requires the
development of a nationwide strategy to optimize the efforts of stakeholders in the
different village communities involved.
In implementing the system, it would therefore be recommended to hold a launching
workshop, at the end of which a national observatory should be established. A
national committee
the organizational processes for variety releases and the functioning of the seed system,
Establishing an observatory
The observatory can be set up during the CBSS start-up workshop. The observatory
has the main mandate to gather and disseminate information on seed availabilities
and seed requirements stated by farmers per variety and location. This information is
critical because it helps the concerned services / organizations to know the quantities
of Foundation seed to produce to meet the requirements of the village communities. In
principle, three resource-persons coming from research, extension and the private sector
are enough to run the national observatory. The database can be developed with a simple

25
software like MS Excel, Quattro Pro, MS Access or with a geographical information
system (GIS).
Establishing a national committee
Developing a global strategy for an effective implementation of the community-based
seed system requires partners’ commitment through National Committees for the
Promotion of the community-based seed system (NCP-CBSS). These committees can
have memberships of 10 persons including:
1 representative of the ministry of agriculture (extension).
The high representation of farmers (four members over 10) aims to help the NCP-CBSS
to take more care of farmers’ concerns.
It is also highly recommended that a farmer assumes the chairmanship of the committee.
Representatives of national research and extension institutions on the committee are
responsible for supplying and extending quality Foundation seed and provide technical
facilitators, that is to say good seed technicians but endowed with good communication
skills to effectively interact with farmers.
In countries where there are national variety release and registration committee, there
may be no need to set up a NCP-CBSS. It must however be streamlined to give more
responsibilities to farmers in the variety release process. In fact, it is not an overstatement
to stress that in most countries within the sub-region, national variety release and
registration committees are apparently non-existent.

26
For countries where variety release and registration principles are not yet in force,
establishing an NCP-CBSS could be a great contribution.
Members of the observatory are full members of the national seed committee.
Afarmer must be a full member of the NCP-CBSS. He must play a leading role
in the variety release process.
The NCP-CBSS facilitates the implementation of the seed system and manages
The national variety release and registration committee is regulated by national seed
legislation and regulations.
Seed legislation and regulations are the foundation on which a nationwide seed system
is built. It streamlines and organizes seed actions and at the same time fosters the control
of non authorized seed introductions. Its main objectives are to:
Protect agriculture in the countries against the introduction of foreign pests (insects,
Protect breeders’ exclusive rights on their creativity, who could in return obtain
royalties.
experiencing hardship. Local initiatives are of course made but they are not enough to
meet the multiple seed demands. Moreover, seed legislation without adequate means,
became a stumbling block to the promotion of new initiatives. It is therefore time to
thoroughly review it and to adapt it to current realities by integrating village community
requirements and those coming from the private sector.
In this regard, it is highly desirable for variety release and registration procedures to
take farmers’ views into account. These views must be dominant in the case of rice.
Therefore, the national variety release committee should take measures to initiate the
release of any variety that has been tested and which elicits a high demand for seed from
farmers.

27
Organizational aspects at village community level
Organizational aspects involve traditional local variety management and the
reinforcement of the seed value chain at the village community level.
Traditional local variety management
As pointed out above, the community-based seed system takes local varieties into
account. These varieties are maintained by farmers through a dynamic plant breeding
process. It is therefore important to involve a number of farmers and traditional chiefs
in the management of the nucleus seeds of traditional local varieties in addition to the
collections maintained at research stations. This can be done by acknowledging farmers’
role in the development and maintenance of this type of germplasm. Entering into seed
production contracts with farmers, who request it, could be an alternative arrangement.
Local varieties
It is important to note that homogeneity and stability problems occur frequently in
traditional local varieties. National agricultural research programs may not always have
the facilities and commitment to manage these varieties. In most cases, they may not
conduct any research work in plant genetic resources and are therefore interested only
in improved varieties.
This notwithstanding, national programs are encouraged to integrate traditional local
varieties in their crop improvement and seed multiplication strategies. They could
conserve and make them available to farmers. They could also refer to international
agricultural research institutions like AfricaRice to access a number of elite materials.
Integrating local varieties into the national seed system is so important because it helps
Sierra Leone and Liberia) or natural disasters (drought in sub-Saharan Africa in the
1970s).

28
Reinforcement of the seed value chain at the village community level
Innovative farmers and farmers’ organizations are the main driving forces behind the
community-based seed system. Unlike the conventional system, the community-based
systemintegratesthedecentralizedsystemanditsoperationmode.Existingseedchannels
in village communities are very dynamic. They are generally based on social relations
or traditional seed trading systems. They play a critical role in seed dissemination in
village communities and can therefore ensure the sustainability of the new system.
Innovative farmers and farmers’ organizations involved in CBSS must work to
reinforce local seed diffusion networks.
Reinforcing local seed networks will in the medium term favor a gradual establishment
of rural seed enterprises. They have a double advantage of facilitating on one hand the
close proximity of seed to farmers and on the other hand, an easy adaptation of the
traditional variety dissemination systems, which is basically based on donations, loans,
exchanges and purchase of small seed quantities.
The contribution of innovative farmers and farmers’ organizations is critical for
the aspects involving: (1) practices, rituals and customs involving seeds, (2) traditional
production and conservation techniques and (3) local dissemination channels of
varieties.
Three major tools are used to reinforce indigenous seed diffusion channels: information,
awareness raising and inter-group meetings.
Information
Informationisadeterminingfactorthathelpstheinformalchannelsofseeddissemination
and trade to be more dynamic.
There are many indigenous networks for information dissemination. They include:
informal meetings, religious ceremonies (naming ceremonies, funerals, marriages) and
local weekly markets. They play an important role in information dissemination from
one village community to the other and over long distances.
Awareness raising
Awareness raising favors the promotion of quality seed. It is conducted through the
posters on various themes involving for example:

29
etc.
Awareness raising campaigns are also an opportunity to regularly inform on seed
availability, storage locations and proposed prices.
Inter-groups meetings
These favor exchanges between farmers on problems of common interests. They can
offer opportunities for initiating collaborative activities between village communities.
During these meetings, information is given on new varieties and their characteristics,
seed storage locations, quantities available and prices.
Reinforcing farmers’ capacity in seed production
Reinforcing farmers’ capacity in seed production critically requires training. Training
system. It aims to acquaint farmers with the main tools needed to easily organize
seed activities in village communities and to consolidate regional and nationwide
achievements.
Training is conducted in three stages:
Awareness raising and evaluation workshops.
CBSS start-up workshops
CBSS launching workshops are held at national and regional levels before initiating
appraisals help not only to know if quality seed non-availability is a major constraint
to production, but also to delve into local seed management problems. An example of
discussion themes is included in annex 1. It aims to adapt CBSS to local realities to help
interested farmers to meet seed requirements and end-users’ demands.
Launching workshops are an opportunity to round up local initiatives and to streamline
the new seed system by sharing responsibilities between Foundation seed producers,
Basic seed producers and producers of seed of Acceptable Quality.

30
National level start-up workshops must be differentiated from regional, zones and village
workshop convener, in the second case, innovative farmers and farmers’ organizations
It behooves them to ensure seed quality maintenance by conducting germination and
varietal purity tests to decide, where necessary, about nucleus seed renewal.
The start-up workshop aims to train the main development operators in community-
based seed system implementation and operation.
The scheme below gives indications on possible themes to be tackled: seed systems
and farmers’ initiatives (adding value to farmers’ practices), basic seed and acceptable
quality seed production techniques, nucleus seed maintenance, seed processing and
creation and evaluation workshop organization, assistance for the creation of rural seed
enterprises, national committee management, national observatory management on
available seed stocks and farmers’ requirements, seed legislation and variety release.
favor experience exchanges between farmers on working methods used to improve the
quality of their seed.
production sites, demonstrations and varietal tests underway in surrounding locations.
They are privileged times when farmers mainly discuss production technique problems
in seed quality improvement:
Cultural practices (seedling modes,
weeding, chemical and organic fertili-
Protection methods against pests (Trap
laying, chemical and natural pesticide
Seed quality improvement techniques
(isolation, roguing, seed selection and
processing, stocks management, etc.).

31
Awareness raising and evaluation workshops
Awareness raising and evaluation workshops can be conducted immediately after rice
harvest or a little later.They aim to achieve two main objectives: achievements evaluation
in seed production techniques and farmers’ awareness creation on organizational and
trade aspects.
of post-harvest activities and germination tests.
In the second case, discussions are mainly focused on the means to: (1) strengthen
farmers’ organizational capacity, (2) professionalization and specialization of a number
of them and (3) information management in village seed communities.
Awareness creation on organizational aspects also aims to establish a value chain seed
sector at the village community levels. This is very important and could help to organize
seed commercial operations. The existence of local seed systems could in the future
help to pave the way for the use of mobile seed processing units. These units are much
more adapted to the realities of smallholder farmers than current industrial complexes
being used.
During the awareness raising and evaluation workshops, the technicians must be able
to pass on information on stocks available, seed quality in their locations, the various
must therefore have the required information on the respective village communities to
feed into the national and regional database.

Module III
Role of the main stakeholders
of the community-based seed
system

34
Module III: Role of the main stakeholders of the community-based seed system
This module:
*
partner with the aim to facilitate
an effective implementation of
organizational and technical
CBSS activities

35
Objective
implementation of organizational and technical CBSS activities.
The main partners of the system are: Farmers’organizations, Foundation seed producers,
national seed services.
Farmers’ organizations
Smallholder farmers are organizing themselves more and more into producer groupings
with the objective to better address common problems, including seed.
These farmer groupings mainly have the mandate to:
Organize and monitor an effective functioning of CBSS at the village community
Control seed quality and make recommendations on the need to or not to renew
Facilitate farmers’ access to agricultural season credits (running funds, agricultural
Facilitate farmers’ access to information on seed stocks and other products
Ensure the promotion of Acceptable Quality seed.
Basic seed producers
Their main task is to:
Produce Foundation seed for producers residing in the village communities of their
Provide farmers, farmers’ organizations and senior technicians with the required
information on available seed (quantities, prices, storage locations).
innovative farmers in Foundation seed production must be encouraged.
Innovative farmers are farmers who are open to new technologies. They agree to invest in
rice production inputs (fertilizer, herbicides, and insecticides). They therefore represent
an important link for facilitating quality seed availability in the various locations.

36
Acceptable Quality seed producers
They have the mandate to mainly:
Produce Acceptable Quality seed for farmers in their village communities and
required information on available seed (quantities available, prices, storage places,
etc.).
Training farmers

37
They have the mandate to:
Provide information on seed availability in their locations (seed categories,
Participate, at farmers’ request, in seed quality evaluation (varietal purity,
Communicate their observations to farmers and senior technicians.
Senior technicians (extension, private sector, NGOs)
Their main mandate is to:
Facilitate CBSS functioning in their operational zones. They participate in
Collect information on variety trends in the regions, seed quantities available and
their quality, locations where they are conserved, seed requirements and prices
Facilitate new variety adoption study in their operational zones.
National leaders (agriculture, research, extension, private sector)
Their mission is to:
Facilitate new variety adoption study at the national level.

38

Module IV
Interactions between varietal
testing, variety release and seed
production activities

40
Module IV: Interactions between varietal testing, variety release and seed production activities
This module:
* Aims to foster better interactions
between various varietal testing
and new variety release on one
hand, and seed multiplication and
diffusion activities on the other
hand

41
Objective
The module aims to foster better interactions between varietal testing and new variety
release on one hand, and seed multiplication and diffusion activities on the other hand.
It proposes a new approach to varietal testing, taking into account farmers’ assessments
Varietal testing
Traditional rice farmers grow a diverse range of traditional local cultivars every year,
which helps them to mitigate the risks associated with a poor cropping season. When
natural disasters occur, therefore (for example drought or pests infestation), farmers are
always able to harvest something. It is therefore necessary, whenever this is possible to
facilitate access to information for them on the existence of new improved varieties to
broaden their selection range. This can be achieved through varietal trials, on-farm tests,
demonstrations or participatory varietal selection, commonly known as PVS.
In this document, only participatory varietal selection is covered. Varietal trials, on-farm
was therefore not deemed necessary to develop them here.
Participatory varietal selection is a dynamic experimentation tool that helps to value
farmers’assessments. For its implementation, a PVS test is held in each agro-ecological
zone. The number of varieties used depends on the number of varieties available and
the number requested through information provided by farmers on the type of genetic
material they prefer with regard to the cycle, height, and grain quality, biotic and abiotic
constraints. The PVS test includes end-of-selection breeding lines, released varieties
and traditional local varieties. The presence of local varieties helps farmers to make
comparisons with their own checks.
For end-of-selection breeding lines and new introductions, susceptibility analyses to
the main insects and diseases must be conducted in a laboratory. These analyses can
involve, depending on the type of rice farming system: blast, leaf blight, yellow mottle
virus, gall midge, etc.
Participatory varietal selection helps farmers to identify promising varieties for
immediate use and immediate diffusion to their neighbors. In fact, participatory varietal
selection does not aim to scale-up the variety diffusion process. This is rather the
purpose of national seed programs. However, PVS fosters varietal diversity, which is
very important in traditional agriculture. It also provides useful information to research
release.

42
There are two types of participatory varietal selections: PVS-Research and PVS-
Conversely, the second type is led by extension and involves a high number of farmers in
many locations in a given agro- ecological zone. Combining both experimentation types
allows a better utilization of farmers’ assessments in the selection process of varieties
for an extended diffusion.
Community-based seed system uses the information collected at the end of PVS-
Research and PVS-Extension. If there is a high demand for a number of varieties, the
release process is immediately initiated to meet the seed requirements.
PVS-Research
It is conducted in three stages:
Year 1: Farmers select varieties in which they are interested in a garden of varieties
according to their own assessments (general outlook, adaptation to low external inputs
conditions, tolerance to diseases, grain shape, preference for food, etc.).
Year 2: Farmers sow varieties in a simple design that can help them make relevant
comparisons. At harvest, sensory tests are conducted by research and extension agents
to collect farmers’ impressions about varieties they would like to sow in the following
cropping season and about their seed requirements.
Year 3: On the eve of Year 3 season, the seed of selected varieties is sold to farmers.
This action is of course symbolic, but it provides information on the interest of farmers in
a given variety.
The participatory selection program then ends. Other trials can be initiated in the same
location or elsewhere if farmers ask for them.
PVS-Research
It is conducted in three stages:
Year 1: Farmers select varieties in which they are interested in a garden of varieties
according to their own assessments (general outlook, adaptation to low external inputs
conditions, tolerance to diseases, grain shape, preference for food, etc.).
Year 2: Farmers sow varieties in a simple design that can help them make relevant
comparisons. At harvest, sensory tests are conducted by research and extension agents
to collect farmers’ impressions about varieties they would like to sow in the following
cropping season and about their seed requirements.
Year 3: On the eve of Year 3 season, the seed of selected varieties is sold to farmers.
This action is of course symbolic, but it provides information on the interest of farmers in
a given variety.
The participatory selection program then ends. Other trials can be initiated in the same
location or elsewhere if farmers ask for them.

43
Figure 3. Comparing classical and participatory experimentation diagram
PVS-Extension
It is conducted during two cropping seasons by farmers under the responsibility of
extension.
Farmers play three major functions:
If at the end of the PVS-Extension program, a number of varieties are requested by farmers,
a fact sheet rounding up all results is then developed. This fact sheet, which captures
the agronomic, technological, and cooking performances of varieties, is submitted to the
national variety release and registration committee to be studied and checked.
PVS-Extension
It is conducted during two cropping seasons by farmers under the responsibility of
extension.
Farmers play three major functions:
If at the end of the PVS-Extension program, a number of varieties are requested by farmers,
a fact sheet rounding up all results is then developed. This fact sheet, which captures
the agronomic, technological, and cooking performances of varieties, is submitted to the
national variety release and registration committee to be studied and checked.
Figure 3 compares the processes used in the conventional experimentation and the
participatory process.
Year 1
Year 2
Years 3–5
Year 6
Years 7–8
Years 9–10
PVS-Research
PVS-Extension
Participatory approach
Observation Nursery
Observation Yield Trials
Repeated Yield Trials
Classical approach
Observation Nursery
Observation Yield Trials
Repeated Yield Trials
Elite Trials
Coordinated Regional
Yield Trials
On-farm Variety Tests

44
In the classical approach, most trials are conducted at on-station (primary, secondary,
and key) sites. Farmers are only involved in testing new varieties in the ninth year. By
contrast, in the participatory approach, farmers are involved in the selection of varieties
from the sixth year.
Releasing varieties
together with its well known agronomic and technological characteristics, must meet
distinctness, uniformity and stability criteria.
conducted on-station and aim to check the characteristics of varieties provided by
research. Demonstrations however aim to help farmers, who did not host varietal tests
to know the potential of the new variety.
Releasing is generally conducted by the national variety release and registration
committee makes recommendations to the relevant institution, generally the ministry of
are complex and often subjective.
To successfully achieve its mission, it is important for the NPC-CBSS to work in
close collaboration with research and extension institutions, in the early stages of the
participatory varietal selection or participatory varietal tests. The NPC-CBSS must also
The table below provides the main characteristics for initiating a variety release process.
This option has the advantage of valuing farmers’perceptions while respecting the main
international characteristics. Farmers are the main users of the varieties. It is therefore
important to use their assessment criteria as a determining factor in the variety release
process.

45
Seed production
Seed production under the community-based system begins in the fourth year of
participatory varietal selection, that is at the end of PVS-Extension.
Arapid rural appraisal is therefore organized at the level of farmers involved in the PVS-
Research and PVS-Extension activities to know the most frequently selected varieties.
Seed production is then initiated. It successively provides G0, G1 and G2 Foundation
seed. At the end of G2 or sometimes at the G3 Foundation seed, production is done by
farmers, if the variety is released.
Early initiation of seed production helps farmers to access new varieties within a
relatively short time.
Linkages between activities
In Figure 4 are listed links to be forged with varietal testing mechanisms (PVS-Research
and PVS-Extension), release of new varieties and production of seed.
testing of new varieties. In fact, it fosters an increase in the number of varieties tested
in farmers’ real conditions. It also facilitates the variety release process and speeds up
seed multiplication.
Compared to the classical approach, participatory varietal selection has three major
advantages:
The farmer selects from a large range of varieties (between 60 and 100), instead of
The scientist runs less risk of eliminating varieties that would have been deemed
promising by farmers.
Participatory
varietal selection

46
PVS
Research
PVS
Extension
Release
process
CBSS
promotion
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Year 7
Year 8
Varietal trial
garden
1st year of
participatory
variety test in
PVS sites
2nd year of
participatory
variety test in
PVS sites
Conclusion
1st year of
participatory
variety test
outside PVS
locations
2nd year of
participatory
variety test
outside PVS
locations
Release process
initiation
tests)
Demonstrations
End of the
release process
participatory
seed appraisal.
Production of G0
seed of selected
varieties
G1 Foundation
seed production
G2 Foundation
seed production
Basic seed
production
CBSS Training
course
Acceptable
Quality seed
production
CBSS training
course
Figure 4. Links between varietal testing and diffusion mechanisms

47

48
Module V: Practical advice for maintaining seed quality
Module V
Practical advice for maintaining
seed quality

49
This module:
* aims to:
- Provide information needed
by technicians on various
organizational aspects of seed
production;
- Reinforce farmers’ capacity
to better meet their seed
requirements

50
Objective
The module aims at providing the critical information needed by technicians to fully
grasp various organizational aspects of seed production and to reinforce farmers’
capacity to meet their seed requirements through the community-based seed system.
For this purpose, recommendations are given below. They take into account indigenous
knowledge and propose simple means of improvement. These means include better
management of harvest and post-harvest operations as well as seed quality control.
Managing harvest and post-harvest operations
deteriorates: harvest, drying, threshing, winnowing and storage.
Harvest
The process of access to acceptable quality seed starts with harvest operations, when
rice is well mature. This is not the case for basic seeds, the production of which requires
Two harvest modes are usually utilized: harvest with knife and harvest with sickle.
Harvest with a knife is traditionally practiced by women while harvest with the sickle
is performed by men. In each case, however, it is desirable that the farmer personally
harvests his or her seed.
Recognizing a mature seed
Maturity is generally characterized by a dry panicle axis. Before harvesting rice, the farmer
must be sure that half of the panicle axis has dried well.
Panicle axis is the vein on which spikelets are joined. In other words the panicle axis can
be seen as the part that links the grain to the main panicle vein.
Recognizing a mature seed
Maturity is generally characterized by a dry panicle axis. Before harvesting rice, the farmer
must be sure that half of the panicle axis has dried well.
Panicle axis is the vein on which spikelets are joined. In other words the panicle axis can
be seen as the part that links the grain to the main panicle vein.

51
If harvest is conducted with a knife, the farmer selects the best plants from which he or
seed. Full harvest is then conducted on the whole plot.
Where harvesting is conducted with a sickle, it is recommended that the farmer selects
species (off-type plants and weeds) from that portion. It is only then that he or she can
harvest his or her seed. The rest of the harvest will be used for consumption.
Selecting and harvesting the best panicles (the whole family at work)

52
Off-types are distinguished by external signs like:
Cycle – off-types can have a different maturity cycle. They can mature earlier or
Grain color – off-types can have a different color at various levels (leaves, panicles,
Grain shape – off-types can have grains that differ from those of the targeted variety
Hair presence – off-types can have hair on their leaves. The presence of hair is
Awn presence – off-types may have awns or not. The awn looks like a beard hanging
from the top end of the grain.
Plants showing susceptibility to diseases and/or insect pests.
Any plant that differs in one or more characteristics from the original variety
is considered an off-type and must therefore be removed before harvest. This
is particularly important when harvest is conducted with a sickle.
Off-type plants removal Harvest with a sickle

53
Drying
When seed has just been harvested, it is
still wet and must therefore be dried. A
well dried seed is easily conserved and
is often not attacked by insects or fungal
diseases.
Good drying procedure:
Spread the seed every day in the
open air for about one week. The
seed must preferably be dried in the
shade. Drying under the scorching
sun is not advisable because high
ground temperatures can be lethal to
seed and cracks, which are injurious
Stir the seed from time to time to
ensure good ventilation.
Germination due to bad drying
Rice drying in a Savannah zone
(Côte d’Ivoire)
Rice drying in a Sudano Sahelian zone
Rice drying in a Forest zone (Guinea, Ghana)

54
Threshing
Threshing is a sensitive operation. It must be carefully carried out to reduce the risks of
cracking the seed, contaminating it with diseases or mixed varieties.
Before threshing therefore:
clay. If such facilities are not available, cover the ground with a tarpaulin, plastic
If possible, winnow the threshed seed immediately.
If threshing is done by machine, make sure that the machine has been thoroughly cleaned
before use. It is recommended to leave the machine on for at least a number of minutes
to remove the grains that were stuck in it. Systematically remove these grains and use
be used as seed.
This mode of manual threshing is
prohibited
ASI Thresher-cleaner

55
Winnowing
Winnowing aims to clean the seed, that is, to remove impurities.
These impurities can be straw, plant debris, weed seeds, insects or stones. Winnowing is
therefore an important operation in the seed quality improvement process.
For proper winnowing, the farmer must:
Gather containers containing the same variety at the same place. Just like threshing,
if winnowing is conducted with a machine, make sure that the machine has been
thoroughly cleaned. Systematically remove the grains cleaned earlier. The farmer
can then collect his or her seed.
Small-scale thresherManual winnowing

56
Storage
Storage is a sensitive operation in seed management. It can last for a few weeks to
several months and therefore deserves special care.
Many storage methods are currently used. Traditional methods seem, however, to be
more adapted to farmers’ resources and do not need a lot of investment.
A few practical recommendations for markedly improving traditional storage methods
are made below. They aim mainly to reduce the risks of mixing varieties and to visibly
improve seed protection against pests.
Conservation in the granary in the Savannah zone
For good seed storage, it is advisable to:
Open the granary from time to time to allow good ventilation. If necessary, use
insecticides to keep insect pests away.
involve baskets, boxes, pots, drums, etc.
Storage structures in the Sahel and Sudano-Sahelian zones

57
Conservation in the kitchen in the Forest
zone
In this case, it is advisable to:
Clean well the storage place located above
or pepper leaves to keep insects away.
Conservation in sacks
For conservation in sacks, it is necessary to:
Put the bags on wooden pallets or sticks
to avoid contact with the ground and to
ensure good ventilation.
recommend a product. Products commonly used includeActellic 50, Malathion
and Chlorpyriphos. These products must be handled with care according to
prescribed instructions.
Forest zone
Conservation in sacks
Natural insecticides (Biopesticides)
for neem porridge against termites and stem borers or neem leaves and mints against
storage insects.
Other natural insecticides are used in the form of powder or ash. They are prepared with
cashew tree barks, cashew fruits, black pepper, pepper or various plant insecticides.
Natural insecticides (Biopesticides)
for neem porridge against termites and stem borers or neem leaves and mints against
storage insects.
Other natural insecticides are used in the form of powder or ash. They are prepared with
cashew tree barks, cashew fruits, black pepper, pepper or various plant insecticides.

58
Quality control
Germination and varietal purity tests are conducted to check seed quality. The results
achieved will help to decide whether the seed should be renewed or maintained for four
Germination tests
Before sowing it is critical to make sure that the seed germinates well. Germination tests
must be conducted by the farmer himself or herself.
It is therefore recommended to:
Add water each time it is necessary.
At the end of about one week, fold back the cloth materials and count the number of
grains that have germinated in each plate. Calculate the average of germinated grains in
the three plates to know the germination rate.
- If more than 80 grains have germinated, the seed is good and can be sowed
at the normal dosage.
- If less than 80 grains have germinated, seed quantity per hectare must be
increased.
or recommend seed renewal.
Purity test
Purity test aims to ascertain the quality of the variety, to know whether it has not been
mixed with other materials or seeds of other varieties. This test is normally conducted
in a laboratory. Under CBSS however, pure nucleus seed called are
given to innovative farmers and farmers’ organizations to help them recognize the new
maintenance of varietal purity for many years.

59
Checking purity
To check seed purity:
Sort out the sample on the basis of grain criteria (shape, color, spots or hair presence,
Separate the various components into two groups:
- The group of other matters (seed of other rice varieties, weed seeds, stones,
Calculate the weight percentage of the pure seed. If that percentage is higher than
90, the seed is considered as good. If it is below this, the farmer must renew his or
her nucleus seed.
N-B: The operation is repeated three times to ensure the reliability of the results of the
purity test.
- Bags of 50 g each are given to seed groupings as reference samples per
variety.

60
Annexes
Annexes

61
Annexes
1.
participatory appraisal is conducted. It is however better to adapt it to environments
depending on the trend of the discussion.
2. Informthelocalauthoritiesontheobjectivesoftheparticipatoryappraisal,generally,
3. Select together a date and hour to hold the meeting.
4. Stick to the selected date and hour.
5. Link up with the village community through conventional channels, that is, the
village chief, customary heads or producer grouping managers and women or youth
associations.
6. Follow the usual greeting procedures used in the community before any discussion.
This greeting may be very long. It is however a prerequisite for any discussion.
7. Begin the interview in a plenary session with interested farmers. The duration of
the interview must not exceed two hours to avoid boring them.
8.
in the zone, the number of farmers involved, areas sown, etc.
9. Enquire about the main rice production and trade constraints and opportunities and
10. Enquire about varieties cultivated by farmers and how they obtain seed.
11. Discuss the management problems of cultivated varieties and their origin. If these
problems are many, however, plan another meeting to look into them in detail.
Avoid discussing many problems in one session.
12. Round up the discussions conducted and ask farmers if they have other issues to
raise.
13. After discussions in a plenary session, it would be better to further the appraisal
through individual interviews. These interviews can involve individual seed
producers or producer groupings. They help to fully grasp the problems and to
that generates fruitful debates that can lead to sustainable solutions.

62
Annexes
Annex 2: Problem tree developed by farmers in Danané,
in Côte d’Ivoire
The problem tree covers the main problem (trunk), the causes of the problem (roots),
the consequences of the problem (branches) and the solutions advocated by farmers
(fruits).
The problem tree is a very popular appraisal tool among farmers, who can draw it on
the ground or on the blackboard. It helps to highlight the complex links between a given
Diseases
Mixed
seeds
Producing their
own seed
Observing production
standards
Keeping
seed far
away
from
home
Sorting
Seed consumption
Lack of quality seed
Crop
Seed
treatment
Germination
tests Roguing
Winnowing
Poor quality
seed
Erosion
Low germination
rate
Low soil
fertility
Weed
presence
Rainfall
H
igh
costofseed
Productiondecrease

63
Annexes
Principal causes of the decrease of rice seed quality
Annex 3: Results of a participatory rural appraisal conducted in
N’zerekore in Guinea
Principal constraints of rice seed production and preservation
Low production does not
allow us to meet our seed
needs
During religious or familial
ceremonies, we use all our
productions
What are your principal
constraints in rice seed
production and preservation?
We do not have appropriate
seed preservation
infrastructures
obliged to sell our seed
Rain irregularity doesn’t
help to set up a good seed
strategy
Seed problems appear the
day before the seedling
Lack of roguing
Insect attack
Low maturity
Use of damaged bags What are the principal
causes of the decrease of
your seed quality?
Bad storage facilities
Inadequate drying
Moisture content
relatively high
Presence of rats
Poor ventilation of the
stocks

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