Unpacking social dynamics of stress tolerant rice
variety (STRV) seed systems
Rohini Ram Mohan, Ranjitha Puskur, Ruben Nunez Jr.,
Mohd Ashraful Habib, Eva Salve Bacud, Harold Valera,
Joyce Luis and Swati Nayak

Research Questions
What are the key social and
institutional processes at play in
access to rice seed?
How are seed sourcing patterns
different for various social groups in
two different geographical contexts,
particularly for STRVs?
What are the important implications
of these patterns on access to STRV
seeds for vulnerable social groups,
especially women farmers?

Study area
1500 HH
150 VILLAGES
75 UPZILAS
23 DISTRICTS
7 DIVISIONS
1500 HH
55 VILLAGES
7 BLOCKS
5 DISTRICTS
ODISHA BANGLADESH
Villages were selected on the basis of exposure to STRV seed dissemination
and training at least 2/3 seasons (2014 for Odisha ; 2015/16 for Bangladesh)
Survey tool was designed to collect comprehensive
information on various aspects including access,
decision making , asset profiles , stress experienced etc.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
STRV
Non-STRV
Own seed (saved/produced) Other farmers (inside/outside village) Department (Government)
NGOs Cooperatives Research Inst'ns/ Agri University , KVKs
CBO's / SHGs Others
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
STRV
Non-STRV
Own seed (saved/produced) Agri input shop Other farmers (inside/outside village)
Department (Government) General shop Research Inst'ns/ Agri U, KVKs
Bangladesh
Odisha
Juxtaposing seed sources
Important
channel
for
women
farmers

0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
General Other
Backward
classes
Scheduled
Caste
Scheduled
Tribes
Others
CBO's / SHGs
Research Inst'ns/ Agri
University , KVKs
Cooperatives
NGOs
Department (Government)
Other farmers (inside/outside
village)
Own seed (saved/produced)
Caste and seed sources: STRV users
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
General Other Backward
classes
Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribes
Castewise adoption of STRVs
Non-Adopting HHs STRV Adopting HHs

0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
General Other Backward classes Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribes
Caste –wise sources of information among
STRV households
Government NGO Radio TV Mobile Others
Access to Information among STRV households
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
General Other Backward classes Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribes
Caste-wise location for accessing
information
Others
In village
Main/local department office
Other farmer's house
Own place (house/farm)

Access to Seed and Information in Bangladesh
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Extremely Poor Poor Above poverty line
Seed Sources accessed by different income groups
Other source
Own seed (saved/produced)
Other farmers (inside/outside
village)
Government/
NGOs/Research Instns
Agri input shop
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Extremely poor
Poor
Above Poverty line
Income
Group
Variety used and its relationship with income
level
Non-STRV STRV
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
AxisTitle
Information sources accessed
by gender of household heads
Others
(pesticide company)
Phone/ Mobile Phone
Television
Radio
Other farmers (e.g. progressive
farmers)
NGO
(in-person)
Private extension (dealers,
traders)
(in-person)
Government extension
(in-person)

Conclusions
Social and institutional
norms structure who
accesses STRV seeds and
how
Major differences in
patterns in which different
caste groups access seed
and information sources in
Odisha, but not so in the
case of different income
groups in Bangladesh
Vulnerable groups including
women farmers rely more
on institutions like NGO/
CBOs apart from their own
saved seeds
Need to acknowledge the
intersectionalities at play
and effectively target
dissemination

THANK YOU!
Rohini Ram Mohan
Gender & Social Science Researcher
International Rice Research Institute
r.r.mohan@irri.org.