This document discusses developing sustainable seed production and delivery systems for drought-prone areas in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, using groundnut in West and Central Africa as a case study. It outlines current informal and formal seed systems, approaches to seed production tested in Mali, Niger and Nigeria, and the costs and challenges of seed production and small-pack sales. Key lessons learned include strengthening community-based organizations for seed production and delivery, training agro-dealers in marketing, and integrating seed and grain markets.

1. Developing sustainable seed
production and delivery systems for
reaching the poor in drought-prone
zones of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia:
Case of Groundnut in WCA
J Ndjeunga, B R Ntare and NARES of Mali, Niger
and Nigeria

2. Outline
• Current seed systems
• Seed production
• Approaches tested
• Cost of seed production
• Sale of small-pack seed
• Challenges and lessons learned

3. Supply channels
Variety development and Seed produc8on INFORMAL
Variety development
Village markets and seed
IER, ICRISAT
traders
Variety release Farmer‐to‐farmer
Na,onal Species and Variety release exchange
Commi;ee (CNEV)
FORMAL
Nucleus and breeder seed
Farmer seed
IER, ICRISAT Extension services
Founda8on seed Development and relief
Commercial seed
Founda,on seed Unit ‐ IER, ICRISAT, FO, projects
SCSP
Non governmental
Registered seed organiza8ons
FO, SCSP under the Na,onal Seed
Service (SSN) Farmers associa8ons /
small scale seed
producers
Cer8fied seed
Private companies
FO, SCSP, Outgrowers
FASOKABA, Comptoir
2000
Groundnut seed channels in Mali

4. Seed production
• High quality foundation and certified seed
produced
– 1.225 tons of breeder seed, about 22 tons of
foundation seed and about 42 tons of certified seed in
year 1 (65 tons of seed)
– In Mali,
• 11 tons of basic seed planned but only 5 ha were planted
• 54.5 ha of certified seed planted vs 24 tons targeted
– In Niger
• Foundation seed (planned 14 tons, planted 18 ha)
• Certified seed (targeted 18 tons, planted 42 ha)
– In Nigeria
• 13.5 tons of foundation seed vs 17.5 ha planted
• 54 tons of certified seed targeted vs 60 ha planted

5. Seed P&D strategies
Breeder Basic Certified Certified
seed seed Seed I “Grains”
Seed II
Small
FA/FO retailers
FA/FO FA/FO
NARS SCSP Input
ICRISAT SCSP SCSP shops
NARS
Priv. Priv. Priv.
Priv. outlets
Contract
farmers

6. Cost of seed production by institution (US$/
kg)
1.83
1.25
Institution
3.28
1.50
0.87
0.86
1.21
- 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50
Cost of seed production (US$/ha)

7. Testing the demand for small pack seed
• Number of selling points
(SP): 11
• 6908 small packs (4600
treated and 2300 non-
treated)
• Seed price : 2.26 US$/kg
• Percent sold: 27-100%
(avg 64%)
• Avg distance to SP: 3 km
(0 - 11 km)
• Percent loss per kg of
seed: 23%

8. Rural radios:
dissemination of
information on:
prices,
varieties and
location of selling
points
Not covered by rural radios

9. • Created in 2007 – supported by AGRA
• Encourage to engage in small pack sales last
year (Sold more than 150 tons)
• 10.705 tons of seed of which 10.200 sold
(percent sold 95.28%)
• Training of retailers
• Varieties: JL 24, ICGV0128, ICGV015, Fleur 11,
Tikaba, 47-10
• Pack size (0.5kg, 1, 5, 10, 30, vrac)
• 48 outlets in Koulikoro, Kayes, Segou and Kita

10. Constraints - Fasokaba
• High cost of labor for shelling
• Limited access to capital
• Interested in with hybrid seed
• Lack of appropriate monitoring scheme to track
the demand
• Market for seed remains thin – After farmers
have obtained seed, they will not go back to
market for few years

11. Exposure to technologies and capacity
building
• Exposure to technologies
– Six rural radio themes
– Minikit distributed to 3500 farmers in non-project sites
– 1755 attended 6 field days
– Manual on seed production
– Manual in small-scale business and mrketing in process
• Capacity building
– 650 trained in seed production techniques
– Academic training (1 at University of Ouaga)
– Training in small-scale business skills and marketing In
Mali (30 in Mali and 32 in Niger)

12. • Production of breeder seed remains
inconsistent? (Revolving funds….)
• Private sector still shy in entering the seed
industry
• How to build sustainable seed systems with
CBOs?
• How to sustain the demand when farmers
have acquired the seed of varieties?
• Should government be encouraged t provide
subsidies in the groundnut seed sector?

13. Lessons learned
• CBOs should be strengthened and tasked with
seed production & delivery
• SCSP and farmers’ associations can produce
and deliver seed at lower costs
• There are market niches for groundnut seed
• Training in seed marketing and small-scale
business skills
• Training agro-dealers in marketing and small
business skills is essential
• Partnership with WASA/AGRA needs to be
strengthened to avoid duplications

14. What next?
• Training CBO in small-scale business
and marketing skills
• Linking “agro-dealers” to source of
financing
• Small- pack sale more emphasized
• Integrate seed to “grain” markets

15. Thank you