This document outlines plans for the Centre of Excellence for Seed Industry (CoESI) in West Africa to be implemented by the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) in Nigeria. It discusses the need for CoESI due to yield losses in crops like cassava and opportunities in the seed value chain. The implementation strategy involves building strategic partnerships between NASC, farmers, industry, research institutions, and donors to strengthen Nigeria's seed system through activities at CoESI like training, quality control facilities, and market-responsive policies. The overall goals are to increase domestic seed production, exports, and entrepreneurship while ensuring national food security.

1. Hemant Nitturkar
Project Director
Cassava Seed System Project
Centre of excellence for seed industry
in West Africa:
Implementation options and strategies
5thJune2018
ABUJA

2. NASC-CoESI
WHY
WHAT
HOW
WHEN WHERE WHO

3. WHY - NASC-CoESI
• Lost economic produce – impacting food security
• Cassava – 1 trillion Naira lost every year due to yield gap
• Add up for other crops !!!
• Lost economic value – impacting livelihood security
• Additional produce from yield gains will feed a whole value
addition supply chain
• Entrepreneurial opportunities in seed value chain going
abegging – domestic and regional
• Risk future food security – impacting national security
• Skills and knowledge gap in the industry
• Climate change led issues
• Threats of CBSD in cassava and other seed borne diseases
entering Nigeria due to weak seed ecosystem in the country,
which may have devastating consequences

4. Time is ripe now for NASC-CoESI !
NASC ready
• High potential center in Sheda
• Launching of NASC Call Centre/Farmer’s Help line
• Futuristic and committed leadership
Nation ready
• 70% improved seeds usage in WA
• Can capture 70% share in WA
Region ready
• Back to farm focus across the region
• Youth, food, livelihood and nutrition security issues
World ready
• SDGs – a sense of urgency due to 2030 deadline
• FAO projection of agriculture growth needed to feed the
world – This means international support forthcoming!

5. Potential benefits of NASC-CoESI
• Help translate the benefits of agri-genetics and seed
science advances for the populace and the nation (Target
of 100,000 MT domestic and 50,000 MT certified seed for export)
• Generate new knowledge, skilled manpower and act as
a futuristic think tank to serve the industry, academia,
research and the government (500 youth and women trained to
be annually)
• Help utilize and protect the national natural resources
in a more efficient way
• Reduce the costs of running the business by eliminating
inefficient practices and by cutting the time required
for implementation of new technologies and skills.

6. Potential role of all stakeholders?
Farmers – run their farming as micro-businesses and try to
increase productivity and income. This is the foundational
base for the seed industry.
Industry – Meet the needs of farmers in close partnership
with the NASC-CoESI
IARC, AUs and NARS – closely partner with NASC-CoESI to
ensure research benefits reach the masses
INGOs, Donor agencies and other authorities – avoid free
distribution of uncertified seeds and work through NASC
to strengthen seed systems
ALL STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO HELP NASC-CoESI, TO HELP US

8. High quality diagnostics facility at NASC
• Seed companies to
use it
• NARS to patronise it
• AUs to collaborate
• Customers to
demand quality
• Processors to
demand quality
• Policy to support
move towards all
round quality regime

9. Team Play
NASC + Stakeholders = Champion Team

10. Implementation Plan and strategy
Source:
http://venturesafrica.com/story/ogbeh-says-
nigeria-needs-a-seed-industry-revolution/
Nigeria’s 2015 seed
production was valued
at $215 million

11. Views necessary for transformation
EAGLE VIEW
ELEPHANT VIEW
SNAKE VIEW

12. Strategic partnerships
BOTTOM
UP
• Technical partner – India
• Capacity building partner – Australia
• Financial partner – USA/UK/EUROPE

13. Learnings from Indian seed
industry development
• From less than 25 seed companies four decades ago,
to over 500 world class seed companies accounting for 70% of
India’s seed market and the rest coming from a robust public
sector seed system
• Almost 1/3rd private companies have a global
technology/financial partner and spends nearly 10-12% of
annul turnover in R&D, growing at 20% pa
• Fifth largest seed market across the globe
• Indian seeds market reached a value of US$ 3.6 Billion in
2017, exhibiting a CAGR of around 17% during 2010-2017.
(IMARC Report)
• CAGR of 14.3% during 2018-2023, reaching a value of more
than US$ 8 Billion by 2023

15. Implementation strategy
• Market responsive policies:
e-certification, 3rd party certification, self-
regulation, special needs of VPCs etc.
• Naming rights for strategic facilities – Naira
150 million for training hall- an opportunity
for a corporate like Tony Elumulu or
Dangote and the like, or even an int. donor
• Social entrepreneurship development (bottom-up)
• CSR development initiatives (top-down)

16. End with quote from father of BoP
Late Prof C K Prahalad
1. Aspirations > Resources
2. Fold the future in and not
extrapolate the present
3. Focus on next practices (not
best practices)

17. The time is now!
THANK YOU
h.nitturkar@cgiar.org