Presentation by Ido Verhagen, Executive Director at the Access to Seeds Foundation, on April 28, 2016

1. The Access to Seeds Index
Why, how and what?
Washington DC, 25 April 2016

2. FROM MDGs TO SDGs
UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR

4. Indexen
Industry Indexes: Unravelling the role of the private sector

5. Average Corn Yield 1961-2011 in Africa, North America and Europe. Source: FAOStat, 2013
In USA and Europe, corn yields tripled in part thanks to high
yielding crop varieties

6. Smallholder farmers use a mixed bowl of seeds
Only 2% from the private seed sector
Source: CRS
Averages for sub-Saharan Africa

7. Fair Planet Seeds Trials
Over 5 times higher yields with improved varieties
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
1 9 11 31 26 7 12 14 8 17 25 2 4 30 24 3 10 19 16 27 18 15 5 21 28 22 23 13 6 29 32
Local variety in furrow
irrigation
Improved varieties
yielding 5 times higher
than average
Kilograms
Yield per tested variety in furrow irrigation (Kg/Ha)
Average yield tomatoes
in Ethiopia 8,850 Kg / Ha
(FAO STAT 2010)

8. Objectives of the Access to Seeds Index
• Create transparency on current policies and practices to clarify
and understand the role of the seed industry
• Provide an evidence base to the conversation where and how the
seed industry can step up its efforts
• Help identify private sector partners based on insights in
strengths, portfolio, presence
• Encourage seed companies to enlarge their role and
responsibility

9. Latin America
Western Africa
Eastern Africa
South and
Southeast Asia
Focus on four regions with (1) smallholder presence
(2) food security challenge (3) agricultural potential

11. Input for the methodology
What do we expect from seed companies?
June 2013: Ministers’ conference FAO Oct 2013: Farmers’ Round Table Addis Ababa Nov 2013: Industry Round Table Wash. DC
Farmers - Uganda Seed company - Ethiopia Government - Ghana

12. Smallholder farmers’ perspective on access to seeds
Six dimensions of access

13. Methodology of the Access to Seeds Index
• 7 measurement areas
with 73 indicators
• Companies active in breeding,
production, distribution
• Relative ranking: comparing
companies with eachother
• Companies are scaled for size and
portfolio

14. Main findings
1. Some global seed companies are showing leadership, exploring possibilities to
address the needs of smallholder farmers
2. The global seed industry is present in all regions with a broad portfolio, with the
exception of Western Africa: half of the countries not covered
3. Regional seed companies are filling in critical gaps largely neglected by global
peers
4. Seed companies have limited activities that specifically address the needs of
women famers
5. Many seed companies lack tailored approaches for entering emerging markets,
for instance on farm saved seed, informal seed systems, smallholder as partner

15. Present in all regions, with the exception of Western Africa
More private sector activity in countries with high EBA-scores

16. • Only top 4 companies have business activities in
the regions, 5 to 7 limit themselves to CSR-projects
• Dupont Pioneer has the most extensive breeding
programs
• Syngenta leads on innovative capacity building and
adoption activities

17. • East-West Seed leads with a smallholder focused
business model
• Smaller firms like Rijk Zwaan and Bejo focus
contribution on breeding
• Japanese companies are active but lack
transparency on activities

18. • Companies originating from the region outperform
the bigger multinationals, filling in critical gaps
• Multinationals lead on transparency and
commitment, regional companies on performance
• Many companies with specific strenghts, which
could be interesting for partnerships

20. Global companies
Tangible targets are often lacking
Engagement with partners outside the seed industry is limited
Some transfer of biotechnology traits
More testing of existing varieties than breeding for the region
Broad portfolio and country coverage, primarily proprietary hybrids
Mainly project based, no structural aspect of a smallholder farmer
focused business model
Only one company has commitment for advancing local seed sector
Key findings per measurement area – Global Companies

21. Regional companies
Smallholder farmers are main target group, board room responsibility
Limited engagement with global initiatives
Many cooperation with local seed banks, public research institutes
Breeding programs for local crops
Tailored strategies: packaging, mobile seed shops, OPV’s
Some companies with broad reach in extension and capacity building
Involving smallholder farmers in seed production
Production
Key findings per measurement area – Regional Companies

22. Seed companies exploring a broad approach to access to
seeds on various dimensions
Availability
Mobile seed shops
to reach local
markets
Victoria Seeds,
Uganda
Capability
School for next
generation farmers
Bayer,
India
Affordability
Seed insurance against
weather risks
Syngenta,
Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda
Suitability
Breeding station for local
crops and varieties
RijkZwaan
Tanzania

23. Impact so far?
1. High ranking companies approached as preferred partners
2. Employees starting up internal debates
3. Responsible investors showing interest
4. Companies higher in the value chain plan to use Index results
5. West-African governments alarmed

24. What is next?
Conversation on current Index
• Discuss findings with smallholder farmers in regions
• Discuss findings with individual companies
• Combine insights with research on public sector performance (EBA, TASAI)
Developing next Index
• Evaluate findings and methodology
• Include other regions
• More focus on reach, impact and quality

25. For pdf of report and online accessible data:
www.accesstoseeds.org

26. Ido Verhagen
iverhagen@accesstoseeds.org
@idoverhagen
✉