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Scaling Up Improved Seed and
Agronomic Practices in Southern Africa
P4D Week
20-26 November 2016, Ibadan, Nigeria
MG Akinwale, C Malita, AH Tufa, G Chigeza, C Engoke,
J Manda, JK Mhango, S Boahen, and A Alene

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• Introduction
• Implementation approach
• Key achievements
• Lessons Learnt
• Challenges
• Next Steps
Outline

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• Soybean is an important cash crop in Southern Africa
• Demand is driven by the growing poultry industry
• Productivity of soybean is <1 t/ha due to low adoption of
improved varieties and agronomic practices
• Low adoption is due to limited availability and affordability
of seed of improved varieties
Introduction

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Introduction
• IITA is implementing two major technology scaling
up projects:
• SEMEAR(Improving Seeds for Better Agriculture) in
Mozambique(See poster)
• MISST(Malawi Improved Seed Systems and
Technology) in Malawi

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• MISST objectives:
– Support breeder, basic, and certified seed
production
– Increase adoption through variety demonstration
and promotion
– Seed distribution and marketing
– Capacity building and strengthening seed
partnerships
Introduction

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MCHINJI
LILONGWE
DEDZA
NTCHEU
 7 Target districts - USAID/Malawi FtF Zones of Influence
MISST project sites
MANGOCHI
BALAKA
.MACHINGA

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DARS/
UNIV
DAES
NGOs
NATIONAL PARTNERS
 NASFAM
 FUM
 WASAA
 AISL
 DEMETER
 KUKUYU FARM
 EXAGRIS
 SUNSEED OIL
 MUSECO
 AGRO-DEALERS
PRIVATE SECTOR CG centers
MISST
IITA
ICRISAT
CIP
CIMMYT
OTHER PROJECTs
Implementation Approach

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Public
Sector
(DARS
&IITA)
Breeder seed
production
Basic seed
Production
Certified
Seed
Production
Distribution and
marketing
Private Seed
Companies
NGOs,
farmers’ assn.,
private seed
growers
Agro-dealers,
NGOs,
farmers’ assn.,
FISP
Certification
services
Public sector
(SSU)
Implementation Approach
Public-Private Partnerships

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Innovative seed production & delivery
pathways
$1/kg$2/Kg

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• 1,063 tons of 3 classes of soybean seed produced and distributed
• 21,000 rural households reached with seed and other technologies
• 15,000 ha covered with improved seed of soybean varieties
Key Achievements

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• 692 variety demonstration plots
established
• 11,349 soybean farmers (5,495
men and 5,795 women) trained
on good agronomic practices
Key Achievements

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Key Achievements
• 5,116 farmers trained on seed production and seed
quality control
• 108 partners and extension agents trained on good
agronomic practices for both seed and grain production

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• Partnering with farmer organizations, NGO and Ministry of
Agriculture resulted in rapid scale-out of certified seed
production and distribution
• Engagement of farmers organization as an entry point
facilitated extensive outreach to many smallholder farmers
• Smallholder farmers can produce high quality soybean
seed if they have access to basic seed and knowledge on
seed production
• Sustainability of community based seed production
system will require robust market strategy
Lessons Learnt

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• Late submission of technical and financial reports by
some partners
• Poor performance of some partners in implementing
project activities
• Some community based seed producers sold their
seeds as grain
• Drought affected seed farms and demonstration plots
Challenges

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Next Steps
• Facilitate seed production and distribution
• Establish variety and ICM demonstration plots
• Train farmers, seed inspectors and extension agents
• Link community based seed producers to seed
companies
• Determine the cost of seed production for all classes of
seed

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Thank you for your attention