Community-Based Seed Production Project

In the past, smallholder farmers in South Africa have not been able to compete with large-scale corporate farming because of poor seed quality stemming from over use of farming land and cross-pollination from neighboring fields.  Seeds produced in the Limpopo region were determined to be unsatisfactory for mass milling, and therefore, access to mass markets was limited.  To address this problem, the Limpopo Department of Agriculture designed and implemented the Community-Based Seed Production Project (CBSPP).  The project assists with  meeting the needs of smallholder farmers in the production, cultivation, and marketing of seeds of exceptional quality while also creating new income-generating opportunities.

Farmers involved in seed production, and the Madzivhandila College of Agriculture, fostered partnerships with government departments, research institutions, donor organisations, such as: ARC-GCI, GTZ-BASED, SADC, SANSOR, SSSP, CIMMYT and the LDoA.  Participatory research with the smallholder farmers revealed that they needed maize seeds that are disease resistant, uniformly white grains, matured early, could be stored for longer periods of time, and that tasted similar to the local variety.

Expertise provided by the Agricultural Research Council Grain Crop Institute (ARC-GCI) and the International Centre for Maize Improvement (CIMMYT), helped the farmers select certain strands of mealie seeds for field and laboratory tests in various regions of Limpopo. Local farmers were encouraged to participate in community dialogue that identified a satisfactory seed for implementation that met all of their needs, i.e. fast maturation, high yield, and resistant to draught.  Through this process, farmers were exposed to different seed varieties and were able to identify preferred seeds according to their own criteria, and were taught to grow those varieties in order to guarantee local seed security.   Each region was then supplied, through donor agencies, such as CIMMYT, seeds that met those needs, and were provided with training in cultivation to taking the product to market.  Farmers were also trained and equipped to derive an income from seed production.

The SADC/GTZ/SSSP assisted in the initial training of officers responsible for training community members, field schools, and the use of appropriate technology.  In addition, SANSOR certified the seeds grown by members of the Community-Based Seed Production Project so that their product could be sold, and also provided training for seed inspectors.  The National Department of Agriculture registered the new varieties of seeds created during the initial experimental stages of the project.

Innovation

The Community-Based Seed Production Project addresses the question of quality seed production in smallholders farms, incorporating farmers, partners in the industry, and government agencies in the research, development, and production of certified seeds.

Effectiveness

Originally, the project involved 32 farmers in two districts. It has now expanded to 676 active farmers and 15 seed growers associations. Seed security has been achieved in those places where the beneficiaries live. One of the beneficiaries won the SANSOR award for best emerging seed grower in South Africa. Four LDoA officials have completed the SANSOR seed inspector course and are due to become seed inspectors, becoming the first black seed inspectors in the country. The project is viewed as a flagship project for the Limpopo Department of Agriculture.

Poverty Impact

The local farming community has direct access to quality seed for farming purposes, and addresses the concerns of the smallholder farmers, with regard to the nutritional value of the seeds that are planted.  Families who are dependent on the farming to meet their nutritional needs without depleting their financial resources are able to do so.

Sustainability

Salaries for staff involved in the project amount to R700 000 per annum.  All costs associated with participation in the project incurred by private institutions are covered in their own budgets.

Replication

The Community-Based Seed Production Project is a flag-ship model for the National Department of Agriculture, which intends to roll out similar projects across the country.

Partnerships:

• National Department of Agriculture
• Limpopo Department of Agriculture
• Agricultural Research Council Grain Crop Institute
• South African National Seed Organisation
• International Centre for Wheat and Maize Improvement 
• German Technical Cooperation 
• Southern Africa Development Community
• Madzivhandila College of Agriculture