Getting Back to Basics: CreatingGetting Back to Basics: Creating Impact Oriented Bean Seed Delivery S t f th P ( d th ) iSystems for the Poor (and others) in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania  q

Chirwa, R.M, J.C. Rubyogo, M. Amane, E. D.L. Mazuma, C. Madata and R. Magreta

SAf‐CoP4 meeting Held at Club Makokola,Mangochi MalawiMangochi,  Malawi

September 27‐October 1, 2010

BackgroundBackground

• Importance of BeansImportance of Beans• Major Challenges to Production

h hi j i d?• Why this project was conceived?

Importance of bean

Good source of plant• Good source of plant protein/minerals/vitamins

• Leaves are goodgvegetables

• Reduced hunger/cash strap period earlystrap period – early maturing – 3 months

• Sold for cash – leaves and grain

• Fixes nitrogen

Limiting factors to bean production

• Limited varieties for specific agro‐ecologies and market niches

• Unavailability of seed of improved bean varieties• Lack of knowledge about the existence or availability of non‐variety bean  technologies

• Poor linkages between producers and• Poor linkages between producers and consumers/markets

This Project was to Address:This Project was to Address:

• Inadequate exposure of farmers, other consumers, q p , ,traders, other rural service providers to identify their preferred varieties and stimulate their wider utilizationutilization.  

• Unavailability and inaccessibility of seeds of these varieties, resulting from disconnection betweenvarieties, resulting from disconnection between National Agricultural Research Services (NARS) products (improved bean varieties, knowledge and kill ) d i ti f l i idskills) and existing farmer, rural service providers and local bean seed systems. 

Project Goal and Objectives:Project Goal and Objectives: 

• Goal: Improved

To identify/verify farmers’ bean variety preferences 

Goal: Improved food/Nutrition security and incomes of small holders

To enhance skills and knowledge of partners in Participatory Variety Selection (PVS) and decentralized seed systemsof small holders 

through use of improved bean productivity

decentralized seed systems

To develop impact‐oriented bean seed production and delivery systems of preferred productivity  p y y pvarieties serving a range of end‐users

Project SitesProject Sites

• Southern Highlands of Tanzania:• Southern Highlands of Tanzania:

Mbeya, Iringa and Rukwa Regions

• Malawi:

North, central and southern regions

• Mozambique:

Tete Zambezia Nampula andTete, Zambezia, Nampula and Niassa provinces

Project strategy: PartnershipProject strategy: Partnership 

Partners included:• Government Extension Agents• NGOs Country Partners • NGOs, • CBOs • Private sector and

yOrganizations

Malawi 12

• Farmer organizations• Church organizations

B t d

Mozambique 16Tanzania 24

• Bean traders Total 52

The partners farmers and tradersThe partners, farmers and traders were trained to build their skills  in PVS

Participatory Variety SelectionParticipatory Variety Selection

Country Participants in PVSPicture ‐ Process of PVS: 

Female

Male TotalRibbons

Malawi

Tanzani 1466

1238 2704a 6

Mozambique

418 603 1021q

Total

Photo‐Process of PVS: cooking evaluation

Results of PVS:Results of PVS: 

• Clients’ variety selection • Varieties SelectedClients  variety selection criteria

Varieties Selected

Country Varieties

Tested  Selected Released

Malawi

Mozambique

Tanzania

Seed Multiplication

Year Seed (kg)

Partners and Farmers were trained in seed production

Year Seed (kg)

Malawi Tanzania Mozambique

2007 4411 7602007 4411 760

2008 1525 2500

2009 1562 66302009 1562 6630

2010 1872 9800

Background picture of seed multiplication

On‐station seed productionOn station seed production

Table with breeder and foundation

2007 2008 2009 2010

Malawi

Mozambique

Tanzania 10840 7050 4181 7200

QDS productionQDS production In collaboration with extension • Minimum inspection 

d b dsupported by district

• Sometimes bureaucratic limitations:limitations: 

o lack of funds

o transport means

o time availability 

f h f ?Can farmers sustain the cost of inspections?

Does inspection pay off? 

E i ll d (SHT)Empowering small seed entrepreneurs (SHT) 

• Small seed entrepreneurs (own production/contract) 

k i ll k imarketing small packs in SHT 

Should regulations apply equally to large and small 

d hseed entrepreneurs or what measures to support their development?? p

Engaging large scale ‘ able’ seed private    g g g g psuppliers 

• e.g. in 2009 Demeter seed company in Malawi close to 400 T throughclose to 400 T  through MG TIP (about 230,000 households)‐

• 2010: Similar amount of seeds  

(details with Martin)

What next after TIP?What next after TIP? 

Supply of Starter Seed (PVS) and Basic for pp y ( )Commercial Seed Production 

Malawi:

Due to seed rules under TIP: ‘One to One’ generation, Demeter Agric.  Ltd requires every year about 5 tons of breeder seeds to produce 400 MTs commercial seedsbreeder seeds to produce  400 MTs commercial seeds 

Seed systems environment – Malawi Situation 

• 2006  • 2010

• No formal seed supply

• Limited partners in three

• Increasing in  commercial seed due to exposure and also big  seed market  • Limited partners in three 

countries 

• Certified seed uses 

• Increasing use of certified (5% in Malawi) 

E i l l(<1%)  • Emerging local entrepreneurs (several in three countries 

Di• Diverse partners 

• Increased demand of breeder/basic seeds

The demand for bean seed of various categories is increasing in all the 3 countries

Lessons LearntLessons Learnt

• Policy makers can provide a drive to influencePolicy makers can provide a drive to influence changes in seed supply and delivery systems –the case of Malawithe case of Malawi.

What next ? RESEARCH: Variables for Compare/ContrastpSeed production/Channels

Operations efficiency

Institutional mix

Scale Speed Type of farmer reached

Quality of seed suppliednnels reached supplied

Private company

QDS

Certified tentrepreneurs

Farmer non certified seeds

Use of small packs

Non marketNon market channels: schools, church