Scientific Publication

A brief overview of smallholder farmers' access to seed of improved legume varieties

author(s) Akpo, E. - Ojiewo, Christopher Ochieng - Omoigui, L.O. - Rubyogo, Jean-Claude - Varshney, Rajeev K.
from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
permalink open
themes
regions
  • Africa
  • World
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Asia
  • Eastern Africa
  • Southern Asia
  • Western Africa
citation

Akpo, E., Ojiewo, C.O., Omoigui, L.O., Rubyogo, J.C. & Varshney, R.K. (2020). A brief overview of smallholder farmers' access to seed of improved legume varieties. In E. Akpo, C.O. Ojiewo, L.O. Omoigui, J.C., Rubyogo, and R.K. Varshney, Sowing legume seeds, reaping cash: a renaissance within communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Gateway East, Singapore: Springer International Publishing, (p. 1-2).
A brief overview of smallholder farmers' access to seed of improved legume varieties

Publications and datasets provided via GARDIAN

Abstract

For decades, the vast majority of smallholder farmers in developing countries, mainly sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and to some extent South Asia (SA), heavily rely on non-improved and auto-saved variety seed, accounting for about 80% of their material used for planting. Though the seed use figures by farmers vary from one region to another, with West Africa showing the lowest rate of improved seed use (below 20%) and South Asia with much higher rate (up to 70%), the overall situation looks less encouraging. At the same time, substantial breakthroughs have been made by breeding programs, and many more are still in the pipeline. Some of the traits of recently developed varieties have targeted the consumers’ demands and farmers’ preferences.

Open original