IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/afjrde/262838.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A compelling case for seed enterprises as a tool for rural development in the smallholder farming sector

Author

Listed:
  • Nelson, Munyaka
  • Upenyu, Mazarura
  • Brighton, Mvumi

Abstract

This study analysed the community seed business developed by the Seeds and Markets Project (SAMP) managed by GRM International. The community seed business developed was named Zaka Super Seeds and was later named Zimbabwe Super Seeds as it grew to serve areas beyond a single district. Our analysis showed the immense potential for a profitable community seed enterprise managed commercially. The amount of seed produced and processed by the enterprise rose from 26Mt to 151Mt in three cropping seasons. The enterprise supplied seed that commercial companies shunned, like cowpeas, sugar beans, and small grains. Local seed production offered farmers more income compared to growing commodity crops, for example maize seed sold for US$305 more per tonne than grain. Local seed supply was improved by the development of the community seed business. The multi-stakeholder approach used by SAMP made the business more sustainable. The community seed business, which now has agro dealers across the whole country, provides insight for future development programmes related to the seed industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Nelson, Munyaka & Upenyu, Mazarura & Brighton, Mvumi, 2017. "A compelling case for seed enterprises as a tool for rural development in the smallholder farming sector," African Journal of Rural Development (AFJRD), AFrican Journal of Rural Development (AFJRD), vol. 2(2), June.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:afjrde:262838
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.262838
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/262838/files/5%20Munyaka%20N.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/262838/files/5%20Munyaka%20N.pdf?subformat=pdfa
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.262838?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sperling, Louise & McGuire, Shawn J., 2010. "Persistent myths about emergency seed aid," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 195-201, June.
    2. Soniia David, 2004. "Farmer seed enterprises: A sustainable approach to seed delivery?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 21(4), pages 387-397, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ola Tveitereid Westengen & Kristine Skarbø & Teshome Hunduma Mulesa & Trygve Berg, 2018. "Access to genes: linkages between genebanks and farmers’ seed systems," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(1), pages 9-25, February.
    2. Myat Thida Win & Mywish K. Maredia & Duncan Boughton, 2023. "Farmer demand for certified legume seeds and the viability of farmer seed enterprises: Evidence from Myanmar," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(2), pages 555-569, April.
    3. Kanslime, Monica K. & Karanja, Daniel K. & Alokit, Christine & Ochieng, Justus, 2018. "Derived demand for African indigenous vegetable seed: implications for farmer-seed entrepreneurship development," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 21(6), July.
    4. J.P.B. Lillesø & C. Harwood & Abayneh Derero & L. Graudal & J. M. Roshetko & R. Kindt & S. Moestrup & W. O. Omondi & N. Holtne & A. Mbora & P. van Breugel & I. K. Dawson & R. Jamnadass & H. Egelyng, 2018. "Why institutional environments for agroforestry seed systems matter," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S1), pages 89-112, March.
    5. Yingjie Song & Qiong Fang & Devra Jarvis & Keyu Bai & Dongmei Liu & Jinchao Feng & Chunlin Long, 2019. "Network Analysis of Seed Flow, a Traditional Method for Conserving Tartary Buckwheat ( Fagopyrum tataricum ) Landraces in Liangshan, Southwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-14, August.
    6. Conny J. M. Almekinders & Steve Walsh & Kim S. Jacobsen & Jorge L. Andrade-Piedra & Margaret A. McEwan & Stef Haan & Lava Kumar & Charles Staver, 2019. "Why interventions in the seed systems of roots, tubers and bananas crops do not reach their full potential," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(1), pages 23-42, February.
    7. Coomes, Oliver T. & McGuire, Shawn J. & Garine, Eric & Caillon, Sophie & McKey, Doyle & Demeulenaere, Elise & Jarvis, Devra & Aistara, Guntra & Barnaud, Adeline & Clouvel, Pascal & Emperaire, Laure & , 2015. "Farmer seed networks make a limited contribution to agriculture? Four common misconceptions," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 41-50.
    8. Shawn McGuire & Louise Sperling, 2016. "Seed systems smallholder farmers use," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(1), pages 179-195, February.
    9. Shawn McGuire & Louise Sperling, 2016. "Seed systems smallholder farmers use," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(1), pages 179-195, February.
    10. Nordhagen, Stella & Pascual, Unai, 2013. "The Impact of Climate Shocks on Seed Purchase Decisions in Malawi: Implications for Climate Change Adaptation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 238-251.
    11. Sperling, Louise & Louwaars, Niels & de Ponti, Orlando & Smale, Melinda & Baributsa, Dieudonne & van Etten, Jacob, 2020. "Viewpoint: COVID-19 and seed security response now and beyond," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    12. Narayan Khanal & Keshav Maharjan, 2014. "Factors influencing farmers’ behavior in rice seed selling in the market: a case study in the Tarai region of Nepal d," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 2(1), pages 1-11, December.
    13. Rajendran, Srinivasulu & Afari-Sefa, Victor & Karanja, Daniel Kimani & Musebe, Richard & Romney, Dannie & Makaranga, Magesa A. & Samali, Silvest & Kessy, Radegunda Francis, 2016. "Farmer-Led Seed Enterprise Initiatives to Access Certified Seed for Traditional African Vegetables and its Effect on Incomes in Tanzania," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 19(1), pages 1-24, February.
    14. Isabel López Noriega & Michael Halewood & Gea Galluzzi & Ronnie Vernooy & Enrico Bertacchini & Devendra Gauchan & Eric Welch, 2013. "How Policies Affect the Use of Plant Genetic Resources: The Experience of the CGIAR," Resources, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-39, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Community/Rural/Urban Development;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:afjrde:262838. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://afjrd.org/jos/index.php/afjrd/index .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.