ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF COMMUNITY BASED BEAN SEED PRODUCTION AND MARKETING IN THE CENTRAL RIFT VALLEY OF ETHIOPIA

Limited access to seed of improved varieties is an impediment to agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers in the national and international agricultural research systems have been piloting a community based seed multiplication and marketing enterprises (CBSME) model, as an alternative to the formal seed systems, in order to increase availability and accessibility to quality seed of improved common bean ( Phaseolus vulvaris L.) varieties by smallholder farmers. The objective of this study was to assess the profitability of CBSME as an enterprise for seed production and analyse factors that influence farmers\u2019 decisions to participate in it as seed producers or buyers of seed. Gross margins were computed to assess value addition at farm level; while Tobit and multivariate probit models used to respectively, analyse determinants of participation in community based seed multiplication enterprise and its use by producers as a seed source. The community based seed multiplication enterprises were found to be profitable, generating US$792 as gross margins and accessible to farmers for the bean seed, along other seed sources, i.e. formal and informal seed systems. These three seed production and delivery models competed at farm level, but complemented each other in terms of reaching users in different social groups and locations. Community based seed multiplication enterprises as sources of seed were used by farmers located in rural areas and those in farmer organisations/cooperatives. However, seed production through this model is concentrated closer to urban areas, where individual seed producers are easily linked to the formal seed system. This, however, makes the marketing of seed reliant on big buyers for redistribution among remote farming communities.L\u2019acc\ue8s limit\ue9 aux semences de vari\ue9t\ue9s am\ue9lior\ue9es est un obstacle \ue0 la productivit\ue9 agricole en Afrique sub-Saharienne. Les cherheurs dans les systems nationaux de recherches agricoles sont entrain de tester des mod\ue8les d\u2019entreprises communautaires de multiplication et de commercialisation (CBSME); comme une alternative aux syst\ue8mes semenciers formels, dans le but d\u2019accro\ueetre la disponibilit\ue9 et l\u2019accessibilit\ue9 aux semences de qualit\ue9 de l\u2019haricot commun ( Phaseolus vulvaris L.) par les petits producteurs. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019\ue9valuer la profitabilit\ue9 de CBSME comme une entreprise de production des semences et d\u2019analyser les facteurs qui influencent les d\ue9cisions des producteurs \ue0 y participer en tant que producteurs et acheteurs de semences. Les marges brutes \ue9taient calcul\ue9es pour \ue9valuer la value ajout\ue9e au niveau de l\u2019exploitation agricole, tandis que les mod\ue8les de Tobit et multivari\ue9 de Probit \ue9taient utilis\ue9s respectivelement, pour analyser les determinants de participation \ue0 l\u2019entreprise de multiplication des semences communautaires et son utilisation par les producteurs comme une source de semences. Les entreprises de multiplication des semences communautaires ont \ue9t\ue9 identifi\ue9es rentables, g\ue9n\ue9rant des marges brutes de 792 US dollars et les semences de l\u2019haricot sont accessibles aux producteurs, compar\ue9es \ue0 d\u2019autres sources de semences, c\u2019est-\ue0-dire les syst\ue8mes semenciers formel et informel. Ces trois mod\ue8les de production et de distribution des semences se rivalisent \ue0 l\u2019\ue9chelle de l\u2019exploitation agricole, mais se compl\ue8tent en atteignant differents groupes sociaux d\u2019utilisateurs dans de localit\ue9s diff\ue9rentes. Les entreprises de multiplication des semences communautaires comme sources de semences, \ue9taient utilis\ue9es par les producteurs situ\ue9s dans les milieux ruraux et ceux en organisations/coop\ue9ratives paysannes. N\ue9amoins, la production des semences \ue0 travers ce mod\ue8le est plus concentr\ue9e dans les zones urbaines, o\uf9 les producteurs individuels de semences entrent facilement en contact avec le syst\ue8me semencier formel. Ceci, cependant met la commercialisation de la semence en \ue9troit contact avec les grands acheteurs pour la redistribution des semences entre les communaut\ue9s paysannes isol\ue9es

Economic performance of community based bean seed production and marketing in the central rift valley of Ethiopia

Limited access to seed of improved varieties is an impediment to agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers in the national and international agricultural research systems have been piloting a community based seed multiplication and marketing enterprises (CBSME) model, as an alternative to the formal seed systems, in order to increase availability and accessibility to quality seed of improved common bean (Phaseolus vulvaris L.) varieties by smallholder farmers. The objective of this study was to assess the profitability of CBSME as an enterprise for seed production and analyse factors that influence farmers’ decisions to participate in it as seed producers or buyers of seed. Gross margins were computed to assess value addition at farm level; while Tobit and multivariate probit models used to respectively, analyse determinants of participation in community based seed multiplication enterprise and its use by producers as a seed source. The community based seed multiplication enterprises were found to be profitable, generating US$792 as gross margins and accessible to farmers for the bean seed, along other seed sources, i.e. formal and informal seed systems. These three seed production and delivery models competed at farm level, but complemented each other in terms of reaching users in different social groups and locations. Community based seed multiplication enterprises as sources of seed were used by farmers located in rural areas and those in farmer organisations/cooperatives. However, seed production through this model is concentrated closer to urban areas, where individual seed producers are easily linked to the formal seed system. This, however, makes the marketing of seed reliant on big buyers for redistribution among remote farming communities

Elaborating institutional arrangements to better enhance sustainable crop intensification in Uganda : A farmers’ perspective

Weak and inefficient institutional arrangements have been identified as a major cause of the slow pace of agricultural growth in developing countries. Institutions – the humanly devised constraints that shape human interaction – play a significant role in Sustainable Crop Intensification (SCI) in Uganda. This study uses farmers' perceptions to assess institutions and their roles in SCI. We collected data from 135 rice and potato-producing households in Eastern and Southwestern regions of Uganda between January and February 2017. We used Focus Group Discussions to identify and categorize institutional typologies following which we asked households to evaluate several institutional aspects. Overall, institutional contributions to SCI were highly valued by farmers. Based on functional, organizational, and managerial obstacles, farmers perceived formal institutions to be ineffective while they perceived informal farmer's institutions to be the most relevant institutions as they provided financial resources that alleviated constraints to agricultural production and met livelihood needs. We found a lack of coordination between the micro, meso, and macro-level institutions, which then affected their institutional functionality to execute SCI. There is a need for innovation within existing institutions, and a status quo of institutional arrangements that would better respond to smallholders' needs