ACCRA, Ghana — Across the African continent, national agricultural research systems are developing seed varieties more durable to withstand drought, disease, and pests, as well as producing higher yields. But after the seeds are developed, a challenge remains — getting them to farmers’ fields.
A report published last month by the Seed Systems Group found that if one-third of the farmers in the 15 African countries it analyzed obtained improved seeds, they could generate an additional 25 million metric tons of food, worth $4 billion over 5-7 years.
The Seed Systems Group, which is a U.S.-based charity, assesses the need among smallholder farmers for improved seeds and documents how many local entrepreneurs are already looking at this as a potential business opportunity. It then analyzes what sort of investment is needed to meet this demand among farmers and works with donor agencies to obtain these funds.