Six Lessons for Seed Sector Development in Fragile States
Summary — This report identifies six key lessons for developing seed sectors in fragile states, drawing on case studies from Haiti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. It emphasizes the need for strategic vision, private sector growth through seed laws, maintaining crop diversity, and the importance of crop research and informal traders.
Key Findings
- A clear strategic vision is essential for long-term seed sector development.
- Private sector growth requires seed laws and governance.
- Crop and varietal diversity should be maintained and promoted.
- Crop research requires collaborations.
- Informal traders play a crucial role in seed sector development.
Full Description
The report examines the challenges of seed sector development in fragile states, where existing models are often unviable due to insecurity and instability. It highlights the reliance on informal seed systems and emergency seed provisioning, which can hinder long-term market-based development. Based on case studies in Haiti, DRC, and South Sudan, the report presents six lessons: a clear strategic vision, seed laws for private sector growth, maintaining crop diversity, collaborative crop research, careful consideration of farmer-based seed production models, and incorporating informal traders. It also outlines four programming prerequisites: sustained donor commitment, capacity development, gender-sensitive programming, and conflict-sensitive approaches.