SEED SYSTEMS

Although it might seem surprising, many Kenyan farmers, entrepreneurs, and investors are intensely interested in the preparation of new regulations on the production and marketing of planting materials for vegetatively propagated crops (VPCs), such as potato and sweetpotato. The new regulations may determine who can and cannot produce VPC planting material, how quickly yields and output might grow, and what varieties come to dominate the market in the coming years.

Recording of our yesterday's webinar "Strengthening developing-country seed systems and markets. Policy trade-offs, unintended consequences, and operational realities", conducted by David Spielman (IFPRI) is now available.

This webinar on October 25 will explore novel approaches to strengthening seed systems and markets, including policies related to varietal release procedures, quality assurance, access to early generation seed, input subsidy programs, among several others. It will draw on examples from a range of crops cultivated in countries as diverse as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Zambia.

The call, announced in August, invited CGIAR researchers to submit proposals on gender relations vis-a-vis technological and institutional innovation, with a focus on gender dynamics in seed systems. Five selected projects will be carried out during the next 18 months and will be co-funded by Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) through the Gender Platform and other CGIAR research programs involved.