Dear all,
I believe it should be noted that input provision such as improved seed alone does not guarantee seed security at large. Provision of improved seeds must be accompanied with full extension packages. Formal training or orientation before distributions on the agronomic practices and related information should be delivered to the targeted beneficiaries to maximize the impacts and avoid unwanted impacts as a consequence of our intervention. It is also a matter of forward accountability issues which we all should equally bother about rather than on the deliverables.
Regards,
Worku Abebaw Asressie | CARE Ethiopia | EFSL-Technical Advisor
Yeka Sub City, Woreda 07, House Number 671, Mickey Leland Road P.O . Box 4710 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | www.care.org
office phone: +251 116 18 32 94 | cell phone: +251 -911 -819687 | fax: +251 116 18 3295
email: [log in to unmask] | skype: workuab1
-----Original Message-----
From: The Community of Practice of Seed Security Assessments for the Horn of Africa [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Okidi, Joseph (FAOKE)
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2014 10:17 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: FW: Unsuitable crop varieties being provided to affected population in the form of seed aid in the horn of Africa region - LACK OF CLEAR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SEED/VARIETIES WE PROVIDE
Dear Osman,
I totally agree with you that in most cases, with all the good intention we have, we don't provide package of information about the verities of seed we distribute to the affected population. A month ago I met a famer in South Sudan who was provided with an improved groundnut variety (Serenity IV) . Much as he appreciated the high yield nature of the variety, he was at a lost when it comes to harvest period - he noticed that by the time the leaves turn brownish, like other local variety he knows, the variety is already germinating in the field.
To me, any seed aid should come with a full package of information on the agronomic requirement, pre-harvest and post-harvest for each and every variety we distribute.
Regards,
Joseph
Regards,
Joseph
-----Original Message-----
From: Abdirahman Osman [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2014 11:11 PM
To: The Community of Practice of Seed Security Assessments for the Horn of Africa
Subject: Re: FW: Unsuitable crop varieties being provided to affected population in the form of seed aid in the horn of Africa region
However, while I think it’s important to discuss some of the social consequences of crop parities being provided to affected population in the form of seed aid in the horn of Africa region plants, I wouldn’t completely these seed programs.
As a home gardener I save lots of seeds and use mostly tradition seeds. However, South and central Somalia over the past few years I’ve started using a few seeds when I’m intent on production or certain disease issues. Yes, I do lose my ability to save seed. But it’s a trade off that I decide is worth it on a case by case basis. I’m happy in these instances to outsource to the seed Aid that’s developed the mixture for me.
The big crime with Companies seeds and Seed Aid is the lack of information many farmers had about new seeds that were introduced under the seed aid. Certainly, there was plenty of manipulative and misleading marketing with these new seeds. Organizations seed security took advantage of farmers by pushing seeds without sharing the full story or accounting for the farming systems in place.
On the other hand, the farmers aren’t without responsibility. I fully applaud programs supporting farmers who seek education and literacy skills in order to be able to make fully informed decisions rather than just accepting seed aid information at face value.
At some point in the future, critically thinking subsistence farmers with more access to information may end up choosing seeds for good reasons within their overall choices. The best choices for a farming family may be a mix of heritage and seed plants depending on the specific issues that farm faces for that specific year.
Unlike seeds don’t mess with nature and may serve a purpose. The problem is that farmers and gardeners aren’t fully informed/don’t ask enough questions/don’t think critically about the pros/cons of each.
And because of the skewed farming systems and seed industry, heritage seeds are being lost, reducing our choices overall.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Abdirahman
SHADO
On 8/6/14, Horn of Africa Relief & Development Agency(HARDA ) <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear Joseph and other Colleague,
>
> Thanks for this opportunity to share our ideas, bellow are my
> suggestion
>
> 1-Do you agree that at times unsuitable varieties are being provided
> in the form of seed aid? What is your experience with this? And do you
> think this can be improved?
>
> -Yes, I agree sometimes unsuitable varieties are been provided and low
> quality seeds, we have met this matter in 2012 Gu' season. we suggest
> that to initiate a program aimed at quality seed production by LNGOs
> in their respective areas and the experiment carried out in selected
> farms. The seeds produced in this initiative to be distributed freely
> to the farms of the area.
>
>
>
> 2. Do you think seed security of the crisis/disaster-affected
> population is well assessed and analyzed before any intervention – If
> not how do you want this improved?
>
> -No,because mostly no seed assessment and analysis is conducted,I
> suggest farmers participation of assessment is very important before
> any intervention. the other problem is that the seed contracting
> companies bring the seeds late. the problem is that seeds arrive and
> are distributed to the farmers late into the season.
>
>
>
> 3. Are the views of the affected populations normally well taken into
> consideration when planning seed related interventions by humanitarian
> actors?
>
> . No, Seeds are brought by the humanitarian actors without taking into
> consideration the practical needs of the farmers. i.e the irrigation
> farmers along the juba river complained at one time a variety of
> Onion, water melon and other vegetable seeds that were not suitable
> or low quality for our area.
>
>
> Regards
>
> Daahir Bashir Nor,
>
> HARDA Bardera,
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Okidi, Joseph (FAOKE)
>> *Sent:* Thursday, July 31, 2014 10:44 AM
>> *To:* [log in to unmask]
>> *Subject:* Unsuitable crop parieties being provided to affected
>> population in the form of seed aid in the horn of Africa region
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear All,
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> A lot of humanitarian and recovery work in food security in the Horn
>> of Africa region involves provision of seed aid with significant
>> direct seed distribution of seed sourced from the formal sector (seed companies).
>> There
>> have been concerns from some of the assisted famers in the recent
>> past that some of the varieties are unsuitable (un-adapted and
>> un-preferred). Many times famer’s seed are considered of poor quality
>> by humanitarian actors, and therefore, the need to provide them with
>> quality seeds of varieties which are improved – high yielding,
>> disease resistant, drought tolerant etc.
>>
>>
>>
>> 1. Do you agree that at times unsuitable varieties are being
>> provided in the form of seed aid? What is your experience with this?
>> And do you think this can be improved?
>>
>>
>>
>> 2. Do you think seed security of the crisis/disaster affected
>> population is well assessed and analyzed before any intervention – If
>> not how do you want this improved?
>>
>>
>>
>> 3. Are the views of the affected populations normally well taken
>> into consideration when planning seed related interventions by
>> humanitarian actors?
>>
>>
>>
>> Note: This e-discussion will run until 15th of August.
>>
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>>
>>
>> Joseph Okidi
>>
>>
>>
>> Seed System Specialist
>>
>> FAO REOA
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
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>> link:
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>>
>
>
>
> --
> *Abdirahman A. Omar*
> *Executive Director, Somali programme* *HARDA Bardera Office (HQ)*
> *Cell: +254 718 740 291 Kenya*
> * +252 61 8012 999 *
> *Email: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>,*
>
> ######################################################################
> ##
>
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