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The Community of Practice of Seed Security Assessments for the Horn of Africa

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Subject:
From:
Issa John <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Issa John <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 4 Aug 2014 11:44:12 -0700
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Dear Joseph,

It is so developmental for having brought in such topic for discussion as seeds are back borne for agricultural adventure. The little experience I have with some seed companies is non of them is ready to lose either a gram or kilo of seeds after the seeds have expired and they usually do the following to their clients/customers:
1-they change the packaging materials and re-brand as if they have been newly parked.
2-they avail their clients with viable seeds for any technical analysis such as germination test etc yet they supply 75% fake seeds and only 25% is viable since they know germination test is already done.
3-they usually use synthetic fertilizers to boost the crops performance in order to attract farmers/humanitarian agencies attentions, however, the same crops will not give the same results when procured and distributed to the affected population.

Opinions: 

1-It will be good if farmers' home saved seeds can be improved, bulked, procured and distributed to affected population by humanitarian agencies, expired seeds distribution to affected population would be reduced and finally eliminated.
2- Promotion of farmers unions in each region for easy seeds bulking can be another step to reduce annually financial loose incurred by the agencies as they can buy directly from the farmers themselves, hence encouraging farmers to produce more since their financial status are improved through procurement of their bulked seeds by the agencies.
3-Promotion of progress farmers to test any new varieties of seeds before any distribution is done in any geographical location to avoid farmers' doubt on humanitarian agencies technocrats since farmers are experts as far as agriculture is concerned.
4-It would be good if bottom-top approach is always applied rather than top-bottom approach to maximally involved farmers in any plans to address agricultural related problems. 

Kind regards
Issa.
               



On Friday, August 1, 2014 1:32 AM, Patricia Philip <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 


Hello Joseph Okidi

greetings from Juba , hoping that you
are very fine.

I feel interesting to be a part of discussion,
and I agreed with some of the colleagues and friends, and that is why some
of humanitarian project like agriculture dose not succeed. there are three
major things to be involve
1. every body/farmer  need to learn
a new variety most of humanitarian distribute seeds / variety with out
giving farmers knowledge about its timing weather it is a quick variety
of long term.
2. they don,t care about the type of
soil, weather , climate and rainfall.
3.they don,t sit with the farmers to
identify the best variety for the farmers compare to the market , and they
don,t assess weather, there is a seeds / crops  locally with in the
area or not.

so my advise to humanitarian actors
is like this .
assessment is the main important instrument
to identify the real needs of the main affected population to help you
get a way forwards even in term of emergency.

any way thank you very much 

Patricia Philip 
PSO
Trocaire . south
 Sudan Juba
      










From:      
 "Okidi, Joseph
(FAOKE)" <[log in to unmask]>
To:      
 [log in to unmask]
Date:      
 01/08/2014 09:42
Subject:    
   Re: Unsuitable
crop parieties being provided to affected population in the form of seed
aid in the horn of Africa region - POOR QUALITY SEED
Sent by:    
   The Community
of Practice of Seed Security Assessments for the Horn of Africa <[log in to unmask]>
________________________________



Dear Michel,
 
I totally Agree with you
that many humanitarian actors think famer’s seed are of poor quality.
Much as I agree the we need to follow certain critical procedure in checking
quality (germination, purity, MC etc), many times the guys from the seed
companies tend to be smart enough in duping us  on quality. I have
had some bad experience while working with FAO South Sudan. FAO Uses an
international quality control agent, but I realized that if you totally
rely on the paper work only you may easily be duped. Quality check done
be done along supply chains – Kneeing where this seed have been produced,
checking with the relevant government authority if the supplier actually
has the capacity or quantity you need, sampling and testing seed before
loadin, and final checking by the technical staff at field level. Most
importantly, how do we punish those supplying BAD
SEED?  Otherwise,
as you have already mention, we shall do more harm than good to the affected
population.
 
Regards,
 
Joseph
 
From: Micheal Yemane [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2014 1:57 PM
To: The Community of Practice of Seed Security Assessments for the
Horn of Africa
Subject: RE: Unsuitable crop parieties being provided to affected population
in the form of seed aid in the horn of Africa region
 
Thanks Joseph for raising
an important issue. 
You are right most of the
agencies think farmer's seeds are of poor quality, which is not correct.
One thing that we have to realize is the farmers are the best experts for
their farm. They have been living for generations on the land and have
wealth of accumulated knowledge. The great solution is not to start from
scratch but it is to consult the farmers/target people. I have seen a cotton
seed distributed, which can't germinate, wasting lots of money. I expect
real professional to follow certain critical procedures. We have to know
the variety, germination percentage, purity and its disease/drought tolerance.
Without this basics, doing seed distribution will do more harm than good. 
In most cases affected people
are not consulted before implementation of the program. It is understandable....time
can be constraint in rapid onset emergencies. We may rush to secure the
budget/funding but during implementation we have to sit with the farmers
to know the specifics of the support. The interest of farmers can be rice
seed but attention has to be paid to the variety equally. By giving rice
seed, we cannot address their problem. 
As expert, there are certain
areas that need improvement in farmer's routine exercise. Recent innovations
and research ideas has to be tested in the field and disseminated in a
proper way. By talking to the direct beneficiaries, we can be more efficient!
 
Regards! 
 
­­­­­­----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Micheal Yemane
Advisor, Food Security and Livelihoods
International Medical Corps,  From
Relief to Self-Reliance
Cell Phone (in Eth): +251-913-283266
www.InternationalMedicalCorps.org
Skype: micheal.yemane1
 
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: 31 July 2014 10:44
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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