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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