Abstract
The utilisation of improved seeds is reliant on distribution system and farmers’ preferences in using the seed. Primary data were collected from key informant interviews in seed delivery chains and a farmer survey to analyse the northern Ghanaian seed delivery systems and factors influencing the adoption of improved seed by farmers. The seed system in Ghana is made up of three main components; a formal seed system, an informal farmers’ seed system and a quasi-formal seed system. The seed chain starts with breeder seed production by Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (except for imported seed) and ends with the grain farmer as the final consumer. The communication flows between members, strength of relationships and farm characteristics reveled to be affecting the improved seed uptake by smallholders in Northern Ghana. The study highlights the value of strengthening the seed delivery system and improving the availability and accessibility of improved seed varieties.
Highlights
The role of seeds as an agricultural input technology cannot be underestimated as it is an indispensable input in any agricultural production system (Almekinders & Louwarrs, 2008)
Through the second and third objectives, this study focuses on maize and identifies the smallholder farmer preferences and factors that influence the level of adoption of improved seeds varieties
Five topic guides were developed for this study and the required ethical clearance was obtained from the Research Committee of the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, the University of Queensland. These topic guides were used to guide the discussions with research scientists at the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-SARI) (n=2), seed distributors (n=14), Ghana Seed Inspection Division (GSID) (n=2), seed companies (n=5), registered seed producers (n=12), community seed growers (n=8), and the grain farmers (n=204)
Summary
The role of seeds as an agricultural input technology cannot be underestimated as it is an indispensable input in any agricultural production system (Almekinders & Louwarrs, 2008). Over time formal seed delivery systems have emerged, the traditional or informal seed delivery systems are still in existence in most parts of Ghana (Almekinders & De Boef, 2000; Cromwell, 1996; Loch & Boyce, 2003; Mc Guire, 2001; Ndjeunga, 2002; Rao, 2004). This informal seed system describes the process where farmers acquire seeds from traditional sources based on seed exchange or gift or purchase from other farmers and local markets (Pandey et al, 2011). According to Pandey et al (2011), smallholder farmers combine different crops and manage to maintain the genetic diversity usually consisting of the traditional landraces
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