Abstract
In this article we reflect on the discussions as to whether breeding and seed system development should proceed along its current well established route of developing varieties with a higher agricultural productivity or if the diversity of farmers, their contexts and rationales requires broader approaches. We make use of data from a recently held survey (2018) in West Kenya. The data show that some 80% of the households in the survey planted both local and hybrid maize varieties. The choices that people make about which variety to plant are many. Apart from rainfall, the availability of cash, the promise of a good yield, the presence of projects and programs and the culture of seed also influences these choices. We argue that an inclusive demand-oriented maize breeding and seed system needs to include a range of varieties and seed sources and to develop and support different delivery pathways to fit farmers’ diverse use of seeds and varieties. Our findings also indicate the need for more systematic study of the diversity of farmers’ rationales and the performance of crop varieties. This would provide useful information for all the actors involved.
Highlights
The debate around seed and variety developmentDebates on the development, use and impact of improved crop varieties continue to dominate discourses around plant breeding and the development of modern or formal seed systems in the Global South (Brooks et al, 2009; Doss et al, 2003; Mausch et al, 2021; McGuire and Sperling, 2016; Scoones and Thompson, 2011)
West Kenya is characterized by small farms, high population pressure and a high level of poverty measured in monetary terms (Tittonell et al, 2005; Place et al, 2007b)
We found little evidence of hybrid seeds being re-used in the region, even in the short rainy season
Summary
The debate around seed and variety developmentDebates on the development, use and impact of improved crop varieties continue to dominate discourses around plant breeding and the development of modern or formal seed systems in the Global South (Brooks et al, 2009; Doss et al, 2003; Mausch et al, 2021; McGuire and Sperling, 2016; Scoones and Thompson, 2011). Increasing agricultural productivity is considered by many to be the key to increasing food production, rural economic growth and poverty reduction (Fuglie et al, 2019; Gollin, 2021; World Bank, 2008) Following this development pathway, the main goal of breeding and seed systems is to increase the availability and accessibility of improved seeds (Crops to End Hunger, 2021; Sanchez et al, 2007), focusing predominantly on varieties with higher yield potential, shorter growing seasons, improved disease resistance and stress tolerance, and to accelerate and expand farmers’ adoption of these varieties. Bebbington, 1999; Chambers and Conway, 1992, Scoones, 2016, and more recently Hazell, 2019; Mausch et al, 2018) This diversity of livelihoods implies that many farmers have other motivations than just maximizing the yields of the crops they grow.
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