Integration with the World Benchmarking Alliance

The Access to Seeds Index is now part of the World Benchmarking Alliance. All indexes up to 2020 can be found here. New indexes and methodologies are published on the website of the WBA.

Stay here worldbenchmarkingalliance.org
  • Search
  • Share
  • Contact
  • About
  • Index
  • Companies
  • Countries
  • Methodology
  • News
  • Publications
In the Media

Smallholders and Seeds: How Private Sector Companies Are Improving Access

March 11, 2016
Share

An estimated 80 percent of farmers in eastern Africa are smallholders, according to the first Access to Seeds Index released by the Access to Seeds Foundation.  Most of these farmers rely on rain-fed irrigation, use minimal inputs, and produce mostly low-yield staple food crops. Traditionally, the majority of seeds used have been obtained informally (either saved from previous harvests, exchanged with neighbors, or bought in informal markets), the report says. But regional seed companies are starting to play a larger role in providing seeds for improved plant varieties to small farmers in the region. These improved varieties— embodied in seed — can help farmers adapt to climate-driven challenges, improving both yields and livelihoods.

The regional index for eastern Africa looks at a total of 17 seed companies that cover the full seed value chain, from research and development through marketing and sales. A range of stakeholders were consulted to collect data, including smallholder farmers, seed company representatives, governments, multilateral organizations and NGOs, and academic researchers.

Read more on Africa South of the Sahara Food Security Portal

Bridging the gap between the world’s leading seed companies and the smallholder farmer

The development of the Access to Seeds Index is supported by:


The Access to Seeds Foundation is an ally of the
World Benchmarking Alliance.

Stay up to date

Follow us by subscribing to our Newsletter.

Or find us on