Transcript CHALLENGES FOR PRODUCTION AND DELIVERY OF SEEDS …

A
PRESENTATION AT THE REGIONAL SEED SECURITY
WORKSHOP HELD AT KOPANONG HOTEL,
JOHANNESBURG ON 20-21 MAY, 2010
BY
ABIEL BANDA
CHAIRMAN FOR ASSMAG
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ASSMAG stands for Association of Smallholder Seed Multiplication Action Group
based organization mandated to multiply and sell open pollinated variety (OPV)
Maize seed and some legume seeds. Have also expanded to disease free cassava
cuttings, sweet potato vines, improved fruit tree seedlings and Agro-forestry
seedlings.
Was established in 2001 with eight (8) affiliate associations which fall under eight
(8) Agriculture Development Divisions (ADDs), forty nine (49) Seed Marketing Action
Group (SMAGs) with 2450 seed growers country wide of which 40% are women seed
producers.
ASSMAG works as a coordinating body for smallholder seed producers.
Started as a Ministry of Agriculture/Donor community initiative called Maize
Productivity Taskforce Action Group II for the increased seed production of improved
varieties in 1996.
Average production levels of ASSMAG is 20% of the total national seed production
which comprises entire membership of Seed Traders Association of Malawi, but its
market share is currently 10%.
ASSMAG membership cuts across all the country’s ecological zones. This, in itself,
gives ASSMAG an edge over others in producing a variety of seed crops.
ASSMAG is full member of the lone country’s seed organisation called Seed Traders
Association in Malawi (STAM)which is a private sector seed companies grouping.
VISION
 To become a household name in high quality seed
production and marketing through empowerment of its
members to satisfy national seed requirements.
MISSION STATEMENT
 To provide customers with high quality and affordable
seed of superior performance that would add value to
its members and contribute to food security
requirement.
MAJOR GOAL
 To operate as a sustainable seed programme in the
country through the commercialization of its
operations.
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Research Related Constraints
Research centers do not have enough foundation seed
and planting materials for improved crop varieties for
smallholder farmers to multiply due to inadequate
financial resources.
Seed Services Unit does not have enough resources to
carry out its mandatory seed inspections as per their
required frequency and schedules.
Due to resource constraints small scale seed
producers do not receive much needed annual
training sessions vis-à-vis seed production to
maximise required seed quantity and quality.
Until now , the national policy is not very clear on
plant breeders rights (PBR) to the extent that a
particular variety is used free for all without control
as opposed to other privately owned brands.
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ASSMAG suffers a huge transportation bill in a bid to centralise
maize for processing and taking it back to selected market outlets
hence considerably reducing on the growers profit margins.
Another challenge faced by ASSMAG seed producers is accessibility
by potential buyers if such seed has not been collected by its
Secretariat.
Seed Promotion costs are unattainable by small scale seed. This
renders otherwise good seed produced by small scale farmers but
remaining unknown and unsold due to lack of aggressive
promotional campaigns.
ASSMAG lacks centralised warehouse facility for seed stocks rehandling, fumigation and storage prior to distribution to ensure
quality uniformity.
ASSMAG has no processing plant of its own to process its raw seed.
However, when it is required to process its seed, it hires such
services from other seed companies which come along with high
costs and having the service at a later time than when we require it
most.
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2009-2011 AGRA Support to ASSMAG under
Program for Africa’s Seed Systems (PASS)
The project has support on Seed
Production
and Dissemination.
Comprises major activities of Production,
Processing, Farmer education and
Dissemination.
Under PASS, ASSMAG is promoting
legumes, OPV and, for the first time,
hybrid maize seed of MH26 which is at
bulking stage now.
2009-2010 Research Into Use (RIU) support
to ASSMAG under Legume Seed Platform
This focuses on Breeders/Basic seed
multiplication of Groundnuts, Beans and
Soya Beans.
Major activities comprises Production,
Farmer Training and seed Marketing.
 The preceding engagements highlighted
above are a clear testimony that ASSMAG is
not only an opportunity on its own but is
fully capable of handling any major projects
to do with seed production.
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. Socio-economic improvement of the seed producing
farmers.
 Complemented seed companies in making available
improved seed varieties of superior performance and at
affordable prices, hence contributing to the fight of food
insecurity.
 Seed producers have continuously received relevant
training in seed production and dissemination and hence
increasing their knowledge base.
 Complementing government efforts in its Input Subsidy
Programme by making available some seeds which would
otherwise not have been there.
 Creating a readily available widow for production of seeds
which are newly introduced or are in urgent demand.
THANK YOU!