On-farm Soybean Seed Production Through Initiating and Supporting Seed and Grain Producer Farmer Groups in Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Improved seed is among the most key input for increasing soybean production and productivity by significant folds, at the end ensuring food security and improving livelihoods in the country. Facilitating and accessing quality seed to small holder farmers require proper understanding of seed systems. Soybean production and productivity particularly in southwestern Ethiopia is constrained by inadequate availability of good quality seeds, lack of proper market channels, and market information. This study is therefore conducted to solve seed production and distribution problem in south west Ethiopia viz 4 selected weredas of Jimma, Buno Bedele and Illuababore zones, which aimed at enhancing soybean variety seed production technology and disseminating through establishing and supporting small scale seed producer farmers. The research approach consisted of stakeholder’s platform meeting, establishment of soybean seed producer farmer groups, technical skills and capacity building. The research finding revealed that Stakeholders’ platform was organized and arranged to discuss and share ideas/ responsibilities. A validation platform was organized with 154 participants from ministry of agriculture(MOA),Jimma agricultural research center(JARC), jimma University, cooperatives/unions, private enterprises, model farmers, then soybean seed producer farmers groups were created, which consisted of 20-30 farmers with a land holding of 0.125-0.25 hectare. Accordingly, JARC has given 22 quintals of soybean foundation seed and Biofertilizer to seed producer farmers group. Training on improved soybean seed production and soybean food recipe was given to farmers, MOA and Cooperative office experts, researchers, development agents and other officers. At the beginning, JARC was disseminating initial improved seed for small scale farmers, but, now a days; ministry of agriculture, cooperative and unions took responsibility of supporting and supplying seed, to alleviate market access, they have been later purchasing the seed from farmers. This linkage is just due to the impact of common understanding and awareness created through stakeholder platform and training. In this research, 200 seed producer farmers were participated in the system, as result more than 300 quintal soybean seed was produced and disseminated to small scale farmer and a total of 70 hectare was covered by soybean seed during research phase.

Keywords: improved seed, seed system, soybean, small scale farmers

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/11-15-03

Publication date:August 31^st 2020