SEED SYSTEM SECURITY ASSESSMENT IN SOUTH SUDAN

1. SEED SYSTEM SECURITY ASSESSMENT IN SOUTH SUDAN

2. SSSA PARTNERS

3. INTRODUCTION: Definitions • Seed System: The sum of the physical, organizational and institutional components, their actions and interactions that determine supply and use of seed in quantitative and qualitative terms (Thompson and Scoones, 2012) • Seed Security: FAO (2008) defines seed security as “Access by farming household’s members (men and women) to adequate quantities of good quality seed and planting materials of adapted crop varieties at all times in both good and bad cropping seasons”.

4. Why Seed Production? Food & Seed Security • They are related, but not the same, as one may have enough seed to plant but no food to eat, or vice-versa. • Scenario 1: Food but Not Seed Secure • A HH can have adequate food but lack access to preferred variety or right quality seed for planting due to pest infestation or loss of germination due to external factor. • Scenario 2: Seed but Not Food Secure • On the other hand with about 8-12 kg sorghum seed at planting will be able to plant about two dedans, but that does not have 200kg of sorghum they need for food. • Scenario 2: Food and Seed Insecure

5. INTRODUCTION: FAO’s Response IDPs & Returnees Conflict & Displacement Conflict & Displacement Post CPA

6. INTRODUCTION: SSSA Objectives • Overall objective: To have better understanding of the seed systems in South Sudan in the current context Specifically; • Examine elements of seed availability, access, quality and varietal suitability from both formal and informal section. • Identify practices, constraints, opportunities and options for improvement within the seed sector • Provide recommendations that can guide various stakeholders for short, medium and long terms

7. Methodology Awareness and training SSSA Tools/Data Sources Key tools used includes Household questionnaire KII guides Seed/grain trader interview guide Seed growers interview FGD guides Field Observations Secondary sources: reports, publications etc. • AwarenessCreation • Carried at National and State level (May – Sept) • Trainings: • A 5-day National level in Juba (41 participants) – October . • Additional 2 days training provided at State/site levels (4-6 participants)

8. Sites and Data Collection • Conducted across 10 former states (30 counties, 67 payams), and across 10 Livelihood Zones (LZ) • Primary data collected from 1424 HH, 55 Key informants, 64 FGD, 25 seed producers, 36 LM and 6 Agro-Input Dealers • Additional information were collected through review of the plant breeding and seed production activities.

9. 11 Sites and Data Collection 10 7 9 12 8 5 13 4 6 14 15 2 1 3

10. SSSA KEY FINDINGSPlant Breeding

11. Plant Breeding Efforts • Plant breeding activitiesare limited to testing of varieties that have either been released in the neighboring countries or those that are in advances stages. • Research Centers – Yei, Halima and Palotaka • Most varieties that have been released have remained on the shelf over the years. 2011 to 2018 Release

12. SEED PRODUCTION

13. Seed Production Formal Semi-Formal A number farmers, groups, cooperatives supported by FAO and NGOs Provided with inputs, training, equipment No institutionalize quality control mechanism – but some check done by field extension agents • About 13 registered seed companies • 11 supported by AGRA in various aspects such as trainings and grand • Quality control largely remained an internal arrangement by companies. • The STASS has been formed in 2018

14. Local Seed Production SEED COMPANIES FAO CBSPS

15. 2018 local seed production (MT) High Medium Low

16. Share of Production by Crops

17. SEED SECURITY ACROSS SITES

18. Important crops grown by famers 78% Lakes SS08 58% Lakes SS07 87% in WES - SS01 56% EE/CES – SS01 72% Lakes SS08 65% WES SS02

19. Crop Diversity by Region GUN – 43% GBEG – 18% 1-2 Crops 38% GE – 40% GBEL - 37% 4-6 Crops

20. Crop Diversity by State Jonglei – 64% UN – 46% NBEG -42 % 1-2 Crops

21. Crop Diversity & IPC

22. Seed Requirement & Demand

23. Seed Sourcing by farmers 13% 14% 21% 50%

24. Seed Sourcing/Channels • The informal sector still remains the main sources of seed to the farmers contributing to more than 85% of the seed source used by famers. • With the exception of refugees female headed HH, market (local) still provide seed. • There is very limited direct formal seed supply to the farmers. Most seed from the formal sector are being channeled through humanitarian organization.

25. Framers Planting Less or More

26. Framers Planting Less or More

27. Framers Planting Less or More

28. Overall supply at community level

29. Preferences of local and improved varieties

30. Preferences of Varieties from sources • About 10%-25% of the farmers appear to have dislike of the varieties from dealers, CSP and Seed companies

31. Availability of seed in time

32. EES Timeliness of seed supply

33. Access of seed from Local Market

34. Access of seed from Social Network • G/nut: 45% buy or get it on credit • Sesame: 53% buy

35. Seed Quality Purity rating (n=5204) Germination Rating (n=5204)

36. Rating of 2018 Harvest • Generally across most states, more than 60% of HH rated harvest as good or fair. • A more stressful scenarios was expressed in NBELG where 82% is rated as poor • CFSAM Mission puts cereal production at 15.5% below the five year average, and 2.5% below 2017.

37. OTHER INPUTS • Other major productivity enhancement inputs used by farmers in include • Mineral fertilizers: < 1% of the farming households are using it in South Sudan. • Organic amendments:About 30% of the farmers are using animal manure • Pesticides: Not much is being used by famers, especially on cereals, pulses and oil seed crops

38. Reason for not using inorganic

39. Organic Amendment • About 30% of the famers use some form of organic amendment • 68% of the amendment is animal manure while 20% is mulch

40. RECOMMENDATIONS

41. Humanitarian responses • Rapid Seed Security Assessment: seed availability and quality assessment to justify and guide the approaches to be used • Market-based approaches: Involved both commercial and community seed producers as much as possible through use of fairs and vouchers. • Integration of resilience-building within humanitarian context: Wherever possible, humanitarian seed aid be repackaged, and directly or indirectly linked to resilience strategies that build assets and skills, and be market-driven as much as possible.

42. Humanitarian response • Timely distribution: The crop seed provided should be well timed to coincide with the beginning of the season. • Match of varieties with agro-ecologies and needs: Only varieties well adapted to a given agro-ecology should be provided through emergencies. • Delivery and distribution:Prompt inspection be carried out by field staff. Seed lot with doubted quality be reported, and re-tested before distribution. • This needs to be supported with capacity building on seed quality and inspection.

43. Community-based seed production and supply • Improving access to quality starter seed (foundation and/or certified). • Improve access to ox-plough or tractor hire services: • Quality assurance – Government and FAO need to work minimum standards or adapt FAO standards for QDS • Processing and storage – provide manual cleanrs, grain silos (500l), hematic bags • Creating market linkage – Seed fairs and seed companies

44. Building Resilience of the Seed System • Crop and varietal diversification • Cassava and Sweet potation in NBEG (SS04) • Rice in the flood plain (SS06 & SS07) • Green grams and millet in SS02, SS07 and SS08 or the ironstone plateau • Introduction of drought or flood tolerant and pests and disease resistant varieties • Improve storage facilities and management • Use of hematic bags and grain silos • Promoting IPM

45. Building Resilience of the Seed System • Seed bulking • Training and provision of inputs • Use of ox-plough technologies • Use of cost recovery • Crop value addition and income generation • Groundnut and maize are potential crops for value addition into paste and flour respective, • Sesame is a hot commodity in regional and international markets

46. Building Resilience of the Seed System • Control and management of striga, FAW and other pests • Appropriate IPM package • Local market traders • Promote, encouraged and regulate use of pallet, hematic bags and grain silos among grain traders • Grain/seed information on grain quality aspects • Link the with seed producers • Improving of market outlets for seed from the formal sector • Agro-input dealers and traders

47. Building Resilience of the Seed System • Access to information • Market information - products and prices • Climate and weather information – risk reduction • Alternative seed sources and varieties • Pest and disease management • Livelihood diversification and support • Asset ownership • Off-farm income generation • Policy environment • Does the current policy draft recognizes the importance of both formal and informal sector

48. Discussion: Recommendations 30 Minutes