With a rapidly growing population, food demands are increasing pressure on our fixed and dwindling land resource. To complicate matters, low yields are rampant across Africa, Kenya included.
According to Asareca (2011), in Eastern and Southern Africa the national average yields of maize, the main staple crop are about 1.5 T/ha compared to global average of 4.5 T/ha.
This is closely linked to unavailability of planting materials. At the moment, more than 90 per cent of smallholder farmers depend on relief seed and farmer to farmer exchange to obtain seeds. Worse still, development reports indicate that 77 per cent of farmers do not use improved seeds. This is aggravated by susceptibility of these varieties to major diseases and pests.
To increase production the solution lies in quality germplasm production and conservation, which research has the potential and capacity to address. Research plays an important role of collecting and maintaining germplasm, identifying characteristics needed to address projected climate impacts, breeding improved varieties, and testing existing ones to ensure their adaptability with changing conditions and different agro-ecological zones.
Germplasm production is fundamental to modern agriculture. Crops and livestock are established from seeds with seed quality having major impacts on potential yield. Successful germplasm production should understand farmers’ needs in terms of the crops they prefer as well as the varieties they like.
The process of plant germplasm production begins with plant breeding which entails generation of variation, selection of plants and genetic stabilization of traits to obtain varieties with reproducible desired characteristics through genotyping.
After breeding and seeds are produced, they could be enhanced to increase the consistency of their performance thus improving harvested yield and quality. Seed enhancement confers greater disease resistance in seeds, improve seed vigour and modify seed emergence capabilities. Seed enhancement technologies include: Coating by application of materials on the seed surface, which contain seed protectants such as fungicides and film coating, which reduces loss of active material from seed during transport and handling; pelleting which delivers a range of beneficial addictives.
Once the right breed of seed has been produced, they should be properly stored in order to conserve its vigor and vitality.
The following recommendations are useful in guiding germplasm multiplication:
Research: There is need to develop robust crops adapted to wide range of agro-ecologies. Varieties developed should allow farmers to conserve natural resources.
Conservation: Seed systems should integrate conservation of farmers’ varieties on smallholder farms. This will help in sustaining evolutionary systems that are responsible for the generation of genetic variability.
Investments in seed production: There is need for investments towards increasing availability of improved seeds by producing foundation seed, investing in storage facilities and production of sufficient quantities of quality seed that meets the market demands. Seed production should focus at both food crops and cash crops
Private sector participation: There is need to create an enabling environment for private sector participation in seed trade through versatile policy environments.
Rationalisation of seed trade policy: Rationalisation and harmonization of seed policies, laws, regulations and policies is important in facilitating flow of seed across national boundaries. This increases choice of quality seed to farmers leading to increased productivity.
Seed policy: There is need for integrated holistic agricultural policies that would promote and implement global diversity of seed cultivars, support the development and spread of agricultural systems based on a holistic approach, where human, crop, animal, microbial biodiversity are an indispensable tool for increasing productivity, efficiency, and resilience of farming systems.
Seed trade associations: There is need to strengthen seed trade associations since their role in the sector is critical. They are responsible for protection of genuine seed procedures and farmers through strict enforcement of national seed laws, lobby and advocacy and promotion of regional formal seed trade.
Rethink traditional local varieties: There in need for more research on improved varieties of traditional food staples.
Coordination between breeders and farmers: While breeders have the scientific knowledge and methods, farmers are good at identifying traits that suit their particular environments and resource levels.
The writer is Kenya Farmers Federation (KENAFF) CEO
