Farmer Seed Production

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Farmer Seed Production
James M. Roshetko ICRAF Winrock International
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Sub-Project Strengthening Germplasm Security for
NGOs and Smallholder Farmers in Indonesia
Sub-project objectives, to i) strengthen the
technical awareness and skills of NGOs and
smallholders regarding tree germplasm and ii)
increase the availability and use of quality
germplasm by NGOs and smallholders
Objectives target the expressed needs of NGOs and
farmers
Also experience in the Philippines
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Farmers and NGOs have weak linkages to tree seed
resources
They need to develop their own seed security
seed production one part
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Local (farmer NGO) pathways
Farmers/NGOs acquire seed from informal
sources Collect from local forests, woodlots,
or farms Exchange with family or friends
This local pathways operate in recurrent
isolation Seed collected repeatedly from
the same sources New seed only occasional
enters the local population
Farmers/NGOs do not follow suitable seed
collection protocol Collect seed from 1-5
trees Collect from trees that are easy to
access Quality of mother tree rarely
considered Distance between trees not
considered Origins of trees not considered
(unknown or small population)
Locally collected seed is often of suspect
quality
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Seed quality and quantity !!!
Why Farmer Seed Production ?

• Problem for all partners
• Seed shortages are common
• Use whatever seed is available
• No direct access to quality seed

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Seed Sources (Indonesia)

• 75 of seed from local stands
• Local stands questionable quality
• No seed collection criteria !!
• NGOs, farmers and dealers have limited knowledge
  
• 25 of seed donated by INGOs, government,
  universities, etc
• Donated seed often from local sources
  quality questionable
• 63 of partners collect seed!!
• This is a valuable opportunity!!

• Conclusion ?
• Local seed management capacity must be improved
• Tree seed collection management training /
  information
• Inflow of quality seed to establish on-farm
  stands / seed sources
• Assist NGOs/farmers develop seed enterprise
  (linked to gov private sec)

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Training and information needs

• Only 5 of partners have received seed related
  training
• Yet 63 of partners collect seed
• And 30 of partners sell seed
• All requested training
• Appropriate documents should be how to
  guidelines and manuals.

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Participatory Training Documents

• Step 1 Training curriculum written by
  ICRAF/Winrock
• Step 2 Technical accuracy reviewed by IFSP and
  seed technology centers
• Step 3 Implement a series of four
  participatory training courses with NGOs and
  farmer groups
• Step 4 Input from participants i) is course
  effective, ii) is technical information practical
  to local conditions
• Step 5 Develop curriculum into a field manual
  and test with farmers not previously involved
  with training
• Step 6 Develop mini-training for farmers to be
  implemented by NGOs and farmer groups advantage
  is mini-trainings are inexpensive and can reach a
  large number of farmers scaling-up activity
  enhance impact

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Comments from training participants

• Previous to the training courses I was not aware
  of the importance of mother tree selection nor
  the need to collect seed from many trees.
• Petrus Tilis, Seed collector/dealer (Kupang)

We collect most of the seed for our planting
programs, because we can not afford to purchase
all the seed required. Before the training we
did not practice proper cleaning, sorting and
storage. Sophia, Yayasan Tananua (Flores)
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General Farmer/NGO Seed Collection Guidelines

• Appropriate for natural forests, plantations and
  smallholder seed sources
• Collect seed from the best stands (hopefully
  fairly uniform).
• Collect from the best trees, compared to
  neighborsabove average height diameter
  insect disease free mature and ample quantity
  of seed good characteristics for timber, fruit,
  or fodder etc.
• Not from isolated trees (separated by more than
  100 meters).
• Minimum 30 trees. If less quality mother trees
  are available, neighbors should combine, mix and
  redistribute their seed.
• Recommended distance 50 meters between mother
  trees (not necessary in hedgerow orchards).
• Only collect mature seed.
• Collect seed from multiple location on the crown
  pollinated from different trees.

Appropriate role for NGO or Community Group
1. Facilitate activities between farmers, and
2. Coordinate with technical agencies and
private seed companies
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Seed Orchards

• Research / Industrial Seed Orchards
• Sole purpose to produce seed
• In general monocultures
• Management excludes production of other products
• Objective produce seed of the best possible
  quality

• Smallholder Seed Orchards (Stands)
• Integrated into existing multi-species,
  multi-product, risk adverse farming system
• Management flexible to address farmers land,
  labor, capital and time limits
• Seed is one of many products from trees (fuel,
  timber, fodder, fruit, etc) and whole system
  (agriculture products)
• Objective produce seed of above-average quality
  compared to other locally available seed
  secure local access to quality tree seed
• Linkages with technical agencies and private
  seed companies

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Models - Farmer Seed Orchards

• 3 Models
• Plantations
• Hedgerows
• Mixed Tree Gardens

• Plantations
• One or a few species, often timber species
• Design blocks, strips or border plantings
• Segregated component of farming system
  (intercrop during establishment or in understory)
• Products seed (major), timber, fuel, others

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Models - Farmer Seed Orchards (2)

• Hedgerows
• One or a few species, often legumes
• Design contour rows, other strips
• Integrated with annual or tree crops
• Products seed (major), fodder, fuel
• green manure, stakes, food tree
• products
• Services soil water conservation enrichment

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Models - Farmer Seed Orchards (3)

• Mixed Tree Gardens
• Multiple species, not all intended for seed
  production
• Design traditional garden design, with
  standardized spacing deliberate management and
  fewer species
• Integrated fully with other tree crops and
  possible annuals
• Products seed is one many tree or annual crop
  products

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Status

• Under development at multiple sites in Indonesia
• Collaboration with farmers, NGOs, technical
  agencies
• Farmer/NGO feedback crucial to evaluate models
• develop innovation

Extrapolation Domain
Farmer Seed Orchards are appropriate for areas
with limited tree resources, strong demand for
tree products (including tree seed) and farmers
who are interested in tree planting.
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Concluding Remarks
Farmer Seed Orchards as discussed here is not
meant to replace Seed Orchards, Seed Production
Areas, or Seed Stands.
Management of Farmer Seed Production is intended
to improve the quality of the seed used locally
compared to existing conditions.

• Key activities are
• Improving seed collection and management skills
• Enhancing access to technical information
• Promoting the use of technically sounds
  collection guidelines
• Establishing local seed sources and tree
  plantings with quality seed
• Strengthen linkages between farmers/NGOs and
  formal seed sector (government, forest industry,
  seed suppliers)

These measures will make it possible for NGOs and
farmers to improve the seed quality of the seed
used at the local level!!!