The varietal contribution to total increased world food output has been estimated to be more than 50%. Seed is the first link in the food chain and seed-based technologies offer the easiest and cheapest options for increasing crop productivity to farmers. However, farmers' access to new maize seeds is limited which could be one of the major reasons for the only gradual improvement in maize productivity. The gap between the experimental yield (5 t/ ha) and the farmers' harvest (1.7 t/ha, i. e. national average yield) is over 3 t/ha. The formal seed sector in Nepal contributes less than five percent of seed requirements in major food crops including maize while the rest is met through the informal seed system. Farm-saved seed, farmer-to-farmer exchange, local sales and gifts are the major sources of seed in Nepal. If the widespread use of modern maize varieties is to be achieved, it is necessary to strengthen the farmers' seed system by offering choice of varieties to match the specific niches through varietal diversification. This paper reviews variety testing and seed production initiatives in the past by the government or non- government organisations and analyses the reasons for lack of their sustainability .The important gaps in maize varietal improvement research and the seed industry are identified, and ways of improving the access of farming communities to new seed varieties for strengthening the loca1 seed system are suggested.

English

0304|AGRIS 0201|AL-Economics Program|R01PROCE

Juan Carlos Mendieta

CIMMYT Publications Collection