TY  - REP
AU  - Cromwell,E.
AU  - Tripp,R.B.
ED  - ILCA/ICARDA Research Planning Workshop on Seed Production by Smallholder Farmers. Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). 13-15 Jun 1994
TI  - Proximity is a plus:  The economics of farmer seed production and distribution in developing countries
SN  - 92-9053-2
U1  - 95-130048 
PY  - 1994///
KW  - Agricultural population
KW  - Economic geography
KW  - Enterprises
KW  - Farms
KW  - Human population
KW  - Occupations
KW  - Organization, administration and management of agricultural enterprises or farms
KW  - Plant production
KW  - Production
KW  - Production economics
KW  - Rural population
KW  - Seed production
KW  - Small enterprises
KW  - Supply balance
N1  - 1 fig.; ref. Summary (En)
N2  - Using information collected as part of the Overseas Development Institute's on-going seeds research programme, this paper investigates the economics of farmer seed production and distribution in developing countries, including their social equity and gender aspects. The paper concludes that the conventional contract grower approach to involving smallholders in seed production, which copies formal sector organisational structures and methods, does not necessarily make economic sense. Instead, the paper suggests re-thinking the approach, to support and build on the traditional seed production and distribution mechanisms that already exist within small farm communities. The role for external organisations in supporting these alternative farmer-based seed schemes is discussed
ER  -