TY  - CPA
AU  - Langyintuo,A.S.
ED  - Annual meeting of Maize breeders in southern Africa
TI  - Challenges of the maize seed sector in southern Africa
PY  - 2004///
CY  - Harare (Zimbabwe) : 
PB  - CIMMYT
KW  - Seed production
KW  - AGROVOC
KW  - Maize
KW  - Seed systems
KW  - Southern Africa
N1  - Draft
N2  - Seed is an essential, strategic, and relatively inexpensive input to agriculture with a high rate of return on investment that often sets the upper limit for crop production. In southern Africa, a number of seed companies, farmers’ associations and community based seed production systems are involved in the production and distribution of improved maize seed to complement farmer’s own seed stocks. Notwithstanding the concerted efforts of these various seed providers, improved maize seed is still chronically unavailable at the farm level due mainly to production and distribution challenges broadly categorized as (1) farmers’ circumstances, (2) institutional environment, (3) national and regional policy environments, and (4) climatic conditions. Using industry level survey data, this paper critically examines how these challenges impact upon seed provision and specifically highlights the fact that the dual role of seed as an input and a technology often overlooked by researchers complicates the determination of seed demand required for effective production planning. Drawing on the findings, the paper makes relevant policy recommendations necessary to enhance the provision of improved maize seed at the farm level.
ER  -