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Recent Submissions
Resilient Seed System Development for Community Seed Banks in Western Kenya
Author(s): Niane, Abdoul Aziz; Kemal, Seid Ahmed; Nejatian, Arash; Otieno, Gloria; Nyambok, Anne; Atie, Willis; Okoth, Evaline; Aluso, Lillian; Yosef, Gebrehawaryat; Frija, Aymen; Fadda, Carlo (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), 2025-08-30)
Date: 2025-08-30
Type: Internal Report
Status: Open access
Ensuring the availability of high-quality and healthy seeds, particularly the neglected and underutilized species (NUS) remains a critical challenge in effective agrobiodiversity conservation and utilization to enhance resilient nutritive food security. The formal seed sector largely concentrates on a limited number of crops, leaving gaps in farmers’ access to diverse and farmer-preferred resilient crop varieties. The national and international partners, namely the Alliance- Bioversity International & CIAT, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and the local county authorities devoted concerted efforts to support establishment and development of community seed banks in western Kenya. The International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) joined the program in 2023 under the CGIAR Nature Positive Solutions Initiative and continues under the Multifunctional landscape scientific program of the same. The ICARDA intervention focused on development of (1) a farmer-friendly variety catalogue, (2) early generation seed production manual, (3) provision of post-harvest seed operations equipment and facilities, and (4) the necessary capacity development to maximize the benefits from the facilities. The purpose of the Support to Resilient Seed System Development for Community Seed Banks in Western Kenya was to strengthen the functionality and sustainability of community seed banks in Kisumu and Vihiga Counties through capacity building, equipment upgrading, and demonstration of improved seed production and post-harvest practices. Specifically, the visit’s aim was to ensure effective utilization of post-harvest seed processing equipment, enhance the technical skills of CSB members, and support the implementation of demonstration activities that promote quality seed production and dissemination under the CGIAR Multifunctional Land Scape Science program building on the achievements of Nature Positive Solutions Initiative investments. This first Technical Support and Capacity Development under the MFL program was carried out from 26 to 29 August to kickstart the program’s follow-up process. The mission focused on (1) upgrading of post-harvest seed operation equipment provided under the N+ initiative, (2) training Community Seed Bank (CSB) members, and (3) designing and implementing demonstration activities on crop catalogue and EGS production manual enhancement. This report summarizes these activities.
Policy Brief on Integration of Formal and informal Resilient Seed System Development in Western Kenya
Author(s): Niane, Abdoul Aziz; Acheing, Anne; Yosef, Gebrehawaryat; Otieno, Gloria; Kemal, Seid Ahmed; Frija, Aymen; Fadda, Carlo (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), 2025-12-12)
Date: 2025-12-12
Type: Brief
Status: Open access
Community Seed Banks (CSBs) represent a strategic interface between farmer-managed and formal seed systems, with proven potential to conserve agrobiodiversity, enhance climate resilience, and improve equitable access to quality seed for smallholder farmers across heterogeneous landscapes. In Western Kenya, where CGIAR sister centers, national institutions, farming communities, and development partners collaborate under the CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL) Science Program to advance food production, biodiversity conservation, and livelihood outcomes, CSBs offer a locally grounded and cost-effective mechanism for addressing persistent weaknesses in the seed system. These weaknesses stem largely from a policy and regulatory environment that prioritizes the formal seed sector. This bias limits the recognition, institutional support, and scaling of farmer-managed seed systems, and generates tensions with constitutional provisions that protect indigenous seed systems and associated knowledge.
The brief identifies key binding constraints (BCs) alongside emerging opportunities and proposes actionable recommendations to embed CSBs within national and county-level strategies, in accordance with the indigenous seed protection provisions of the Kenyan Constitution. Realizing the full potential of CSBs will require deliberate policy coherence, targeted investment in local capacity, and strengthened science–policy–practice interfaces to deliver sustained, landscape-level impact.
Western Kenya is a smallholder-dominated farming region characterized by highly diverse agroecosystems spanning mountains, deep valleys, and plains. The presence of both long and short rainy seasons enables year-round cropping. These landscapes are inherently multifunctional, delivering food, ecosystem services, cultural values, and rural employment. However, they are increasingly exposed to climate shocks, soil degradation, and declining crop diversity. In this context, Community Seed Banks (CSBs) in Western Kenya play critical roles, including:
- In situ conservation of locally adapted agrobiodiversity and genetic resources.
- Improving affordable farmer access to diverse, climate-resilient plant propagation materials.
- Supporting agroecological transitions and enhanced dietary diversity.
D.3.3.2. Determine advantages and shortfalls of grazing solutions with farmers Partners: LARI, ITGC, INRA, Open Fields
Author(s): Louahdi, Nasreddine
Date: 2026-01-28
Type: Internal Report
Status: Open access
This report summarizes the results of The Mountain farming systems relying on livestock as the main source of income; hence it is critical that improved cultivation methods also ensure equal or higher fodder (i.e. biomass) production and quality.
D4.3.1- b Cooperatives express their preferences for practices and cultivars
Author(s): El Amil, Rola
Date: 2026-01-28
Type: Internal Report
Status: Open access
Within the MountainHer project and under the work package four, the transition to agro ecological practices and adoption of new cultivars were assessed related to two surveys: S2
on farmers preferences for variety (Annex 1- Preferences for varieties) targeting the traits
related to yield, quality, precocity, tolerance to drought, heat, diseases and pests in the
highlight of climate change and S3 (Annex -2-Preference for practices) targeting all production
chain from seed bed preparation, sowing, seeds availability, type of fertilization, harvesting
and yield, with farmer cooperative members and farmers based on gender disaggregation
approach. Only Preferences for varieties will be presented here. The S3 survey with regards
to practices is ongoing and will be analysed at a later stage. The S2 with regards to trait
preferences study was carried out in six countries and a summary of the number of
respondents is shown in Figure 1. Farmers were asked as individuals or in groups to select
their preferred varieties and narrate the underlying reasons for that.
D4.4.1 Training of rural cooperatives in business strategies and spirit
Author(s): Zatezalo, Dubravka Kolarić
Date: 2026-01-21
Type: Internal Report
Status: Open access
This report outlines the completed training activities and workshops in Morocco and
Croatia, as well as the identified needs and planned trainings in Italy, as part of
strengthening the marketing strategies and entrepreneurial spirit of women's agricultural
cooperatives. The activity aims to encourage sustainable economic development in rural
communities by empowering rural cooperatives.