Seeds and Access to Markets Project (SAMP) Phase 3

Project completed

The project contributes to increased food and nutrition security of smallholder farmers by improving availability of and access to adequate quantities of quality seeds and planting material of suitable and diversified crop varieties. This enables smallholder farmers to produce enough food to sustain themselves, their communities, and earn higher incomes. The project strengthens national and local farmer-led institutions, supports community seed and commodity production and strengthens seed and commodity distribution networks.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Agriculture & food security
Agriculture value-chain development (til 2016)
Agricultural development
01.12.2015 - 28.02.2022
CHF  9’895’000
Background

In the SADC region, all fifteen member-states continue to register stunting rates of more than 20% malnutrition levels that are deemed unacceptable by the World Health Organization. This clearly characterizes states of chronic poverty and food and nutrition insecurity. The livelihoods of the majority of the rural population are highly dependent on small-scale rain-fed subsistence agriculture that is unreliable and risky. One of the main reasons for rural households to be food insecure is inadequate access to sufficient quantities of suitable crop varieties and quality of seeds and planting material.

While formal commercial seed systems in the region have focused on the promotion and development of a limited number of crops and hybrid varieties, these are expensive and not suitable to the semi-arid conditions of smallholder farmers. Farmers have limited access to seed of crops that would meet a wide range of their food and nutrition needs and that are adaptable to their environmental contexts.

Objectives

Improved food and nutrition security for targeted smallholder farmers in Lesotho (5 districts), Swaziland (3 rural development associations) and Zimbabwe (3 districts) through the following specific objectives: 

  • Improved seed security for “transiently poor” households  and the “chronically poor but able”
  • Additional income for “transiently poor” households and the “chronically poor but able[1]”

 

[1] Transiently poor households are able to fend for themselves under normal circumstances, but are sometimes impacted by shocks and/or stresses such as drought and or crop failure thus drifting in and out of poverty. Chronically poor but able households have very few assets, such as land, but generally lack resources to purchase inputs. With assistance these can be lifted out of poverty (as defined in the project document).

Target groups

The project beneficiaries primarily targeted are rural women and men categorized as ‘transiently poor’ and ‘chronically poor but able’ with limited access to seeds and markets for their food basket, and produce, in Lesotho, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.

It also targets seed producers, seed and commodity associations, agriculture ministries, agro-dealers and the private sector agents.

Medium-term outcomes
  1. Increased production of quality, nutritive, diversified seed through the establishment of viable, profitable community seed cooperatives
  2. Increased availability of affordable, quality inputs and relevant services through strengthened private sector markets
  3. Strengthened institutions of Government in place to deliver improved seed policies
  4. Increased production and sale of quality, nutritive, diversified commodities, through the establishment of viable, profitable community commodity cooperatives
Results

Expected results:  

  • Capacity building of community seed cooperative staff and members on seed production and management
  • Agro Dealer Association strengthening to manage stocks, businesses and credit
  • Linkages and partnerships developed on seed issues between government, private sector, research organisations and cooperatives.
  • Marketing strategies developed to promote diversified nutritious commodities for the commodity associations.


Results from previous phases:  

  • Partnership with International Research Centers (CGIAR) has enabled sourcing of foundation seed and subsequent multiplication/bulking by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe and Swaziland.
  • An increased agro-dealer network of 57 male and 30 female agro-dealers (increase from 30 at the end of SAMP 1) reaches smallholders across Masvingo province in Zimbabwe.
  • 70% of seed producers in Swaziland indicate that they have improved their household incomes.
  • Farmers that grow both seed and commodities with SAMP support in Zimbabwe are less likely to be reliant on government allowances or remittances for income.
  • Smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe have been able to produce and sell 592 tons of agricultural commodities such as onions, cowpeas, maize, chilies and beans
  • Seed production in Lesotho has been up-scaled in two seasons to 5 districts with 70 seed growers producing 129 tons maize seed and 24 tons of bean seed.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
Private sector
  • Foreign private sector North


Other partners

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)

Ministries of Agriculture in the respective countries

CGIAR centres, Micro-finance institutions

Coordination with other projects and actors

Seeds and Knowledge Initiative, NSIMA, Advocating for agro-biodiversity (AFA)

Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    9’895’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    9’519’598
Project phases

Phase 3 01.12.2015 - 28.02.2022   (Completed)

Phase 2 01.10.2013 - 30.09.2015   (Completed) Phase 1 01.07.2010 - 30.09.2013   (Completed)