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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 12, No. 2
Publication Date: April 25, 2024
DOI:10.14738/aivp.122.15682
Yuga, M. E., & Miteng, J. A. (2024). The Seed Sector Development: Experiences in South Sudan. European Journal of Applied
Sciences, Vol - 12(2). 144-150.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
The Seed Sector Development: Experiences in South Sudan
Yuga, M. E.
International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), Juba, South Sudan
Miteng, J. A.
International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), Juba, South Sudan
ABSTRACT
Agriculture accounts for 15% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides 78%
of the country’s employment in South Sudan. Even though South Sudan produces a
large variety of agricultural commodities for local consumption, food insecurity is
dire, with over half of its population needing food assistance, from World Food
Program (WFP) and other food distributing organizations in the country. Despite
the broad production base, limited research and adoption of new technology has
kept crop yields at its lowest compared to its peers in the region. The poorly
developed seed systems have exacerbated these crises because smallholder
farmers are unable to access quality seeds on a sustainable basis to increase food
production. This review was carried out using secondary sources of information
including reviews of literature and reports from government and humanitarian
organizations. This review of the seed sector provides insight into the seed systems,
progress made, bottlenecks and ways forward to ensure a functional seed system in
South Sudan. To ensure a functional seed system, the Ministry of Agriculture and
Food Security (MAFS) and stakeholders should review and update the Seed Act then
passed into Law. In addition, the seed certification agency should be established and
supported with resources to initiate seed quality control in the country. Integration
of the formal and the informal seed sector is recommended, the capacity of the
public and private seed actors should be enhanced to ensure competitiveness of
seed sector. Establishment of a commercial, sustainable, and adaptive agriculture
sector in South Sudan requires strengthening the formal and the informal seed
sector, so that smallholder farmers can access high quality seeds. The food aid and
other humanitarian organizations should shift from humanitarian support to
agricultural development to ensure sustainable growth of South Sudan’s seed
sector.
Keywords: Food insecurity, seed systems, quality declared seeds, smallholder farmers.
INTRODUCTION
Agriculture is the second most important industry in South Sudan following oil production, and
accounts for 15% of the GDP and provides 78% of the country’s employment [1]. South Sudan
has 62 million hectares of land in the Nile River basin, approximately 75% of which is suitable
for agriculture and 50% is highly suitable for crop cultivation.
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Yuga, M. E., & Miteng, J. A. (2024). The Seed Sector Development: Experiences in South Sudan. European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 12(2).
144-150.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.122.15682
Despite having immense agricultural potential with abundant fertile lands, South Sudan
produces only about half of its cereal requirements and depends on food aid and imported
foodstuffs [1].
For the last seven years, food insecurity in South Sudan has been described as “dire”, with over
half of the population needing food assistance, supplied by World Food Program (WFP) and
other food distributing organizations in the country.
Development of productive and sustainable agriculture in South Sudan has been severely
constrained by civil wars and political instability; these factors have been aggravated by effects
of climate change manifested as drought in some parts of the country and floods in other parts.
These factors have seriously affected food access and availability as well as general economic
development through their effects on population displacement and food production [2].
There has also been inadequate public and private investment in agricultural research, training,
and extension services. The result is declining food production [3].
South Sudan produces a large variety of agricultural commodities for local consumption. The
major crops cultivated include sorghum, maize, rice, cowpeas, groundnuts, sesame, cassava,
and beans.
Despite the broad production base, limited research and adoption of new technology has kept
crop yields at its lowest compared to its peers in the region, smallholder farmers cultivate an
average of one to three feddans of land (0.4 to 1.2 hectares). Most farmers in South Sudan
currently use local seed varieties that they save, borrow from family or friends, or get seed from
donor projects. Only two percent (2%) of seeds planted by smallholder farmers in South Sudan
are bought from the formal sector and this is limited mainly to maize and sorghum [2].
For example, in a report released by FAO, the inadequate public investment in research,
extension services and formal seed system has undermined the efforts by the informal and
formal seed systems to reach the production level that meets the national seed requirements
[4].
Currently, South Sudan produces only 4,000 MT against the total national seed requirements of
about 12,000 MT. The underperformance in the seed sector is reflected in the form of grain
deficits in the country. In a report by International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid
Tropics (ICRISAT), there is a direct relationship between quality seed and high on-farm grain
yields [5].
In South Sudan, it is estimated that the cereal production gap stands at 408,553 MT, implying
that the seed gap is directly responsible for the recurring cycles of grain deficits in the country
[6].
Since gaining independence in 2011, the agriculture sector in South Sudan has operated more
on a humanitarian mode providing free seeds and basic hand tools and some training with the
goal of helping households produce their own food [2].
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In more secure areas, organizations like FAO, have introduced input trade fairs to stimulate
transactions in local markets. While institutions like Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
(AGRA) and currently International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) have been working
with private sector and government to establish a base for sustainable seed systems [11].
METHODOLOGY
To obtain a better understanding of the South Sudan Seed Sector, multiple documents were
reviewed. Some of these documents included, but not limited to; Seed Systems Study for South
Sudan that was conducted by FAO financed by EU. We referred to the Seeds Systems Study that
was conducted by FAO in 2010 to provide a comparative analysis of the situation and make a
trajectory of seed system evolution in South Sudan. The Rapid Food Security Assessment
Report conducted in 2020 for the FSN-REPRO project was also consulted and has provided
insightful recent data. We also reviewed the End of Project Evaluation of Report for the AGRA
implemented Seed Sector Development for South Sudan, as well as end of year 2022 report for
“accelerating agriculture and agribusiness in South Sudan for enhanced economic
development” (A3-SEED Project).
SEED SYSTEMS IN SOUTH SUDAN
Informal Seed System
This is the most predominant and accounts for about 90% of the seed delivery systems in the
country. Smallholder farmers in South Sudan get seeds through farmer-own-saving, farmer-to- farmer exchanges. The seed used in this seed systems is produced, stored, and re-used on farms.
Normally, seed storage takes place on-farm or at community level on a small-scale, with women
undertaking the bulk of the tasks.
Storage facilities are often poorly developed, and seed production techniques are rather simple,
with the transfer of knowledge being based on informal channels. This seed system has existed
for many years in South Sudan and has been the most dominant system for subsistence farmers.
It has maintained diversity of traditional seed varieties [7].
Semi-Formal Seed System
The research and plant protection directorate of Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in
collaboration with development organisations, have promoted community-based production
of quality declared seeds (QDS). This is where, smallholder farmers are organized in groups and
supported with inputs, not necessarily foundation seeds for multiplication into quality declared
seeds (QDS).
The local seed production is geared towards toping up imported seeds from neighbouring
countries for free distribution. They are normally distributed through seed fairs, voucher
systems, or even free distribution to vulnerable/subsistence farmers [6].
Formal Seed System
Formal seed system focuses on improving crop seed varieties with key objective to increase
desirable characteristics of yield, maturity time, resistance to diseases or improved
organoleptic tastes. In formal seed system, the farmer or customer demand is a vital ingredient,
and must be taken into consideration for a successful plant breeding programme (Syngenta,