Status of improved crop seed utilization system across small scale farmers in southern Ethiopia: The case of Sodo Zuirya in Wolaiyta, Mareka in Dawuro and Kacha Birra in Kambata Tambaro zones

Agriculture is a back bone of Ethiopia’s economy, supporting 85 percent of the population’s livelihoods, and accounting for 46 percent of gross domestic product, and 80 percent of export value. Given the significant current and future role of the agriculture sector, a vibrant seed system that provides quality seed to meet the demands of farmers is an essential enabler to continued economic and social development small scale farmer in particular and country of Ethiopia in general.1 Seed is a key input for improving crop production and productivity. Increasing the quality of seeds can increase the yield potential of the crop by significant folds and thus, is one of the most economical and efficient inputs to agricultural development.2 Agriculture low productivity is partly due to limited use of improved varieties and associated technologies, so the availability and use of improved varieties and seeds play an important role in this endeavor. The annual potential seed requirement is estimated to be more than 150,000 tons, but the formal sector supply does not exceed 20,000 tons, of which 80-90% comes from the Ethiopian Seed Enterprise (ESE). The ESE, under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, is expected to support the rural development strategy and the improvement of the seed supply to smallholder farmers in particular, by filling the gap for economically important crop varieties.3 The study findings by Abebawu et al.,4 suggested that strengthening the Community based seed system as key option and the main source of improved seed. Moreover, proper training of farmers, market information network, incentive mechanism, and controlling the quality of seed should be given emphasis. To make Community based seed system sustainable coordination among key partners and proper institutional arrangements is of paramount importance. Strengthening farmers’ association/ union through institutional support should be given priority for sustainability of the scheme. Programs of emergency seed provision may undermine the informal institutions that people employ to cope with food and seed shortages, thus creating dependency on external interventions.