Photo credit: Cindy Hicks, Iowa State University Seed Science Center.
When conversations turn to strengthening Africa’s seed systems, discussions often focus on policy, regulation, and innovation. Yet for Mr. Frances Cobbah, Executive Director of 4-H Ghana, the future of the seed sector also hinges on a simpler but often overlooked question: what kind of seed are young people planting in school gardens today?
“Availability to high-quality seed is critical to the success of our school gardens and youth agriculture programs,” Cobbah said in an interview. “Quality seed affects everything; germination rates, crop uniformity, pest and disease resistance, and ultimately yield.”
Across Ghana, 4-H clubs operate school and community gardens designed to teach young people practical agricultural skills, leadership, and entrepreneurship. These gardens serve as living classrooms. But Cobbah noted that when seed quality is poor, the educational value of those spaces is immediately compromised.
“When young people plant good seed and watch healthy crops grow, it reinforces knowledge, boosts confidence, and validates agriculture as a viable and worthwhile occupation,” he explained. “Bad seed does the opposite. It discourages engagement and reduces the learning experience.”
Interconnected Barriers to Quality Seed
According to Cobbah, access to certified, high-quality seed remains a persistent challenge for many 4-H clubs. The problem, he said, is not singular but structural.
“Certified seed is often limited in rural and peri-urban areas where many of our clubs operate,” he said. “Even when seed is available, affordability becomes a major barrier for schools and community-based youth groups with limited budgets.”
Distribution adds another layer of difficulty. Weak last-mile delivery systems can delay seed until after optimal planting windows have passed. In addition, limited awareness among teachers, facilitators, and youth about how to identify certified seed or understand the benefits of improved varieties further compounds the issue.
“These challenges rarely occur in isolation,” Cobbah emphasized. “They reinforce one another.”
The Cost of Failure for Young Learners
The consequences of unreliable seed extend beyond reduced yields. In youth programs, repeated failure carries a psychological cost.
“When germination is low and yields are poor, it limits food production and hands-on learning,” Cobbah said. “More importantly, persistent failure lowers enthusiasm and can create the perception that agriculture is ineffective or not worth pursuing.”
Such outcomes run counter to the mission of 4-H, which aims to develop confident, capable, and creative young leaders. “It becomes very difficult to inspire youth leadership in agriculture when the foundational inputs are unreliable,” he added.
Evidence from School Gardens
Cobbah pointed to examples where access to certified seed made a measurable difference. In several 4-H school gardens that received certified vegetable and maize seed through partner support, outcomes improved dramatically.
“We saw clear improvements in crop performance and student engagement,” he said. “Yields increased, and the gardens became reliable learning laboratories.”
In some cases, students were able to sell surplus produce, introducing them to basic agribusiness concepts. “That experience changes how young people see agriculture,” Cobbah noted. “They begin to understand production, markets, and sustainability, not just theory, but practice.”
Seed Quality and Broader Development Goals
The implications extend well beyond school gardens. Cobbah stressed that inconsistent seed quality undermines broader goals related to agricultural education, nutrition, entrepreneurship, and leadership development.
“It’s difficult to teach modern farming techniques, promote nutritional diversity, or encourage agripreneurship without dependable inputs,” he said. “Poor seed hinders young people’s ability to move from learning to earning and undermines confidence in the agricultural value chain.”
For youth programs to succeed, he argued, seed must be viewed as both an educational and developmental input.
A Role for the Seed Sector
Cobbah believes the seed sector has a strategic role to play in supporting youth development. Seed companies, trade associations, and regulatory bodies can contribute in practical and scalable ways.
“This includes supplying affordable starter seed packs, supporting seed demonstrations in schools, strengthening certification and quality assurance, and contributing to seed education initiatives,” he said.
Early engagement, Cobbah added, benefits the seed sector itself. “By engaging youth early, the seed sector helps build a future generation of informed farmers, consumers, and innovators.”
Collaboration Opportunities
Looking ahead, Cobbah sees strong opportunities for collaboration between youth programs and seed system actors. Potential initiatives include school garden seed partnerships, seed literacy and stewardship training, youth exposure visits to seed production facilities, and joint awareness campaigns on certified seed and varietal choice.
“These collaborations can improve access to quality seed while strengthening youth understanding of sustainable seed systems,” he said.
Investing in the Future
Cobbah’s message to African seed industry leaders is direct. “Giving young people access to high-quality seed is an investment in the future of agriculture as a whole,” he said.
“Young people who are successful with good seed gain confidence in the agricultural system, acquire skills, and view agriculture as a means of achieving economic opportunity, leadership, and innovation.”
As Africa’s seed sector continues to evolve, through regional dialogue and platforms such as the African Seed Trade Association, Cobbah believes youth must remain central to the conversation.
“Strong seed systems don’t start in laboratories or boardrooms alone,” he said. “They start when young people plant good seed and see that agriculture works.”