Climate shocks, conflict, pest pressure and rising input costs are exposing weaknesses in agricultural delivery systems across Africa, prompting new efforts to strengthen how improved seed reaches farmers.
CGIAR’s Scaling for Impact Program is working with national governments and development partners in Tanzania, Liberia and Zimbabwe to build stronger seed systems that connect agricultural research with on-farm production. The effort is being carried out alongside partners including the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation program, the African Development Bank and the International Water Management Institute.
The initiative focuses on improving not only seed varieties, but also the broader systems needed to support adoption, including certification, agrodealer networks, extension services, financing, regulation and national investment planning.
In Liberia, seed sector reforms are being built around a five-year Seed Roadmap and Investment Plan tied to the country’s National Agriculture Development Plan and broader agricultural transformation strategy. The roadmap covers rice, cassava, maize, soybeans and aquaculture.
Liberia’s plan expands the definition of seed systems to include cassava planting materials and fish fingerlings, recognizing their role in food production.
The process began with a government-led Seed Summit in Monrovia, where public officials, technical partners and private stakeholders identified key bottlenecks and investment priorities.
Under the plan, Liberia will need to increase certified rice seed production from 4,442 metric tons in 2025 to 6,116 metric tons by 2030 to meet 25% of domestic demand. Cassava planting material production is projected to rise from 5 million cuttings to 50 million over the same period.
An investment roundtable held in April focused on attracting public and private capital to support certified seed production, distribution systems, early generation seed development and local seed companies.
In Tanzania, the government recently approved its Seed Sector Development Strategy, a framework designed to guide seed sector transformation through 2030.
The strategy, developed under the Ministry of Agriculture with support from CGIAR, IWMI and other partners, was launched in May at the Tanzania Seed Sector Stakeholders Forum in Dodoma. More than 500 participants attended, including representatives from government, research institutions, financial groups, farmer organizations and agribusinesses.
The plan centers on improving seed availability, accessibility, distribution, certification and creating a stronger environment for investment and innovation.
By 2030, Tanzania aims to double the area planted with improved seed from about 3 million hectares to 6 million hectares. The country also plans to expand its agrodealer network from about 3,000 to 12,000.
The strategy ties seed systems to broader agricultural goals, including irrigation, water productivity, extension services and youth entrepreneurship.
Zimbabwe presents a different challenge. The country already has a relatively advanced seed sector with active private companies, public breeding programs and established certification systems.
However, drought, climate variability, weak rural infrastructure, counterfeit seed and limited access for smallholder farmers continue to create barriers.
In May, Zimbabwe hosted a Seed Business Summit and Seed Roadmap Workshop in Harare, bringing together government leaders, seed companies, financial institutions, universities and farmer groups to shape a new five-year investment plan.
The roadmap covers major crops including maize, wheat, sorghum, finger millet, pearl millet, soybean, beans and groundnut.
Participants examined regulations, variety development, seed production, distribution and farmer access, with a focus on making the seed sector more climate-smart and market-oriented.
While each country is at a different stage of development, the common goal is improving seed delivery systems so farmers can better respond to drought, heat, pests and changing market conditions.
CGIAR said additional seed summits and roadmap efforts are planned this year as part of its strategy to expand investment pipelines and strengthen seed systems across the region.
The broader objective is to move beyond isolated seed projects and create durable systems that can scale improved agricultural technologies more effectively.
Source: CGIAR, "Supporting Africa’s next generation of seed sector transformation "