Papers by essegbemon akpo
Agriculture, Dec 27, 2022
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Social Science Research Network, 2022
Springer eBooks, 2021
Innovation platform resolves systemic problems and unlock opportunities for farmers and other sta... more Innovation platform resolves systemic problems and unlock opportunities for farmers and other stakeholders along commodity value chains. It brokers change in a wide variety of areas involving technological barriers for increased on-farm genetic gains, financial services and privileges for smooth running of seed business and other farming activities, social change and gender equality in society, new commodity market opportunities, increased interactions between stakeholders, e-services for increased crop productivity and production, sustainability of seed production and delivery systems through a variety of stakeholders for various seed classes.
Springer eBooks, 2020
Better-off Women Boosting Groundnut Business in Ghana 8.1 More Groundnut Means Shelling Is a Busi... more Better-off Women Boosting Groundnut Business in Ghana 8.1 More Groundnut Means Shelling Is a Business Groundnut was one of the biggest breeding programs in Ghana in the mid-nineties, but the production declined because of many factors including the rosette disease and the fact that there was no dedicated breeder of groundnut for over 10 years. According to Dr.
This book is an open access publication.
Springer eBooks, 2021
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the third important food legume both in area and production afte... more Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the third important food legume both in area and production after common beans and faba beans in Ethiopia. However, the productivity of the crop was very low compared to the potential as a result of non-use of improved varieties and technologies generated by the research system. To enhance the use of the improved and associated research technologies a National Chickpea Stakeholders Innovation Platform was established in 2013 with the objective of bringing together various stakeholders acting on the value chain in order to identify major challenges and find solutions that would be implemented through synergetic efforts. The platform identified seed shortage as a major bottleneck in the sector. This issue has been addressed through establishing farmers' seed producer 98 associations with the help of R&D partners and currently they are the major suppliers nationwide. Side by side, the platform strengthened the extension effort and triggered dissemination of improved technologies to a large number of farmers. As a result, productivity of the crop by model farmers increased by fourfold and the national productivity has been doubled to 2 ton ha −1 in the last decade. The platform also worked on improving access to market and recently chickpea joined the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange market. Cognizant of the huge development potential of the crop, the platform is striving to further strengthen the intervention and reap opportunities.
Agronomy, Aug 27, 2020
Access and use of seed of improved varieties of groundnut among farmers can improve farmers' live... more Access and use of seed of improved varieties of groundnut among farmers can improve farmers' livelihoods and contribute to the potential of crop production in Tanzania. This paper analyzes factors underpinning the adoption of improved groundnut varieties among farmers to pave the way for upscaling quality seed used for increased production and commodity business in farming communities. A four-stage stratified sampling was used to collect data from 300 groundnut farmers in seven agro-ecological zones through individual interviews. Secondary data were collected from the literature and the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute at Naliendele centre (TARI-Naliendele). Descriptive statistics and Probit regression model were used for data analysis. The empirical results showed that
The company has a well-established research and development department that is led by highly trai... more The company has a well-established research and development department that is led by highly trained and experienced plant breeders to produce its own early generation seed rather than rely on mainstream research institutions.
Private sector investment in legume seed business is challenged by several factors such as low se... more Private sector investment in legume seed business is challenged by several factors such as low seed multiplication rate; need for extra space, labor, time and efforts for more generations to move from breeder to certified seed; large seed size and thereby high seed rate, with cost implications for storage and transportation of seed. Some legume seeds are very fragile and easily damaged in storage and during transportation and deteriorate rapidly after harvest, especially if shelled. Large-scale seed production has limitations in calibration for mechanical harvesting and obtaining appropriate herbicides to control broad-leafed weeds. Most legumes are highly self-pollinating, making it possible for farmers to save and re-use their own seeds. Farmers therefore, obtain seed from informal sources, especially from local markets. A majority of smallholder legume farmers produce and consume or sell all their grain before the onset of planting season. A few farmers with alternative sources of income manage to hoard their produce for better future prices. The latter group then sells their grain in the market that is bought by the less fortunate farmers and planted as seed with challenges such as sorting losses, poor germination, low vigor and crop establishment. Solutions to these challenges, from the experiences gained through the Tropical Legumes Projects in various implementing countries include: increasing total legume seed production and availability through an integrated seed systems combining centralized and decentralized production; facilitating access to high-quality seeds of improved varieties through small seed packs; demand creation through value-chain support, demonstration trials, post-harvest handling including seed storage, business training and market linkages; reaching farmers ‘at last mile’ by bundling seed with other products, piggybacking on existing product supply channels such as fertilizers and pesticides; lowering costs of seeds through quality declared seed; and supporting emerging seed companies. Between 2007 and 2017, 657,582t of certified and quality declared seed of 301 improved market–preferred varieties of 6 legumes was produced by various project partners in 15 countries. Extrapolation of these data suggest that these varieties have been grown on at least 2.255 million ha while directly benefiting at least 10 million farmers
Springer eBooks, 2021
Farmers, agricultural extension and NGO staff have been trained in groundnut seed production, dem... more Farmers, agricultural extension and NGO staff have been trained in groundnut seed production, demonstrations, field days and Farmer Participatory Variety Selection (FPVS) to promote the improved varieties and the best agronomic practices. Farmers' yields increased from 500-700 kg/ha to 1200-1500 kg/ha increasing women and youth incomes from 200 USD to 800 USD/year only for those who grow groundnut during the rainy season. Those who grow during rainy and off-seasons their incomes can reach 1200-1500 USD. Links with financial institutions have facilitated access to credit for these farmers. In the future, the Platform sustainability will be assured through members' annual financial contributions and strong production contracts among traders, processors and farmers.
Technium, Jun 23, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every area of our daily activities and businesses. After the ... more The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every area of our daily activities and businesses. After the health crisis, the food crisis is the next battle to encounter, which will need to mobilize all energies to maintain social security and protect the citizens of the world. For sustained support and recovery of rural and urban populations, especially in the dryland areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, seed of the welladapted, nutrient dense varieties should flow. The solution of quality seed flow equation is complex and involves several intervention areas, e.g., adapted and modern groundnut, chickpea, pigeonpea, sorghum and finger millet varieties, sustainable and long term approaches leveraging various seed production and delivery models, remote information and knowledge dissemination systems, digital seed production and delivery roadmaps, digitized variety release and promotion processes, smart food campaigns and trainings to promote good utilization of nutrient dense crops.
Akpo E. 2013. Analysing seed systems performance: the case of oil palm in Bénin. PhD thesis. Wage... more Akpo E. 2013. Analysing seed systems performance: the case of oil palm in Bénin. PhD thesis. Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands with summaries in English, Dutch and French. 201 pages. The seed supply system used by smallholder farmers is characterised by many dysfunctions. For perennials, including oil palm, there is a knowledge gap regarding these dysfunctions. In this thesis, we used oil palm as a case to analyse the performance of seed systems. We conducted social surveys, sampled farmers' oil palm plots, ran field experiments and documented the social learning process of stakeholders involved. To identify major constraints in the seed system, we conducted a diagnostic study using farmers' perspective. Jointly with stakeholders the following major constraints were identified (in order of importance): poor geographic distribution of official nurseries, poor genetic quality of palms in smallholder plots, high costs of hybrid seedlings, and poor seedling care in nurseries leading to poor physiological quality. The poor care was specifically mentioned in the eastern part of the study area. We investigated the reliability of genetic quality of seedlings supplied to smallholder farmers as one of the constraints that emerged from the diagnostic study. Main drivers of reliability in genetic quality over the past decades were analysed. Using event ecology approach, we document the historical events that may have affected the oil palm seed system. Proportions of hybrid palms varied with seedling supply source, farmers' geographic position, seedling purchase price and year of planting. Socio-institutional mechanisms associated with observed variation in smallholder plantations were national policy change, local arrangements for seedling supply to smallholder farmers, and farmers' personal characteristics. Local arrangements improved genetic quality in villages located far away from official supply sources. Villages where local seedling supply initiatives withdrew showed reduced genetic quality with farmers having fewer tenera in their fields than before. Membership of farmers' organisation correlated positively with proportion of tenera. Farmer's use of informal intermediaries showed negative effects on genetic quality they received. To evaluate the efficacy of ongoing nursery management practices on the seedling phenotype at planting we conducted joint learning experiments. In two full 3 × 4 × 3 factorial experiments, bag size (small, medium, large), type of soil substrate ("forest" soil, household waste substrate, arable soil, and arable soil with animal manure) and fertiliser supply (no fertilisation, split dose every 15 days, and full dose every 30 days) were tested for their effects on seedling phenotype. Bag size proved the main factor determining oil palm seedling phenotype in both the 2011 and 2012 experiment. Although large-sized bags produced largest seedlings, medium-sized bags filled with a mixture of arable soil and animal manure without any fertiliser supply sustained seedling growth well and seemed the best balance between physiological quality and production cost. Growth variables were highly correlated. Height and root-collar diameter constituted good proxies to estimate seedling biomass differences between objects in a non-destructive way. To gain insight into temporal patterns of effects of bag size, substrate, fertiliser supply, and their interactions on seedling growth, we analysed the dynamics of oil palm seedling growth using monthly observations. Overall, in both experiments, bag size explained the largest proportion of experimental error and started to deviate earlier than substrate, fertiliser supply or their two and three way interactions. Curve fitting showed different growth models for height, root-collar diameter and number of leaves. The analysis of growth rates showed that (relative and absolute) growth rates were mainly affected by bag size in both years with larger F-values than for substrate, fertiliser supply, and interactions. Experimental findings indicated that pot size matters and cannot be compensated by fertiliser addition and should therefore be considered carefully for tree seedling production in nurseries. We analysed the joint experiment as a multi-stakeholder process and contributed to understand how the way of organising social learning affects stakeholders' ownership of process outcomes. Stakeholders' perceptions of seedling quality and their appreciation of treatment performance varied with the use they make of planting material. While farmers, as end-users, put forward seedling vigour when describing quality seedlings, nursery holders underlined production costs and reported that seedling quality is a compromise with production costs. Field observations further to the joint experiment indicated changes in practices among nursery holders, research, and farmers. The level of stakeholders' involvement increased their participation, ownership of the learning process, and could lead to sustainable practices. The research approach developed in this thesis to analyse seed systems performance contributed to the methodology for seed systems analysis. It also contributed to knowledge of dysfunctions of seed systems for perennials, tree nursery seedling production and social learning processes.
Agriculture & food security, Oct 11, 2021
Background: Seed systems are considered as a vehicle through which the sustainable agricultural i... more Background: Seed systems are considered as a vehicle through which the sustainable agricultural intensification can be achieved. However, most sub-Saharan African countries have been ineffective to provide sufficient incentives for stakeholders to consistently invest in the seed systems specifically for crops like sorghum. This study was therefore conducted to uncover investment opportunities for stakeholders in the sorghum seed systems to attain an impactoriented seed production and delivery systems. Results: The study applied descriptive statistics, Logit regression model, and Gross margin to analyze possible areas for investments. Descriptive statistics analyzed the percentage of farmers using sorghum improved varieties and sources used to obtained improved variety seeds. Logit regression model was applied to analyze factors correlating with planting of improved seeds. Gross margin was applied to show profitability of growing improved sorghum seeds and grain. Findings revealed that 39.2% of the sampled farmers were growing improved sorghum variety seeds. Farmers obtained improved variety seeds from both informal (57.8%) and formal (42.2%) sources. Logit estimates indicate that variety preference, unavailability of seeds, resistance to diseases, and drought had significant correlation with planting of improved variety seeds. Seed companies and quality declared seed (QDS) producers earned high margin of 53,08,900 Tanzanian Shillings per hectare (TZS/ha, 1 USD = 2315 TZS during the period of data collection) and 33,94,709 TZS/ha, respectively. Farmers using improved variety seed earned higher margin (8,19,805 TZS/ha) than farmers who did not use improved variety seeds (3,17,373 TZS/ha) Conclusions: The identified investment opportunities were increasing number of farmers using improved variety seeds that would drive increased production, distribution, and marketing of quality seed. The large number of farmers still sourcing seed from the informal channel provides avenue to reach out to these farmers through demand creation and wide variety popularization meeting farmer preferences. The huge margin seed producers make provides good incentive to drive private seed companies and individual seed entrepreneurs to make sustainable business out of sorghum seed. The policy implications for reviving sorghum production and productivity are further discussed.
NJAS Wageningen journal of life sciences, Dec 5, 2012
Shortages in the supply of quality early generation seed (EGS) of new and improved varieties, par... more Shortages in the supply of quality early generation seed (EGS) of new and improved varieties, particularly of dryland cereals and legumes is a major challenge because of the business models. This triggers the following questions: what EGS business models would sustainably avail quality parent seed? To investigate this, we documented 16 EGS interventions. We found that pre-securing seed market ahead of production played important role in the successful seed business. Taking different forms (e.g., pre-orders, demand forecasting, pre-aggregation of demand, joint planning, contractual agreement), it brings confidence to EGS producers to continuously invest in the business and make it profitable. For sustainable EGS production and supply in sub-Saharan Africa, we advocate for market assurance in advance. Two guiding principles are also suggested and four recommendations formulated.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Nov 1, 2022
Heliyon, 2022
It is understood that the grain market pulls the seed market. The problem of low quality prompted... more It is understood that the grain market pulls the seed market. The problem of low quality prompted failure of traders and processors to purchase most of the farmers’ grain to subsequently drive the use of improved variety seed. The aim of this study is to identify drivers that persuade farmers to use improved variety seeds for grain production. It also assesses factors affecting market participation among small-scale farmers. Descriptive analysis, Binary Logistic model, Probit model and gross margin analysis was conducted from random selected sample of 212 individual farmers, 63 grain off-takers, 3 extension officers and 7 seeds producers through structured interviews. In additional, 80 farmers were interviewed through 10 focus group discussion. The results showed that taste, preferences and price difference between grain and seed were significant and positive drivers that influenced the decision of farmers to use improved varieties at 47% and 0.007%, respectively. Factors such as group membership and farm size were significantly positive affecting farmer’s market participation while age was negatively significant affecting farmer’s market participation. Gross margin was used to compare profit margin between users and non-users of improved variety seeds, where users had high profit margin (530 979.89Tsh/Ha) compared non-users (472 885.94Tsh/Ha), because non-users incurred high seed cost (54 504.84Tsh/15kg) compared to users of improved variety seeds (39 329.94Tsh/kg). Also, users obtained high grain revenue compared to non-user at 1 353 268.37Tsh and 848 249.11Tsh, respectively. Effort should be made by value chain actors and other agricultural actors to support farmers based on market demand so they could benefit from high grain quality, quantity and promising grain market.
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Papers by essegbemon akpo