Conference session: Tuesday 22 June 11:00 CEST. Join this important session as we explore the extent are farmers willing to pay for quality seed, and the drivers of their perceptions of affordability and value

This session has taken place. A recording will be shared on this website in due course.

Despite considerable investment in the development of improved crop varieties and the promotion of quality seed, we continue to observe low rates of adoption by smallholder farmers across many parts of the continent. Affordability is often cited as the reason.

But to just what extent are farmers willing to pay for quality seed, and what drives their perceptions of affordability and value?

In this session we look at the work being done to better understand how farmers compare the value of quality seed with common benchmarks, like the price of grain for example. Sharing insights from the field and similar research being conducted, we look to shape the topic for further investigation.

Session objectives:

  • Unpack the problem of farmers’ perceptions of seed affordability from a behavioural perspective and what it means for adoption
  • Discuss the extent of the problem and our understanding of what drives these perceptions
  • Gather insights from the field and related research for shaping hypotheses and methodologies
  • Establish linkages between like-minded researchers and practitioners to advance this agenda further

Speakers (pending confirmation)

  • Gareth Borman, ISSD Africa Topic Lead: Creating demand for quality seed, WCDI
  • Astrid Mastenbroek, External PhD Candidate, Development Economics Group, Wageningen University
  • Christine Joyce Adong, Advisor, ISSD Uganda
  • Representative, GCIAR Programme on Roots, Tubers and Bananas

Prepare for the session

  • Information Barriers to Adoption of Agricultural Technologies: Willingness to Pay for Certified Seed of an Open Pollinated Maize Variety in Northern Uganda, by Astrid Mastenbroek et al. “Information about certification and seed quality increased farmers’ knowledge but did not increase farmers WTP. Farmers are will to pay approximately half of the seed price” – Link
  • Understanding perceptions of potato seed quality among small-scale farmers in Peruvian highlands, by C. Urrea-Hernandez et al. (from WU-KTI). “study was carried out to explore farmer perception of seed quality and the differences with formal expert perceptions” – Link
  • Understanding farmers’ willingness to pay for root, tuber and banana crop planting material, by the RTBs group. “Experimental auctions provide incentives for farmers to truthfully reveal values” – Link