eBusiness Weekly
Kudzanai Sharara
Zimbabwe Stock Exchange listed entity Seed Co, has been nominated as one of the African seed producing companies that is best positioned to support smallholder farmers and the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
According to a new study by Access to Seeds Index, Seed Co is one of the 22 companies best positioned to support the productivity of smallholder farmers for the Eastern and Southern African region.
The study evaluated 73 seed companies across 19 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa and the 22 have been nominated.
The selection was based on company business models, track record and regional presence. The selection process was overseen by a committee of six experts from the region.
Commenting on the recognition, Seed Co chief executive officer Morgan Nzwere said his company had more than eight decades of experience in servicing small holder farmers.
“We are the leading African seed company with over 80 percent of our seed going to small-scale farmers. We have been servicing this segment for close to 80 years now and we are the company best positioned to meet their needs.”
Other African seed producing companies on the list include East-West Seed, East African Seed and Ethiopian Seed Enterprise as well as well-known seed houses DowDuPont, Monsanto, Prime Seed, and Syngenta. Klein Karoo Seed Marketing, which also has operations in Zimbabwe was also nominated.
The selection was based on company business models, track record and regional presence.
The leading seed company in the African region will be announced early 2019.
The Access to Seeds Index, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the government of the Netherlands, aims to encourage seed companies to step up their efforts to support smallholder farmer productivity.
“By benchmarking seed companies, the index gives credit to companies that show leadership and encourages others to follow their example,” says Ido Verhagen, executive director of the Access to Seeds Index.
“It also provides valuable information for governments, research institutes and donors interested in building partnerships with seed companies.”
“Smallholder farmers need to not only produce more food, but adapt their agricultural practices to changing weather conditions caused by climate change. By improving access to quality seeds, seed companies can make a vital contribution in supporting smallholder farmers with overcoming this challenge,” says Mr Verhagen.
Improving the productivity of smallholder farmers is one of the main targets on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals agenda (SDGs). By measuring the seed industry’s performance, the Access to Seeds Index aims to contribute to achieving these goals.
The second Access to Seeds Index for Eastern & Southern Africa will expand its scope further in to Southern Africa. Seven more countries are included and as a result five more companies are included in the ranking. Sixteen of the 22 selected companies originate from the region itself.
“An interesting finding is the countries with multiple companies
represented in the benchmark, including South Africa and Uganda, both with four and Kenya with three companies.”
In 2016 the first Access to Seeds Index for Eastern Africa showed small differences between companies, with the exception of East-West Seed whose performance significantly exceeded its peers because of their smallholder-centric business model.
In early 2019, the second Access to Seeds Index for Eastern & Southern Africa will show which seed company is taking the lead now “in supporting smallholders in Eastern and Southern Africa”.
