Indigenous Seeds Distribution Model

Climate change and commercialization of seed sector has led to loss of biodiversity, indigenous crops and crop varieties key to food, nutrition and income security as well as building resilient food systems of smallholder farmers in Malawi. There is also limited distribution of tested and approved local seed varieties due to non participation of agriculture input traders in the local seed systems. 

Kabidula Indigenous Seeds Distribution Model is working on aggregation and distribution of indigenous seed varieties through rural based agriculture input traders while providing technical support to farmers in participatory varieties selection. Farmers identify crops and crop varieties based on yield, nutrition and adaptation attributes. 

The model will provide platform to smallholder farmers for sharing (sales) and  accessing indigenous seeds hence contributing to building resilient food systems based on local knowledge for global food and nutrition security. 

Malawi ranks 87 out of 119 on the Global Hunger Index and up to 3 million people go hungry due to poor harvests. Evidence shows families in Mzimba more frequently suffering from droughts: In 2018/2019 season; 41,877 farm households out of 132,645 farm households in the district were food insecure representing 32% while previous season 43,142 farm households out 131102 farm families were food insecure representing 33%. 

This means approximately 239,323 population suffering from hunger. This is attributed to low agriculture productivity due climate change, weather variability and use of drought intolerant crops and varieties. There is limited access to high yielding and drought tolerant crops though there are indigenous seeds which have proven to be more effectively amidst climate change. Farmer managed seed systems is the core source of seed for smallholder farmers and provide desired variability and diversity for adaptation to climate change. The seeds are made readily accessible amongst vulnerable with limited financial resources or credit with which to buy commercial seed. 
In light of critical global challenges such as climate change and food and nutrition security, there is an urgent need to maintain and enhance agricultural biodiversity through access to high yielding and resilient varieties. 

Kabidula Indigenous Seed Distribution Model is a business model which is aims at promoting of trading proven local seed varieties in Malawi. Farmers are mobilized into seed producing groups, trained in seed multiplication, processing, aggregation then sell the seed to Kabidula enterprise; Kabidula Enterprise has shops, youths and women groups based in rural areas involved in selling the seeds to smallholder farmers. 

We will also be linking smallholder seed producers to the Malawi National Gene Bank for them access traditional crops approved by research institutions in terms of high yielding, resilience and nutritional value.

As a social enterprise, we aim to work with farmers in selecting, multiplying, trading and linking farmers to seed specialists in participatory seed/pant selection with purpose of enabling farmers access quality seed.

The solution is targeting rural based smallholder  comprising of 85% of Malawi population of which 70% depend on recycled or indigenous seed for their farming. As a social entrepreneur, have been working with the farmers through ensuring seed and other agriculture inputs are available in the rural communities through establishment of outlets. 

The experience, have shown that these farmers are struggling to access the improved commercial seeds due to low purchasing power, living on less that a dollar a day. We have been working with individual farmers in selecting high yielding and resilient varieties and developing local markets or encouraging seed exchange amongst them.  

The solution will create regulated nationwide market for high quality traditional seeds, underpinned that protects and promotes farmers’ rights to grow, save and trade traditional seed. Crucially, this new market will shift control back to farmers, creating localized seed systems that are responsive to their needs – a vital step in building resilience to climate change. 

The indigenous seeds distribution model will contribute significantly to food systems producing low carbon, resilient and nutritious diets as it is dependent on local resources and built on agrobiodiversity. Seed is the foundation of farming hence access to right type of seed and at the right time is key to building smallholder resilient farming systems, food and nutrition security. 

Therefore, will create regulated nationwide market for high quality traditional seeds, underpinned that protects and promotes farmers’ rights to grow, save and trade traditional seed. Crucially, is creating localized seed systems that are responsive to their needs.

This is a farmer-led change of Malawi seed markets so families can feed themselves and adapt to climate change. 80% of farmers in Malawi use poor quality farmer-saved seed causing ever smaller and unreliable yields. We will increase yield and nutrition and grows more climate-resilient crops by improving access to a range of high quality traditional seed through participatory varieties selection and market creation. The use of rural based youths and women creates employment hence contributing to their income security. 

This is a unique approach to our business model as most input distributors are focused on selling commercial seeds produced by companies such as SeedCo and Monsato which are expensive and unaffordable by majority of the 80% rural farmers. Their varieties cannot be recycled as the lose vigor resulting into low yields as such they have to be replaced each season. The commercial seed varieties are also limited in terms of genetic biodiversity hence prone to climate change and low in nutrition. 

The core technology in our business model is seed of different traditional crops and crop varieties developed through participatory seed selection initially by farmers. We are bringing the component of aggregation and linking farmers to the seed and breeders specialist to help in selecting seeds with high yielding, resilient and nutritious attributes. Our distribution model builds on rural based agriculture inputs distributors and youths and women sales agents currently involved in PICS bags distribution. 

Studies conducted by Professor Moses Maliro of Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (2016) showed that 70% of smallholder farmers depend on farm saved seed and those depending on commercial seed are supported through the farm input subsidy programme. Similar fiundings were mad by the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB).  

Small-scale farmers in southern Africa have been selecting, saving and exchanging seed for generations. As active plant breeders, they have been developing and conserving local varieties, continuously selecting seed with a wide range of characteristics and using seed preservation and storage techniques which have been passed on for generations (https://www.seedandknowledge.org/our-work-2/#diverse). The commercial model of agriculture is driven by the interests of multinational seed companies, is premised on the privatization of seed, limiting farmers’ rights to save and share seed. Through Kabidula Indigenous Seed distribution model; we support seed systems that are farmer-led, defending the rights of farmers to have control over their own seed.

A sustainable food and seed system is one that is based on agricultural biodiversity and local seed diversity, and is the basis of diversified agroecological systems. Its resilience is in terms of environmental and climate resilience, social resilience, and economic resilience. The system is connected to diverse cultural and culinary traditions, and promotes diet diversity and health. Farmers are the key actors in contributing their knowledge, experience, and skills. Their practices of seed saving, use, and exchange are critical in ensuring a diverse and resilient farmer-managed seed system.

We are championing Farmer-led change of Malawi seed markets so families can feed themselves and adapt to climate change. 80% of farmers in Malawi use poor quality farmer-saved seed causing ever smaller and unreliable yields. We will increase yield and nutrition and grows more climate-resilient crops by improving access to a range of high quality traditional seed through participatory varieties selection
Lead farmers will receive training in seed multiplication and monitor yield success. A network of nationwide farmer-led seed fairs will be established in the communities, whilst a district media campaign through agriculture field days and community radios will share the hunger-relieving farming knowledge and skills. Kabidula through district agriculture and nutrition forums such as District Agriculture Executive Coordination Committee (DAECC), District Nutrition Coordination committee (DNCC) and national seed sovereignty networks will share lessons regenerated in Mzimba district for replication in neighboring districts.  

Our assessment found existence of indigenous crop and crop varieties helping farmers to adapt to climate change such as small grains (sorghum, millet, sesame, cow peas and pigeon peas), however smallholder farmers in face challenges accessing seeds and those participating in production of seeds also face challenges in marketing their produce due to unavailability of reliable off-takers. Our Model will build on this assessment which gives adequate knowledge of the targeted areas. Kabidula has already engaging communities working on farmer managed systems through our PICS bags distribution business. 

Through our PICS bag distribution, we are serving 15,000 farm families through Agriculture Extension Planning areas in Mzimba, Salima, Ntcheu, Zomba, Blantyre and Rumphi districts. We are targeting to work with 50 farmer local seed multiplication groups with membership of 30 farmers hence approximately 1500 local seed multipliers in the year 1 with capacity to produce seed for 150,000 smallholder farmers. The number of local farmers benefiting from the indigenous seed distribution model is expected to scale up to 500,000 by year 5 of the intervention. 

The project intends to reach out to 150000 smallholder farmer with 1,500,000 kg  of a variety of indigenous seeds (to be planted at 60,000 ha, with average yield of 2500 -3000 kg/ha about the current national average of 1100 kg/ha based on maize cropping system) in the first year to be scaled up to 500,000 smallholder farmers in year 5 approximately distributing 5,000,000 kg of indigenous seed.  500,000 farm families means addressing food, nutrition and income insecurity to 2,750,000 people based on household size of 5.5, The following approach will be used;

Year 1: Work with farmers to identify indigenous seed; train lead farmers who then demonstrate the potential of this seed to increase yields and nutrition; develop local markets. This includes farmers’ evaluation and selection as well as participatory plant breeding.

Year 2: Lead farmers show effectiveness of retained seed; community awareness campaign to share project success; lead farmers share/sell retained seed. The innovation will support the development of seed production and dissemination market systems, including the development of value chains for drought tolerant seeds.

Year 3: Lead farmers support community to cultivate crops from their retained seed; first local seed fair held and establishment of selling points in the rural areas

The following are anticipated barriers:

• Drought and Fall Army Worm infestation: The district experiences recurrent droughts affecting yields while the outbreaks of fall army worm also affects the yields.
• Government policy makers not receptive: The current seed policy in Malawi is recognizing indigenous seeds as seed hence they cannot be sold in the formal markets in the country.
• Smallholder farmers not having confidence in the seeds: Due dependency on commercial packaged seeds through government subsidies, some farmers have become dependent on commercial seeds such that they do not believe in seeds which are not packaged.
• Financial capacity: In order to scale up the distribution model, will need initial investment in form of grant to be able to mobilize farmers, conduct trainings, mapping indigenous seed varieties and involving seed specialist in selection and possible packaging. 

• DROUGHT: The project will be promoting proven drought tolerant crop varieties and encouraging irrigation farming and utilization of residual moisture in the dambo areas. The project will promote seed production under irrigation ensuring seed security in the district.
• Fall Army Worm: We will train farmers in use of tested and proven local botanicals in control of fall army worms 
• Government policy makers not receptive: Right on the onset, the project will be engaging government through ministry of agriculture and national genetic seed bank in promoting indigenous seeds. The project will also be part of Malawi National Agrobiodiversity Network working on seed policy to recognize farmer managed seed systems
• Smallholder farmers not having confidence in the seeds: The project will engage farmers in participatory seed selection and mounting of demonstration fields within the communities to build community trust in local seeds. Seed fairs will also be as platform for experiences sharing hence building confidence of smallholder farmers in farmer managed seed systems. 
• Financial capacity: In order to scale up the distribution model, will need initial investment in form of grant to be able to mobilize farmers, conduct trainings, mapping indigenous seed varieties and involving seed specialist in selection and possible packaging. Hence the project will invest its business savings and encourage farmers to form village savings and loan scheme within their multiplication groups as source of funding to individual farmers for buying inputs and marketing their seeds

1. Full time staff: 4

2. Part-time staff: 20 (mostly sales agents)

Kondwani Khonje the Business Development Manager and the founder of Kabidula Investment has over 17 years experiencing working in agriculture, food and nutrition security projects in Malawi. He also holds MSc Organic Agriculture (Agroecology) 2011 - Wageningen University in the Netherlands and BSc Agriculture (Crop Science) 2002 from University of Malawi. I am also a social entrepreneurs for the past 3 years distributing agriculture inputs including; seeds, fertilizers, inoculant and post harvest management technologies. This involved establishment of the business and a network of rural based sales agents. I have also carried out studies on farmer managed seed systems in Malawi on behalf of Practical Action and been part of team involved in establishment of Malawi Agrobiodiversity Network. 

My qualifications and experience gives a good combination to help lead in development of indigenous seed market system in Malawi.

 The other 3 full time staff members have been trained in agriculture input business management through in house training and GIZ programme with 1 being a qualified accountant who supports the organization in finance management. 

The team of 20 sales agents across the district are each each oriented on our new products taken on board and basic extension services delivery approach such that they are able to provide technical support to our consumers on the point of sale. We have been working them for 3 growing seasons. 

Our main partner is the ministry of agriculture through their rural based Extension Planning Area offices who have a team of agriculture extension workers providing technical support to our farmers (consumers) and also supporting our sales agents with agriculture advisory messages. 

However, we also consider D_Prize as our main partner having given us the first grant for our PICS bag distribution model which helped us to launch our business. Miller Centre for Social Entrepreneurship is another partner provided training on last mile distribution and helped us to work on our business profile and put in place distribution channels. 

Kabidula Indigenous Seed Distribution Model empowers local seed producers with technical skills in seed multiplication while at the same time rewarding them financially. It also incorporates youths and women in the value chain as sales agents as part of PICS bag distribution model. The local seed producers will be selling seed at wholesale price to Kabidula Investment or direct through local seed fairs or open markets within the district; in return Kabidula Investment will be distributing seed through its rural based selling points or partner agrodealers or women and youths sales agents who will be selling the seeds to the rural smallholder farmers or farmer associations. The wholesale price will be agreed at the beginning of each growing season between Kabidula and local seed producers. The farmers will be trained in seed selection and simple packaging to meet local market demands. 

To ensure the harvest by smallholder farmers is utilized, farmers will be trained in process the harvest into various products for consumption and in addition Kabidula will be buying the harvest form smallholder farmers or linking them to the buyers. As such the varieties to be promoted will also consider the availability of produce markets apart form food and nutrition. For example grain associations will be established for aggregation and selling products in bulks to be able to negotiate better prices with the buyers. 

The following barriers can Solve help to overcome;

• Smallholder farmers not having confidence in the seeds: To overcome this barrier will need engaging smallholder farmers through mounting of demonstration plots on different crops and crop varieties using farmer field school approach. This will provide opportunity for famers to carry out variety comparisons studies leading to selection of suitable varieties for their agroecological zones and needs. Therefore, this will need resources to carry out the demonstrations and conduct field days for smallholder farmers to appreciate varieties performances and make the right selection. At the same time to gain farmer confidence will need to do simple packaging of our seeds as this what farmers are expect on the market
• Financial capacity: In order to scale up the distribution model, will need initial investment to be able to mobilize farmers and form groups, conduct trainings, mapping indigenous seed varieties, multiplication and packaging. At local level will also have to establish affordable seed storage facilities to maintain seed quality.

As we work to develop our distribution model and make it sustainable; we will need to work with experts in the fields of business model and product development/distribution in order to be able to reach out tour target customers with right product. While we look at ways of generating funds, there is not to have capacity building in revenue or general finance management if we are to remain in business and make self sustaining. We are looking forward to receive support in the field of finance management from nay potential partner with relevant experience in the field.  

While what we are promoting is indigenous; it might look obvious to sell the products but actually is difficult as we target same consumers the commercial seed companies are targeting. Therefore, marketing is another important area we need capacity building. Our organization would at this early stage benefit from having advisors.

We are interested in partnering with organizations which have previously supported business who are working on similar enterprise though we do not have specific organizations in mind. In terms of business funding, we would like to work with both grant and credit facility providers. 

Our innovation is working with youths (girls) and women groups as our sales agents in rural areas hence providing economic empowerment to the girls and women within their communities. We work with women who are in the village savings and loan groups by bring in the component entrepreneurship in the groups and building their capacities in business management through a well researched on business product. Our already working with 9 women groups in distribution of PICS bags and we plan to empower these groups in indigenous seeds multiplication in their communities. Therefore, Women Prize will help our organization to realize this dream of contributing to women economic empowerment through their involvement in production and selling of farmer managed seed while incorporating their voice in advocating for seed policy change to recognize the role of indigenous seeds in sustainable food systems in Malawi.