Farmers' Seed Systems

What percentage of West African farmers use food grain as seed due to poverty or inability to select and store seeds?

How do farmers adapt to climate change in their seed systems?

What do indigenous peoples in the Philippines do to enhance resilience and market sales?

What are the vulnerabilities of small-holder farmers?

Why are women particularly vulnerable in farmers' seed systems?

What poses a challenge to seed quality and productivity in farmers' seed systems?

What can lead to the loss of preferred qualities and pest and disease resistance in farmers' varieties over time?

What impacts farmers' seed systems, with severe impact on formal and farmers' systems?

What is common in farmers' seed systems and poses a challenge to seed quality and productivity?

Why is seed security an issue after poor cropping seasons?

Challenges and Adaptation in Farmers' Seed Systems

FAO studies indicate that 20-40% of West African farmers use food grain as seed due to poverty or inability to select and store seeds.
Farmers' seed systems are dynamic and based on farmers' knowledge of production conditions and varieties, valuing product qualities for consumption and cultural uses.
Farmers adapt to climate change by shifting to resilient crops and varieties, changing planting times, and combining crops for risk management.
Indigenous peoples in the Philippines plant both indigenous and commercial rice varieties and grow hybrid vegetables for resilience and market sales.
Vulnerabilities of small-holder farmers include environmental hazards, recurrent food shortages, and consumption of premature crops and seeds during hunger periods.
Environmental calamities such as droughts and floods magnify vulnerabilities, eroding farmers' assets and social networks.
Women, despite their role in seed management, are particularly vulnerable due to marginalized positions and less access to resources.
Seed security is an issue after poor cropping seasons, as surpluses to save as seed are scarce, aggravated by climate-induced disasters and protracted human-made disasters.
Plant diseases and pests, several of which are seed-transmitted, pose a challenge as farmers have limited knowledge about seed-transmitted diseases and their origin.
Without continuous selection, farmers' varieties can degenerate, leading to the loss of preferred qualities and pest and disease resistance over time.
Farmers' seed systems are impacted by both natural and human-made disasters, with severe impact on formal and farmers' systems.
Accumulation of plant diseases is common in farmers' seed systems, posing a challenge to seed quality and productivity.

Test your knowledge of challenges and adaptation in farmers' seed systems with this quiz. Explore topics such as seed security, climate change adaptation, indigenous crop varieties, and the impact of environmental calamities on small-holder farmers. Gain insights into the dynamic nature of farmers' seed systems and the vulnerabilities they face, including the role of women in seed management and the impact of plant diseases and pests.