Regional Workshop on Seed System Gap Analysis-Insight to Implementation

Four stakeholder consultation workshops were conducted across major rice-growing regions of Bangladesh—Sylhet, Bogura, Jashore, and Dhaka—between September and October, covering all eight agricultural divisions. The workshops brought together over 130 stakeholders, including farmers, seed producers, dealers, government officials, and private companies, to assess constraints within the national seed system. Participatory analytical tools such as the McKinsey 7S framework, SWOT analysis, and Fishbone diagrams were applied to identify key bottlenecks in seed demand forecasting, varietal replacement, seed mobility, quality assurance, and seed security at both macro and regional levels. Discussions highlighted systemic inefficiencies and emphasized the importance of digital solutions to improve coordination, transparency, and inclusivity across the seed value chain. Insights generated from the consultations are informing the upgrading of SeedCast, a digital platform designed to capture region-, soil-, and season-specific seed demand, enabling more accurate production planning by public and private actors. The findings are also contributing to a comprehensive, actionable policy dossier aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s seed system and improving farmer access to quality seeds.