Understanding a functional seed system experiences from CIMMYT & lessons to Malaysia AbduRahman Beshir (PhD) Seed Systems Specialist- Asia (Kathmandu-Nepal) a.issa@cigar.org Conference on Empowering the Seed Industry 2022 11 Oct, 2022 Malaysia Outline • CIMMYT at a glance • Concepts and terminologies • Components of a functional seed system • Key aspects to consider • Seed policies and regulations • Seed system experiences from CIMMYT • Key performance indicators of seed industry development • Summary and lessons to Malaysia CIMMYT at a glance • International Maize and Wheat Improvement center (Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo-CIMMYT, in Spanish) • Established in 1966, HQ in Mexico and regional offices in Africa (ET,KE,ZM), Asia (CN,IN, PK, NP,BD,TR) and Latin America (CO) • One of the CGIAR centers primarily working on maize and wheat science for improved livelihoods • More than 28,000 maize and 150,000 wheat accessions at the CIMMYT gene bank available to the public www.cimmyt.org Concepts and terminologies • Seed System: a set of activities contributing to variety development , seed production and delivery to farmers. • Categories of Seed system • Formal seed system • Informal seed system • Semi-formal/Intermediate seed system Formal seed system • Regulated and organized system (breeding, seed production….) • Registered or released varieties • Seed quality standards • Registered or licensed seed producers • Seed laws and regulations INFORMAL SEED SYSTEM • Unorganized system • Traditional varieties • Use of farm saved seeds, seed exchange • No seed quality standard • Predominant system in the developing world Intermediate seed system: mostly handled by farmers group, cooperatives…etc who involve in the seed production of quality declared seeds. In some countries it is considered as a formal system. COMPONENTS OF A FUNCTIONAL SEED SYSTEM Source: ICRISAT Key aspects to consider • Breeding and variety release – Demand/market led product development – Public and private sector involvement in R&D – Targeted product profiles – Modern breeding tools and technologies (DH, MAB…) – Sources of new/elite germplasm • Farmers, Seed companies, NARS, CGIAR centers – Variety registration- an independent regulatory body – Fast track registration process KEY ASPECTS TO CONSIDER • Seed company establishment – Attract private sector investment • Ease of doing business – Seed business licensing criteria – Incentives for seed sector investment • SMEs and business start ups – Business plan and seed road map development BANK – Public and/or private sector – Inclusive financial institutions Key aspects to consider • Seed production and processing – Seed quality standards • Seed inspection, certification, field and lab standards – Private inspectors and seed labs – Harmonized standards (regional or global standards) – Seed generation classes – Technologies/tools to reduce cost of production & increase quality Key aspects to consider • Seed marketing – Customer profiles and preferences – Seed marketing and promotion approaches – Product positioning and brand marketing – Digital innovations – Wholesale and retail networks – Seed tracking/ protecting end users from fake seeds Key aspects to consider • Seed demand and adoption – Value chain approach – Behavior change communication – Product demonstration and demand creation – Farmers advisory and extension services – Promote best management practices (agronomy, machinery…) – Feedback loop/end user satisfaction or dissatisfaction SEED POLICIES AND REGULATIONS • The seed industry need to be led by enabling policies and implementation of regulations • Seed is a biological material, and it can cause great harm to a country’s economy, if not managed well • Seed import and export policy • Policies on PVP and PBR • Stringent measures on “fake seeds” and “seed piracy” • Incentives, smart subsidies to attract investment and import substitution • Seed laws and regulations on transgenic crops Seed System Experiences from CIMMYT Maize seed systems interventions • Cadre of seed systems specialists based at the different regional hubs (Africa, Asia and Latin America) • New products announcement and allocation (pre- commercial hybrids) • Open to both public and private institutions • Elite germplasm for developing joint products • Diverse CMLs available for users from gene bank • A quick business approach for SMEs and start ups. What CIMMYT offers to hybrid licensees • Permission to register and commercialize CIMMYT hybrid within a specific geography • Geographic exclusivity (in most cases) • No royalties or licensing fees • Freedom to use parental lines for further breeding activities What CIMMYT asks of licensees • Nominal recovery for some of the costs associated with seed production and/or shipment • Commitment to make a genuine effort to commercialize in each of the geographies under license • Annual reports on progress towards commercialization milestones (What, how and why?) • Information are strictly confidential Products available to partners – Climate resilient- Heat and drought tolerant, Low soil N stress, water logging tolerant – Biofortified- PVA, Kernel Zn, QPM, QPM+PVA – White and yellow kernel hybrids and OPVs – FAW tolerant – MLN tolerant – Aflatoxin tolerant (IITA) – Stem borer tolerant Variety releases • Between 2017 and 2021, South Asia released a total of 48 CIMMYT/IITA derived varieties Maize variety releases-2021 Product Life Cycle Management and Accelerated Varietal Turnover Proactive PLC management is critical for increasing smallholders’ access to cultivars with improved genetics for better food security, climate resilience, and plant health. Chivasa et al. (2021) Global Food Security Maize product profiles for the Asian Tropics Demand Led Product Development- Market focus • Maize product profiles based on market segments in South and South East Asia – SSE Asia Drought (SADT) – SSE Asia Water logging +Drought (SAWLDT) – SSE Asia Heat+ Drought (SAHDT) • Based on “must-have-traits” and “nice-to-have traits” Unique products allocations International Maize Improvement Consortium for Asia Phase II (IMIC-Asia II) - India Chapter A Partnership for Targeted Impacts IMIC-Asia II Launch; 8 June 2017 ● A model for intensive engagement, especially with private seed companies ● Partners: maize R&D institutions including Indian Maize Program ● Annual membership fee  Commitment, Accountability, Focus, Impact Tracking Strengthening germplasm and its delivery through IMIC- Asia • Platform for distribution of germplasm materials under development – Diverse and Elite Inbreds and Breeding Sources to IMIC Partners • Expanded collaborative testing • Shifted CIMMYT’s breeding program from trait-based approach to developing commercially viable products • Pulse of the farmer – Product profiles and trait priorities determined by members (based on market demand) Source: BS Vivek Seed market systems interventions- case of NSAF “Push-pull” approach • Input and output market interventions • Enhancing maize business ecosystem • “Seed to feed”- Maize commercialization model-MCM • Engage value chain actors – Farmers – Seed companies – Aggregators/wholesalers – Feed mills – Machinery service providers…etc • Market segment traders meeting • Promoting “Mystery shopping” in seed business Digitally Enabled Seed Information System- the case of Nepal • Demand and supply management • Seed information portal • Seed quality monitoring and tracking • Digital seed inspection and certification • In Nepal – Digital seed balance sheet – Digital varietal catalogue • Harmonization of seed laws or regulation, e.g COMESA Data driven maize market segmentation and trait prioritization Hybrid maize seed production & scale-up Journey towards self reliance • Covers, 11,325 ha • Production of 79,275 MT • Generates 17 million USD • App. 113,250 beneficiaries • A joint effort by NARC and CIMMYT (under USAID’s NSAF and HTMA projects) Hybrid seed (MT) On farm demonstration of PVA hybrid maize Capacity building across the maize seed value chain Seed science and technology courses curriculum development for post and under grad students Regional hybrid seed production and seed business management workshops Learning by doing- hybrid maize seed inspectors training DH lines handed over to partners in Pakistan and a new DH facility inaugurated in India A new DH facility at Kunigal, India QA/QC of Parental Lines using Molecular Markers Check periodically for genetic purity and identity of the parents of commercial hybrids QA/QC manual 4th Latin American Cereals Conference in Mexico Promoting last mile and inclusive seed system-women seed growers’ group Attracting the youth Key Performance Indicators of Seed Industry Development • Enabling Seed Policy environment- supporting pluralistic and competitive seed sector • Efficient seed regulatory frameworks—transparency, standards, enforcement • Vibrant variety development/release system—availability of portfolio of varieties, IPR protection • Efficient seed production and commercialization—higher varietal turn-over and desired seed replacement rates • Effective and flexible quality assurance systems—independent, accreditation • Trained and experienced human resources— capacity for entrepreneurship and leadership In Summary… • Asia’s seed sector in general has made significant progress in the last two decades, but not all countries have progressed optimally. • Need intensive efforts to strengthen the formal seed systems, and to create local capacities. • Tremendous potential to drive genetic gains by replacing old/obsolete varieties with improved genetics, and by addressing bottlenecks in the seed value chains. • Great opportunities for strengthening regional cooperation in the seed sector, across an array of crops. Lessons for Malaysia • Local seed industry development to reduce imports and build resilience and self reliance • Establish partnership for product development, local seed production and business • Access elite germplasm from CIMMYT and other CGIAR centers • Building effective tools and technologies for breeding and products deployment • Deploy technologies that will reduce production costs and maximize profits • Incentives for private sector engagement • Build human resource capacity across the seed value chain • CIMMYT is there to collaborate with you! Useful links • Maize hybrid & OPV licensing: https://maizecatalog.cimmyt.org/ • Maize Licensing portal: https://cimmyt.inteum.com/cimmyt/agreementportal/ • Maize product licensing principles/procedures: https://www.cimmyt.org/content/uploads/2021/08/Acquisition- and-use-of-CIMMYT-maize-hybrids-and-OPVs-for- commercialization-v2021-08-19.pdf • CIMMYT service catalog: https://www.cimmyt.org/services/ • CIMMYT seed request page: https://www.cimmyt.org/resources/seed-request/ • Maize product announcements: https://www.cimmyt.org/tag/allocations/ • CIMMYT germplasm bank: http://mgb.cimmyt.org/gringlobal/search • CIMMYT Maize Lines (CMLs): https://data.cimmyt.org/dataset.xhtml?persistentId=hdl:11529/10 246 Acknowledgments • NARS and Seed companies in South Asia • USAID’s for the financial support of – Nepal Seed and Fertilizer Project – Agricultural Innovation Program for Pakistan – Heat stress tolerant maize for Asia • IMIC-Asia team • The director and collogues of CIMMYT’s Global Maize Program • Seed systems colleagues from ICARDA • Department of Agriculture- Malaysia and conference organizers “You Can’t Build Peace On Empty Stomachs” Mentioned by Norman Borlaug, 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Seed Security for Food Security! Thank you for your interest!