Prepared for the proposal elaboration workshop (Lira, Uganda, 22-25 August 2018):
Pre-workshop stakeholder interviews were conducted in Uganda and Ethiopia to gather information about the current state of maize and legume seed systems with the specific aim of identifying the existing barriers impeding smallholders from accessing quality seed, and how ICT-options may leverage seed systems. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with different stakeholders/actors along the seed value chain and included; researchers, producers, seed companies (list of respondents in the appendix), regulatory agencies. The interviews were conducted using the following checklist:
- What are the main changes in the seed systems in Uganda/Ethiopia for maize and legumes?
- To what extent are seed systems interlinked with other input systems?
- Are seed systems (or more generally input systems) for maize and legumes in any way interlinked?
- What are the barriers to providing high-quality seed to farmers through the current seed systems? (for maize and legumes- should be discussed in the context of a specific seed system)
- What ICT platforms are currently being used or tried out to improve seed systems and why? If you have used any, what were your experiences using them?
- In what way do you see ICT platforms as a potential solution for the barriers mentioned? (please also discuss specific roles; providing information to farmers (via text messages), providing specific agronomic advises to farmers (based on pictures of their plots that they or others can upload), demand forecasting based on feedback received from farmers
For Uganda, more specific questions were added on the current functioning and barriers of the m-Omulimisa ICT-platform.
Research results