Private Seed Sector Development Burundi
The Private Seed Sector Development (PSSD) project aims to double the production and incomes of 108,000 farmer households in Burundi. KIT is working with private and public sector partners to promote the development of a private sector-led seed industry that is able to provide farmers with sustainable access to high-quality seed and agricultural advisory services. PSSD is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Burundi.
Food & nutrition security in Burundi
Food and nutrition security is low in Burundi; only 28% of the population is food secure, and over 50% of the population is chronically malnourished. At the same time, the demand for affordable food is increasing with population growth; currently Burundian households spend over two-thirds of their income on food.
Sustainable intensification of the production of food crops for the domestic market can replenish current national food deficits and offer economic opportunity for producers. Since 1993, the per capita agricultural production has declined to 24%. To sustain the growing population with ample nutritious food, a significant increase in land, nutrient, and water use efficiency is required.
The good news is that this is possible. High-quality seed is the basic ingredient of sustainable agricultural intensification. A well-functioning seed sector is essential to ensure producers have access to diversified quality seed of market-desired varieties, adapted to different climatic conditions prevalent in the country.
Over the last 15 years, Burundi has transformed its seed sector from public sector to private entrepreneur driven. PSSD seeks to rapidly grow the market for quality seed and firmly establish commercial seed production and marketing in Burundi as a self-sustaining business.
Seed system innovation
The project incentivises and supports Burundian and international seed companies to pilot innovations related to seed production and sales. The project will focus on the development of sales strategies that are tailored to farmer household requirements, including:
Increasing production efficiencies
PSSD will furthermore support initiatives to improve the business-enabling environment to foster the development of a private sector-led seed industry in Burundi. Work will include:
Integrated Seed Sector Development Burundi
PSSD builds on the experiences and achievements of the Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) Burundi project, implemented by IFDC, KIT, and partners from September 2014 to August 2018.
ISSD Burundi resulted in: