Cassava Seed Field Multiplication Protocol

From planting to certification—seed production made simple.

This approach helps improve the availability of high-quality cassava seeds by using effective field-based methods such as SAH plantlets and pencil stems. By using these methods, seed production becomes faster and more reliable, ensuring that farmers have access to healthy, disease-free seeds. Governments can support this approach by setting up seed certification systems and collaborating with the private sector to create networks for distributing these seeds. This approach helps improve food security and boosts agricultural productivity by making sure farmers have access to quality planting materials.

This technology is pre-validated.

9•9

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 9/9; level of use 9/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

Adults can directly benefit from income generation through seed production, improving livelihoods and productivity in agriculture.

The poor: Positive high

Job creation in seed production provides the poor with a direct opportunity for income and livelihood improvement.

Under 18: Positive low

Exposure to agricultural technology can inspire interest in agriculture, guiding future career choices, though the immediate impact is limited.

Women: Positive high

Women gain economic empowerment through value addition in cassava seed production, which increases their financial independence

Climate adaptability: Moderately adaptable

Improved seeds increase resilience to climate stress, helping farmers adapt to droughts and other changing weather patterns.

Farmer climate change readiness: Moderate improvement

By providing disease-resistant seeds, farmers are better equipped to cope with the challenges posed by climate change.

Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity

Disease-free seeds reduce pest spread, indirectly protecting surrounding crops, though cassava remains a monoculture.

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

The technology does not directly affect carbon emissions but may reduce dependency on chemical inputs, which can indirectly lower emissions.

Environmental health: Moderately improves environmental health

The technology reduces the need for pesticides, helping protect local ecosystems and water quality.

Problem

Inadequate seed supply: Farmers lack access to reliable, disease-free cassava seeds, affecting food security and productivity.
Slow seed multiplication: Traditional methods fail to meet the increasing demand for certified cassava seeds.
Disease spread: Use of infected planting materials contributes to the spread of harmful cassava diseases.

Solution

Efficient seed multiplication: Using SAH plantlets and pencil stems, seed production is faster and more reliable.
Improved food security: Guarantees a steady supply of certified, disease-free seeds to farmers.
Public-private collaboration: Governments can partner with the private sector to scale up seed production and distribution.

Key points to design your project

Governments are essential in creating the enabling environment and regulatory framework for cassava seed production. Their role is to ensure that seed production follows legal standards, facilitates market access, and promotes sustainable agricultural practices.

Key Elements to Consider:

Regulation and Certification: Governments must enforce seed certification standards by ensuring that all cassava seed producers are registered with national regulatory bodies like NASC (Nigeria), TOSCI (Tanzania), or RICA. This ensures that seeds are certified and meet required quality standards.
Support for Seed Entrepreneurs: Provide financial support, training, and resources to seed entrepreneurs. This may include grants, subsidies, or low-interest loans to establish or scale seed production systems.
Infrastructure Development: Support the establishment of infrastructure necessary for high-quality seed production, such as irrigation systems for sensitive planting materials. Governments can provide grants or subsidies to seed producers to facilitate this.
Policy Creation: Develop policies that encourage the growth of the cassava seed industry, such as tax breaks for seed producers, or integrating cassava seed production into national agricultural strategies. These policies will create a conducive environment for the sector's growth.
Promote Technology Adoption: Encourage the use of digital tools such as SeedTracker for certification and monitoring, and PlantVillage Nuru for pest and disease management, which improve seed quality and production efficiency.

1,864 USD/ha

Production Cost

77.88 %

ROI

3,316 USD/ha

Revenue

IP

No formal IP rights

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Angola	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Benin	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	Testing ongoing	–Not tested	–Not adopted
Burundi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted
Cameroon	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Central African Republic	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Comoros	Testing ongoing	–Not tested	–Not adopted
Côte d’Ivoire	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	–No ongoing testing	–Not tested	Adopted
Gabon	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ghana	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted
Liberia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Madagascar	Testing ongoing	–Not tested	–Not adopted
Malawi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Mali	Testing ongoing	–Not tested	–Not adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Republic of the Congo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Rwanda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Sierra Leone	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Togo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 1: no poverty

Job creation through seed production offers direct income opportunities for the poor, helping reduce poverty.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Improved seed quality directly supports food security by enhancing cassava productivity.

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

The technology creates employment opportunities and boosts economic growth in rural areas.

Goal 12: responsible production and consumption

Encourages sustainable seed production practices, reducing dependency on chemicals and promoting responsible farming.

Production Plan
- - Develop a plan: Identify the area and locations for establishing the cassava propagation fields. Choose the cassava varieties to be used and decide whether the operation will be independent or part of an outgrower scheme.
  - Create a budget: Plan the financial aspects of setting up the propagation system, including the costs of land, labor, equipment, and materials. Establish a plan to demonstrate the profitability of the venture within 2-4 years, ensuring financial sustainability and long-term viability.
Acquisition of Seed
- - Obtain healthy seeds: Acquire high-quality planting materials, such as SAH plantlets, pencil stems, nodal cuttings, or stem cuttings. These can be sourced from breeding programs or reputable seed producers.
  - Ensure disease-free material: It's crucial that all seeds used are free from diseases, as this is key to maintaining the quality and health of the final crop.
Land Preparation and Planting
- - Prepare the land: Prepare the soil following guidelines specific to the type of seed being used. This includes clearing the field, loosening the soil, and ensuring the proper moisture levels. For SAH plantlets and pencil stems, the soil should be moistened, and planting should ideally occur during the rainy season or with irrigation.
  - Planting density: Plant the seeds at a double density (1m x 0.5m), which increases the number of stems per unit area and promotes the growth of straighter, taller stems that are ideal for further multiplication and sale.
Standards, Compliance, and Field Management
- - Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs): Adhere to all local regulations and industry standards for seed production, including specific planting guidelines, isolation distances, and proper labeling of field plots.
  - Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs): Implement GAPs for managing the crop, including proper weed control, irrigation management, and pest management. Use practices like the 6-step approach to effective weed control to ensure healthy plant growth and optimal seed production.
Field Inspections for Certification
- - Prepare for inspections: Seed producers should be ready for field inspections by seed regulators, which are typically conducted twice during the cropping period.
  - Manage seed quality: If any plants show signs of virus disease, immediately remove them to prevent the spread of infections. It's also important to remove any plants that do not match the intended variety ("off-types") to maintain the purity of the seed stock. These steps ensure that the seeds meet the required quality standards for certification.