IITA’s BASICS-II project has packaged proven cassava seed innovations into one accessible toolkit, covering elite breeding through market-ready plant material production. It connects breeders, seed producers, extension services, and farmers in a commercially viable value chain.
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An economically sustainable integrated cassava seed system! The cassava seed sector has long been dominated by informal practices—non-certified stem reuse, low yields, and high disease prevalence. The BASICS model addresses this by creating a viable commercial seed system for cassava, opening up investment and revenue streams in seed production, distribution, diagnostics, and digital tools. The model has been tested and refined in Nigeria with strong market demand and regulatory support, providing a scalable framework for agribusiness expansion in cassava-producing countries.
Improved cassava varieties crucial for enhancing food security, increasing farmer incomes, and reducing poverty in Africa. The technology is a market-driven cassava breeding system that develops improved varieties based on market needs, such as for fresh consumption, processing, or biofortification. It involves stakeholder input, standard breeding methods, and regulatory collaboration for variety release. Adoption is promoted through trials, launch events, and media campaigns, aligning breeding with market demand to boost cassava productivity and value chain performance.
Virus diagnostic tool for cassava seed health certification by seed producers and seed certifiers. Cassava virus indexing uses PCR and LAMP diagnostic methods to detect and eliminate virus-infected cassava planting materials. It ensures virus-free plants for seed production, improving seed quality, crop resilience, and food security. Key costs include lab setup (USD 20,000) and sample testing (USD 3/sample). Training for staff and collaboration with research and seed certification bodies are crucial for successful implementation.
Breeder & Foundation Cassava Seeds—Always Within Reach This technology enables seed companies and certified producers to multiply and supply breeder and foundation cassava seeds directly from research centers. It follows national seed certification standards, uses both in-house and outgrower schemes, and ensures that farmers and seed entrepreneurs get access to clean, high-quality planting material. Registration with seed authorities and proper field inspection are required for participation.
From planting to certification—seed production made simple. The Cassava Seed Field Multiplication Protocol is a standardized agricultural method that enables the field-based production of high-quality cassava planting material. It combines clean seed sources, agronomic best practices, regulatory compliance, and digital tools to support certified cassava seed production by seed companies, farmers, and institutions.
Enhancing cassava productivity through healthy planting material Cassava Seed Quality Management is a business-enabling system that provides a pathway for seed entrepreneurs to produce and market certified, high-quality cassava planting material. This system ensures disease control, increases farmer confidence, and supports a differentiated market for improved cassava seed with higher returns.
Build an efficient seed system! SeedTracker is a business-friendly digital tool that helps seed companies and entrepreneurs manage, certify, and market high-quality seed. It improves traceability, inventory tracking, and connects producers with buyers—all through a secure and easy-to-use digital platform.
Crop Care in Your Pocket: Nuru App, Your Farming Companion PlantVillage Nuru is a groundbreaking smartphone app that harnesses artificial intelligence to offer real-time offline diagnosis of crop damage symptoms caused by diseases and pests. Initially developed for cassava, it now extends its capabilities to diagnose damage in maize and is expanding to cover other crops, like potato. This free app not only provides instant diagnoses but also fosters community connections among users and offers guidance on managing the identified diseases and pests. This technology is a pivotal tool for farmers, enabling them to swiftly identify and address crop issues, ultimately enhancing agricultural productivity.
Transforming Cassava Farming Through Entrepreneurial Innovation! Cassava is a key staple crop in Sub-Saharan Africa, critical for both food security and income generation. Yet, the traditional cassava seed system has been fragmented and unsustainable, primarily relying on informal farmer-to-farmer sharing and ad hoc free distributions from governments and NGOs. This system has contributed to the widespread use of low-quality, disease-prone seeds, significantly limiting productivity and the adoption of improved varieties. The Cassava Seed Entrepreneur (CSE) Business Model presents a scalable, market-driven solution to modernize the cassava seed system. It empowers rural men, women, and youth by transforming them into certified seed entrepreneurs, enabling them to produce and distribute high-quality, certified cassava planting materials. The model integrates training, digital tools, and strategic partnerships to ensure a consistent supply of clean seeds. As a result, it not only boosts cassava yields but also creates new business opportunities and enhances rural livelihoods, providing an attractive investment opportunity for the private sector.
Building stronger cassava seed businesses for African seed entrepreneurs and farmers. CSAM aims to address these challenges by creating structured associations of cassava seed entrepreneurs, allowing them to collaborate and collectively benefit from economies of scale. Through these associations, entrepreneurs can access certification, financial resources, training, and policy advocacy. This model reduces inefficiencies, enhances seed quality, and strengthens market linkages, promoting a more robust and sustainable seed sector. CSAM has been successfully implemented in Nigeria and Tanzania and is being scaled up in Rwanda and Kenya. With over 2,700 seed entrepreneurs benefiting from this model, CSAM represents a major shift toward a more professional and sustainable cassava seed sector. It offers a platform for both entrepreneurs and investors to engage in an industry poised for growth and improvement.
Sell Smart, Grow Fast The Marketing Strategies technology is a toolkit designed to help cassava seed producers improve market access, visibility, and demand for certified seeds. It provides tools for understanding customer segments, developing effective pricing models, and leveraging both digital and traditional marketing channels. By enhancing seed producers' ability to engage with farmers, build trust, and promote high-quality seeds, the toolkit supports sustainable business growth and addresses key challenges in seed marketing, such as low market awareness, distribution inefficiencies, and poor customer engagement.
From Knowledge to Yield — Empowering Cassava Seed Systems. The Building Capacity technology aims to strengthen cassava seed systems by addressing capacity gaps among seed producers. It provides a comprehensive toolkit with training resources, business development tools, and partnership frameworks to enhance technical skills, market access, and regulatory collaboration. The technology promotes sustainable seed production, boosts productivity, and ensures seed quality. Key activities include capacity assessments, tailored training curricula, and stakeholder collaboration. By improving seed systems, it supports economic growth, food security, and climate resilience, benefiting seed producers and farmers alike.
Making Cassava Seed Systems Work Better ME-CASS is a digital platform that tracks cassava seed from breeder to farmer. It improves traceability, monitors seed quality, and supports better planning and coordination across the cassava seed system.
From Advocacy to Action: Replicating Success with Lasting Investment This model promotes sustainable cassava seed systems by embedding innovations—such as SAH, nodal cuttings, and digital certification—into national policies and programs. It replaces short-term interventions with long-term strategies based on advocacy, local ownership, and coordinated partnerships. The model has influenced seed policies in over 10 African countries and enabled USD 26.6 million in seed system investments. Results include stronger entrepreneurship, better varietal access, and improved food system resilience.
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