Abstract

The vegetable seed industry in Ghana is still at its formative stages. Farmer access to quality improved seed is still a daunting challenge. As a response, very few improved vegetable lines have been evaluated and tested in the country for dissemination to farmers. Using multistage sampling, a total of 137 vegetable farmers in the Offinso South municipal of the Ashanti region of Ghana were interviewed using structured questionnaires to characterize vegetable seed supply and distribution system. Results from the study indicated 45.3% of respondents acquired seed from commercial seed growers. Farmer saved seed accounted for 37.2% of sampled respondents while 32.1% of respondents sourced seeds from other farmers. The role of the formal seed system through private seed companies was minimal (10.2%). Only 10.9% of respodents treated their seeds before storage with 38.7% of respondents doing so prior to planting. This led to 23% of seed loss in storage with some farmers losing as much as 100%. The development of a vibrant vegetable seed system will require strong actor linkages within the seed supply chain to identify solutions to critical bottlenecks. An enabling policy environment for establishing dynamic and operational private seed companies, is a critical determinant of success in targeted farming communities. Provision of cold room facilities will also be necessary to ensure seeds are well stored.

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