Study: Response to Drought Limited by Shortage of Crop Seeds

As Kenyans brace for another bout with drought, a new study finds local agro-dealers could play a pivotal role in helping farmers adapt to climate change—yet their assistance is severely limited by a shortage of certified crop seed stocks and financing options.

Kenya Markets Trust, through its implementing partner in crop seed, Agri Experience, a Nairobi-based seed consulting firm, commissioned a study to interview 438 agro-dealers across eight counties. The study, which was carried out by Bayesian Consulting Group, found farmer demand for certified seed regularly exhausted stocks at the agrodealer shops, particularly for non-maize seed. The lack of seed for crops other than maize impedes efforts to fight climate change through crop diversification.

“What this report shows is that as growing conditions become more challenging, the fight for food security in Kenya may be won or lost with rural agro-dealers,” said Anastasia Mbatia, a seed distribution specialist at Agri Experience. “While we are glad to hear farmer demand for certified seed is rising rapidly, it is frustrating to learn that many agro-dealers lack both the quantity and variety of seeds Kenyan farmers need to avoid drought-induced devastation.”

http://africasciencenews.org/amidst-drought-kenyan-farmers-threatened-by-low-seed-volume-and-limited-crop-choices

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