Global Supporting Seed Systems for Development Activity (S34D)

Activity Overview

The Feed the Future Global Supporting Seed Systems for Development (S34D) is a Leader with Associate (LWA) activity, funded by the Feed the Future initiative through the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS) and by USAID through the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). S34D was created to enhance farmers’ access to a full range of seed choices and options to maximize their responsive decision making and planning for production. The activity builds on existing partnerships and seeks to provide new insights and business models to extend the reach of quality seed to last mile users including women, youth, and vulnerable groups. S34D seeks to improve the functioning of formal, informal and emergency seed sectors in Feed the Future aligned and other priority countries with economic growth, resilience and emergency seed security programs.

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2-page overview of S34D

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S34D’s Ethiopia
2-page overview

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S34D's Zambia
1-page overview

Quick Facts

Life of Activity: 2018-2023

Total Ceiling: $49.5m

Donor: Feed the Future through RFS, and USAID through BHA

S34D Goal: Improved functioning of high-impact integrated seed systems through provision of customized services to USAID Missions and their IPs to upgrade seed systems.

S34D Vision: Improved choices for smallholder farmers to access quality seed of modern varieties from pluralistic, functional and sustainable seed systems for better livelihood and agricultural transformation.

Consortium: Catholic Relief Services (Prime), Agri Experience, The Alliance for Bioversity Interational and CIAT, Opportunity International

Service Providers: IFDC, Kuza, New Markets Lab, Purdue University, Wageningen Center for Development Innovation, Oxfam Novib

Geography: Global—responding to any USAID Mission’s request

Info: [email protected] | COP: [email protected]

S34D Service Areas

New Seed Business Models

New financial instruments for firms and farmers.
Reduce bottlenecks to seed system development, availability, access and quality.
Build capacity of seed companies to improve efficiency and diversify crops.
Catalyze new vendors of post-harvest technologies.

Digital Feedback & Last Mile Delivery

Fee-based multi-sided AgTech digital platform of rural agents for last mile delivery.
Assess farmer adoption of new varieties using point-of-sale applications.
Develop digital training and testing platform for seed inspectors.

Seed Diagnostics

Identify methods to improve market forecasting; cost and demand estimation.
Use DNA fingerprinting to assess genetic purity of seed.
Provide seed information, data and analytical services.

Emergency, Humanitarian and Resilient Seed Systems

Develop rapid remote seed security assessment tool.
Support resiliency in seed systems and mitigate market distortions.
Develop market-based humanitarian seed interventions.

Liberalize Seed Policies & Practices

Limit free seed distribution to critical needs.
Implement ‘stop bad seed’ strategies.
Support policy and regulatory reform implementation.

Integrate Seed Systems & Trade Corridors

Analyze seed access within target grain corridors.
Facilitate implementation and harmonization of regional seed catalogues and protocols.

S34D Team

CRS and its partners bring seed expertise across the formal and informal seed systems and humanitarian seed interventions to integrate and develop seed systems. S34D’s senior management team includes Jason Sullivan (CRS-Chief of Party), Bhramar Dey (CRS-Senior Technical Advisor MEL, Seed Policy, Data, Strategy), Shaun Ferris (CRS-Formal Seed Sector Advisor), and Kate Longley (CRS-Emergency, Humanitarian and Resilience Seed Systems Advisor). This team is strengthened by our CRS HQ staff: Sarah Beakes (Global Grants Finance Officer), Gideon Mavise (MEAL Advisor), Kelly Collis (Specialist II), and Emily Keast (Operations Specialist), as well as our consortium partners’ staff: Aline O’Connor and Mulemia Maina (AgriExperience), Tim Strong and John Magnay (Opportunity International).

View Team Bios

Where We Work

Click on the highlighted areas of the map below to explore where S34D works, what we do and more.

Publications

Please see the S34D publications page to view and download S34D studies, reports and publications.

View Publications

Newsletters

Webinars and Presentations

High Quality Seed Production by Smallholder Farmer (ON) Download Forage Seed System Performance in Ethiopia Download Seed Policy Provisions and Operational Challenges in Ethiopia Download S34D Grain Market Webinar Download Development and Comparison of Seed System Regulatory maps in Ethiopia Download Grain Market: A Pull for Seed Businesses across Bean Corridors in Tanzania Download Overview of S34D Download Global Seed Policy Review Download Comparing Seed Indices and Metrics Download Forage Seed Systems and Feed Reserves in Ethiopia Download

Stories

Can Informal Traders Drive Seed Security? A Case of Eastern DRC's Bean and Cassava Business Read Story Empowering Zinduka Women's Group in Tanzania to Produce Quality Bean Seed and Better Their Community's Well-Being Read Story Participatory Approaches and Demand-Led Research Making Bean Seed Accessible to Millions of Smallholders in Burundi Read Story Gender and Youth-Inclusion in Financing of the Seed Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa Read Story Zambia Launching Digital Seed Inspector Training with Support from USAID Read Story Seed System Month in Review Read Story Existing & Potential Business Models on Last Mile Delivery of Seed Read Story Emergency Seed Interventions, Subsidies & the Formal Seed Sector Read Story Adoption of Cultivated Forages & Potential Impact: the Case of Ethiopia Read Story Lessons & Best Practices in Voucher versus Cash Transfer Modalities in Seed Fairs Read Story Financing Potential of the Seed Sector in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania and Niger Read Story High Quality Seed Production by Smallholder Farmer Groups: A Global Case Study Read Story Forecasting Demand for Seed: The Case of Ethiopia Read Story Digitally Tracking Dissemination & Targeting Markets: High Iron Bean Seeds in Kenya Read Story Regulatory Flexibilities Bridge Gaps Between Seed Systems Read Story Market-led Interventions for Seed Security Response Read Story Yellow Bean Corridor: Seed and Grain Trade Potential Read Story Young Entrepreneur Rethinks Future, Pursues Rural Agribusiness Read Story

Consortium Partners

Agrilinks is the online hub where agriculture, food security and development professionals connect, share and learn. Established in 2011, Agrilinks has become the go-to source for informative discussions on development topics and the latest information that is furthering resilience, food security and poverty reduction.

For more seed resources, check out our partner site https://seedsystem.org.

For more information on the Feed the Future initiative, please visit www.feedthefuture.gov.

This website was made possible by the generous support from the American people through the U.S. Government's Feed the Future initiative and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Cooperative Agreement 7200AA18LE00004. The contents are the responsibility of Catholic Relief Services and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

The information provided on this website is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development or the U.S. Government.

Global Supporting Seed Systems for Development Activity (S34D)

Our Work Overseas

Activity Overview