high quality performing varieties Strong seed system to provide high quality performing varieties Point to the north 28th October, 2016, IITA, IBADAN Hemant Nitturkar BASICS - Project Coordinator

Cassava is very important in Nigeria

How well are we doing?

Target 20 tons per hectare 30% 7 m ha = 140 m tons 30% of the additional 86 MT or 26 m tons can come from improved seeds adoption alone @20,000 Naira per ton, this is a 520 Billion Naira ($1.65b) annual opportunity, purely from seed system intervention IMPROVED SEEDS 30% WEED MANAGEMENT 30% IMPROVED AGRONOMY 10% WEATHER AND MISC

First step to reach a place is for all stakeholders to visualise it, strongly What is a strong seed system? What is high quality seed? What is high performance? Is high yielder in ideal conditions better than lower, but stable yielder in all conditions? What is a fair price for such an improved stem bundle? WHY DO WE NEED TO CHANGE? Point North

How to develop a robust seed system? MARKET BREEDERS VARIETY RELEASE PEOPLE EXTENSION PERSONNEL SEED MULTIPLIERS INTERMEDIARIES F A R M E R S Anywhere from 3 to 6 million farmers grow cassava Behaviour change of a lot of stakeholders HOPE >>>> AWARENESS >>>> ASPIRATION >>>> BIZ-LIKE

Cross the chasm – how far should we go? How to get mass market adoption of improved varieties? My simple answer is at 11 – 15%

A chain is only as strong as the weakest link! Launch successful! Mission failed! Where is the baton getting dropped? What can we do to address it?

A complete Value Chain, stewardship approach needed Agriculture is not a mature ecosystem WHY? PUSH models – 25% PULL models – 75% WHAT? HOW?

Uniqueness of BASICS project Germplasm Fast multiplication Testing and certification SCIENCE FINANCE Business models Value chains COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES TAAT, ENABLE YOUTH Weed Management, Agronomy, Mechanisation, Gari revolution PEOPLE Capacity of all stakeholders Mindset of all stakeholders

Collaborative effort needed PULL Models Processing industries Gari production centers

Collaborative effort needed PUSH Models Augment and privatise basic seed Village Seed Entrepreneur

A robust seed system can only happen in a robust cassava ecosystem Value for money Backward linkage in processing industries An umbrella structure for VSEs Proactiveness of NASC Large numbers of cassava champions Innovative and targeted communication

Action steps – Operation 2X 10% through better soil management 10% through better water management 10% through improved seeds 10% through improved nutrition management 10% through improved weed management 10% through better pest management 10% through value addition 10% through mechanisation 10% better farm and financial management 10% through better market linkage X 2.6 times

A historic opportunity! IT IS NOT EVERYDAY WE SEE A PERSON LIKE DR AKINWUMI ADESINA AT HELM IN AFDB

A historic opportunity! IT IS NOT EVERYDAY WE SEE A DONOR FUNDING SEED, WEED, AGRONOMY, VALUE ADDITION, MECHANISATION PROJECTS ALL AT ONE TIME IN ONE CROP IN ONE COUNTRY

A historic opportunity! IT IS NOT EVERYDAY WE SEE A DG LIKE SANGINGA WHO IS PASSIONATE TO LEAVE A LEGACY OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

A historic opportunity! IT IS NOT EVERYDAY WE SEE SUCH A DIVERSE TALENT ASSEMBLED UNDER ONE ROOF FOR A COMMON MISSION. THANKS CLAUDE,GRAHAM, KENTON, ALFRED, PETER AND PETER.

THANK YOU The purpose the BASICS project is to develop a sustainable cassava seed value chain in Nigeria, characterized by the commercial production and dissemination of cassava planting material. The project envisages benefits to farmers and the industry through higher returns from the use of clean planting material of superior stem quality that are made accessible to farmers at the right time and at an appropriate price.