A scoping study on Farmer-Managed Seed Systems in Africa

Farmer-managed seed systems (FMSS) represent a critical yet undervalued component of Africa's agricultural landscape, with smallholder farmers—predominantly women—supplying 80-90% of all seeds planted across sub-Saharan Africa through traditional practices of seed management, selection, multiplication, storage, and exchange. Unlike formal commercial seed systems (CSS) that focus primarily on cash crops and selected staples, FMSS encompass the culturally appropriate, biodiverse networks through which farmers produce and disseminate seeds of local food crops and landraces that typically receive minimal attention from commercial seed companies. This report addresses the urgent need for comprehensive evidence on FMSS status, opportunities, and challenges, providing a balanced assessment to inform policy and investment decisions that could strengthen these vital systems and contribute to improved food and nutrition security across the continent.