Agrobiodiversity in the seed sector: better policies for social, environmental and economic sustainability

February 2021

In the recently released OECD report “Making Better Policies for Food System”*, the International Organization addresses the three challenges currently faced by the Food System: food security and nutrition for a growing global population; providing livelihoods for those working along the food supply chain; and, last but not least, contributing to environmental sustainability. One chapter of the report is dedicated to the role of the seed sector in addressing these challenges and how better policies can take action to unlock its potential. 

The reasons to shed light on the seed sector are particularly interesting as they intersect aspects of development, competitiveness and environmentally sustainable innovations. 

Seed production and its growth is not only directly connected to food availability and access but also represents a market and a growth opportunity to raise smallholder farmers income and ultimately improve livelihoods in a more inclusive system. 

As the report confirms, the new policies for the sector should not lose focus on innovation. Growth of seed production (just like all food production) will need to result from higher levels of productivity and lower level of inputs. This will be important to decrease the pressure on the environment while continuing to ensure nutrition and fair prices for consumers. 

In this direction, it will be important that policies make sure that no farmer lags behind in attaining productivity improvements, which in turn, makes both innovation and access to it equally important. 

Plant breeding occupies a key role in our agricultural productivity and resilience.  This activity relies on agrobiodiversity, not only as a source for today-useful genetic traits to undertake plant improvement, but also as a resource to conserve and to make accessible for farmers around the world. These farmers will, in turn, contribute to its evolution for current and future challenges. 

Agricultural research investments will need to address the lack of local structures that respond to the specific needs of farmers, including for the availability of productive seeds which are adapted to local conditions. This will be especially important for the poor countries of the world, already under pressure from changing climatic conditions and suffering from a poor access to improved seeds or other production inputs. 

Finally, and not less important, we take the opportunity to recall that productivity or production alone won’t be effective in meeting the mentioned challenges if efforts do not also go in the direction of aligning production and market needs. The report from the OECD brings an important contribution to these topics and we hope it will encourage a fruitful discussion that takes into account the  necessary market environment that creates incentives for farmers to make it economically sustainable to care for local resources and preserve agrobiodiversity. This is not going to be easy and solutions will encompass public policies, trade policies and new business models.  

* OECD (2021), Making Better Policies for Food System, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/ddfba4de-en

Author Information:

Eleonora De Falcis, PhD

The Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT  

For more information please contact: e.defalcis@cgiar.org