Public-Private-Producers Partnership for Strengthening Seed Certifcation in Afghanistan: Baseline Survey Report

Abstract

In order to assess the knowledge level, strengths and weaknesses of different stakeholders (Seed testing laboratories, private seed enterprises (PSEs), seed growers, Department of seed certifcation, National Seed Board (NSB), Afghanistan National Seed Organization (ANSOR), etc.) with regard to seed certifcation system including existing seed certifcation standards, protocols and to identify entry points for strengthening seed certifcation system through a Public-Private-Producers Partnership business model, baseline survey was carried out in Herat, Kabul, and Nangarhar provinces covering 26 private seed enterprises, fve seed testing laboratories and 105 farmer households at the villages in 26 districts that were accessible for data collection in the EU funded project Public-Private-Producers Partnership for strengthening seed certifcation in Afghanistan. The main objective of the baseline survey was to provide basic information for better understanding the current seed certifcation system including knowledge base, infrastructure, capacity of different stakeholders in implementing seed certifcation system. The study was also planned to understand the perceptions of stakeholders about existing system with the aim of using this information to develop sustainable seed certifcation system that will contribute to enhance agricultural production and productivity for improvement of livelihoods of rural communities in the target provinces. This information helps to establish benchmark indicators for project activities against which changes will be measured throughout the progress being made during the course of project implementation. This survey provided basic information in light of which the existing and potential constraints, gaps in the existing system of seed certifcation will be identifed and efforts will be made through project interventions to minimize these constraints.