NSP - Seed Security and Rehabilitation
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Seed Security and Rehabilitation
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Preparedness for, and effective and sustainable response to food and
agricultural emergencies, is one of the strategic objectives of FAO. Many of
the FAO Member Nations have had or currently have FAO emergency
operations. Initiatives are underway to strengthen seed system-related
responses. The basic rationale is that in emergency situations affected
farming and displaced households have lost their seed and capacity for food
production. By supplying good quality seed of appropriate varieties they can
resume and increase agriculture production thereby reducing or eliminating
dependence on food aid following the next harvest. Seed system analysis is
being integrated into emergency needs assessment guidelines, as well as a
code of conduct for seed distribution and support to local seed systems.
Finally, the use of seed fairs with vouchers for a market-based approach to
seed relief has been implemented in various countries with key partners in
situations where seed access is the main issue. In addition AGP undertakes
rehabilitation of national seed systems after civil strife through a combination
of policy assistance, technical assistance and training.
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Seed Security
The availability and access to seeds is of particular importance to farmers in
developing countries or areas frequently subject to droughts or other natural
or human disasters. Seed security is defined as ready access by rural
households, particularly farmers and farming communities, to adequate
quantities of quality seed and planting materials of crop varieties, adapted to
their agro-ecological conditions and socioeconomic needs, at planting time,
under normal and abnormal weather conditions. Initiatives to improve seed
security need to be based on a better understanding of them.
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Seed Security Assessments
An ECHO
funded project is being implemented by FAO aiming at developing
the capacity of humanitarian experts to conduct high quality and
rapid seed security assessments so that better informed and timelier
decisions are taken in seed-related interventions in emergency and
rehabilitation contexts. The project, running from July 2013 to
December 2014, focuses on crisis-prone countries in the Sahel (Burkina
Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger) and the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya,
Somalia, South Sudan). Key activities include: |
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