©FAO/ Afito Marinho and FAO staff

Not even a cyclone and other extreme weather events could divert Afito Martinho from his mission: the seed multiplier from Meconta District, Nampula Province, was one of the first local producers supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to have his seeds certified by the National Seed Authority and to sell them on the formal market.

Through the PROMOVE Agribiz programme, funded by the European Union, FAO has been supporting producers in the provinces of Nampula and Zambézia in seed multiplication since 2019, having reached a total of approximately 300 by 2023. In addition, the Organization has been closely following the certification process of these seeds. For the multipliers, this is a fundamental milestone, since with their product certified, business opportunities increase, along with the market price, which for seeds is already much higher than for grains.

At the same time, for smallholder farmers, this also means greater availability of quality seeds in a country where 90% of crop seeds are obtained through informal channels.

Gema, a strategic choice

Afito Martinho says he chose the Gema maize variety to multiply seeds because "in the field, it gives a lot of advantage, it gives a lot of product". Also because it is highly nutritious, "it has vitamins", there are many customers who "need these seeds: children, for instance, to make porridge, and pregnant women". So it was in his village that the demand for Afito´s seeds began. In fact, as Albino Mutipo, FAO Seed Specialist, says, "it was the community itself that sparked a business in Afito - the seed business".

But Gema maize seeds are not only in demand in the community of Afito Martinho.
Throughout the north of the country, says Aniceto Penicela, from I. A. V., an agricultural inputs store in the network of vendors taking part in PROMOVE Agribiz, the short supply quickly becomes so scarce that many agrodealers have to turn to other provinces. That's why Penicela went looking for seeds right there in his district.

FAO fills market access gap

In addition to the basic seeds and fertilizers that FAO provides and the training and technical assistance it gives to multipliers, the link to the markets is also facilitated by FAO. The impact can be seen in Afito's smile: "I used to produce a few hundred kilos, now eh! I produce whole tons!" Last season, Afito Martinho produced 5.7 tons of Gema maize. He recently sold one ton to I. A. V. "It was because of the PROMOVE Agribiz programme that I was able to sell this maize to Mr. Aniceto," says the producer.

This is the first time that I. A. V. has bought certified seeds from a local multiplier and Penicela is happy with the deal: "I trust the quality of Mr. Afito's seeds," he says, "firstly because of the knowledge he has, and secondly because of the constant inspection he had from the day he started the sowing process until the day of harvest."

In the meantime, anyone passing I. A. V. store in Meconta can buy Afito Martinho's already processed and properly packaged seeds, "seeds with such a big and beautiful grain", says Aniceto Penicela.

Since he started multiplying seeds, Afito Martinho says that he has managed to build his house, bought a mill with which he earns additional income for the family, and his children go to school. "In the past, I couldn´t afford it. So now, oh well, I really do earn something." But the plan is to expand: "In my heart, [I think] I shall increase the multiplication areas. Next year, I have to increase," he confirms. And he has already started the process: Bernardo Baltazar was the Seed Inspector from the Northern Regional Laboratory who inspected the new areas proposed by Afito, concluding that they, too, meet the conditions for seed multiplication. Baltazar has been accompanying him over the last few years and recognizes the good performance of the multiplier, "who is dedicated to the progress of agriculture, who is fighting to improve food security and the income of his family and the community."