Impacts of Seed Clubs in Ensuring Local Seed Systems in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Abstract

The formal seed sector only meets a small proportion of farmers' rice seed requirements in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. To cope with the growing demands, farmers have organized themselves in seed clubs to produce and supply the needed seeds themselves. This study assesses the status of rice seed production and proposes a model of how to ensure adequate seed supply in the Mekong Delta. Data of total seed production, distribution, prices, and used varieties of each crop season was collected from 19 seed stations and 309 seed clubs in all the 13 provinces of the Delta for the whole year of 2008. One hundred sixty none farmers were interviewed about seed demand and supply. Effective demand of seed in the Mekong Delta was about 0.55 million tons/year. The formal seed system met 3.5% and the informal seed system supplied more 16% of needed amounts. The informal system had significantly lower seed prices, but more diversity of rice varieties than the formal seed system. Both seed systems supplied seeds of rice varieties that had not yet been certified by the formal sector. Thus, new varieties were of high demand. Socialization of seed production was recommended to ensure the local seed supply systems for developing sustainable agriculture in the future. Results of this study indicate status of seed demands and supply to improve and link developing among seed systems in the Mekong Delta.