Module 4 - Tree seed distribution and

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Module 4 - Tree seed distribution and tree seed
forecasting
Tony Simons, ICRAF, Nairobi
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Tree seed distribution and forecasting

1. Current scenario
2. Clients
3. Demand and Supply
4. Plant Breeders Rights (cf. crops)
5. Control of Tree Seed Sector
6. Tree type and germplasm origin
7. Germplasm delivery
8. Farmer demand for trees
9. Sources of tree propagules
10. DFSC examples
11. Germplasm forecasting
12. Seed or seedlings

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1. Current Scenario

• Seed supply (timing and amount) is cited as a
  constraint to tree planting
• Well meaning free seed handouts prevail but are
  they sustainable
• Marketing of tree seed is in its infancy (poor
  naming)
• Seed delivery mechanisms are under-researched for
  trees
• Few methods for germplasm demand forecasting are
  available
• Little private sector involvement in tree seed
  industry
• Uncertainly in changes over time in farmer
  self-sufficiency of germplasm
• Lack of coordination of activities by National
  Tree Seed Centres, bilateral
• projects, NGOs (local and international),
  private sector, seed dealers
• Ambiguous/weak IPR and Plant Breeders Rights
  conditions
• Most farmers are not well informed about trees or
  tree seed
• Certification and regulation can both help and
  hinder seed availability
• No single approach will work for the diversity of
  trees, farmers
• and locations

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Problems of germplasm supply
Number Amount germplasm of species
needed per species (kg) Popular species
5 100 Second string species 50
10 Species for diversity 500 1
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2. Clients

• Can be classified according to
• Size of farm (focus on small-scale but perhaps
  not exclusively)
• Resource endowment levels (dimensions of
  poverty)
• Gender
• Tree planting culture (established, recent or
  beginning)
• Tree function needs (fruit, timber, fodder)

• Farmer surveys reveal
• 75 of tree germplasm comes from own
  farm/neighbour
• perception of low seed and tree information
  availability
• Current trees on farm are a footprint of past
  and not
• necessarily what farmers want

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Changes over time in the source of germplasm for
timber spp.
(Peru, 1996)
source
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Changes over time in the source of germplasm for
fruit spp.
(Peru, 1996)
source
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Form of original germplasm for fruit trees
(Peru, 1996)
unspec.
wildings
seedlings
grafts
seeds
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Seed sources Nurseries No. of species
Neighbours farm 8 11
Own farm 20 25
Forest 2 2
Forest Dept (incl KFSC) 9 26
Meru town 4 5
ATDAM / ICIPE / MoA 4 2
KARI (Embu) 4 2
MDFP 2 5
CRF Ruiru 3 2
Local markets 6 7
Common land 2 2
Far places (not specific) 8 6
Respondents can not tell 39 23
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3. Demand and Supply
Demand

• How much seed is required by farmers? And when?
• Farmers may source off-farm or on-farm
• May be indirectly expressed by others (e.g.
  NGOs)
• Supply may drive demand (can only plant what is
  available)
• Farmers are a very diverse group with diverse
  demands
• Beware the Miracle species

Supply

• Formal or informal system
• Current mechanisms are inadequate
• Supply can be by trade, barter, swap, exchange
  or gift

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Tree Seed Demand
Key issues

1. Lack of assessment methodology
2. Inadequate involvement of farmers
3. Uncertain economics of tree seed provision
4. Inappropriate policies
5. Lack of technical information
6. Poor extension knowledge/experience

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Tree Seed Supply
Key issues

1. Seed production areas/trees lacking
2. Markets poorly functioning/understood
3. Inadequate methods for handling and use of seed
4. Problems with seed quality
5. Mismatch of scale
6. Organisational difficulties

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Demand and Supply of Tree Seed
Location of seed trees
Wild stands
Farms
Station trials
Plantations
Central Seed orchards
Demand
Supply
Supplier/ Collector
Nurseries
NGOs
Farmers Assoc.
Seed Dealers
NTSCs
NARIs
Donor Projects
Users of seed
Seed Producers
Farmers
Nursery Operators
Research Trials/SSO
Plantations
Conservation
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4. Plant Breeders Rights
PBR are granted by a State to plant breeders to
exclude others from commercialising varieties
they have developed. They only operate within a
states boundary and generally have a minimum
duration of 15-20 years. PBR protection is based
on the assumption that the prospect of returns on
investment will stimulate breeders to develop
varieties.
Variety must be distinct, uniform and stable
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UPOV (Union for Protection of New Varieties of
Plants)

• Intergovernmental Convention set up in 1961
• To date 47 countries have enacted legislation
• Only 11 are developing tropical countries
• Argentina (1994) Kenya
  (1999) China (1999)
• Bolivia (1999) South Africa (1977)
• Brazil (1999)
• Colombia (1996)
• Ecuador (1997)
• Mexico (1997)
• Panama (1999)
• Paraguay (1997)

(http//www.upov.org/eng/index.htm)
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Type of seed
For annual crops the use of improved or certified
seed is a good indirect indicator of the type of
agriculture. Commercial agriculture generally
uses improved seed, either bought or saved, while
subsistence agriculture relies mostly on
landraces and seed obtained through informal
channels. When there is a well developed seed
industry, and farmers are well informed, seed
marketing starts to be deregulated, and
certification becomes less important. Whilst
some countries have well developed tree seed
centres, the tree seed industry is not well
developed. For crops the initiation of the seed
industry has been directly linked to modern plant
breeding.
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Evolution of crop seed industry
Initiation of modern plant breeding
Initiation of seed production by public sector
Initiation of private seed
industry Creation of seed
certification
Arrival of multinationals
Public sector involvement
Private sector involvement
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Evolution of tree seed industry - plantation
species -

• Initiation of modern plant breeding
• (since 1950s, 40 taxa, 1-4th generation)
• Initiation of seed production by public
  sector
• (more seed collection than production,
  FAO, bilateral donors, government)
• Initiation of private seed industry
• (just beginning, SMURFIT, Costa Rica,
  cooperatives - CAMCORE)
• Creation of seed certification
• (only OECD scheme, incipient
  legislation in developing countries)
• Arrival of multinationals
• (Shell Forestry dabbled in 1980s,
  tax-break biotech companies in SE Asia)

for agroforestry species, bilaterals and private
seed dealers operate
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Annual crops compared to trees

• Crop seed systems (formal and informal) have been
  in place
• for a long time
• Crop seeds are consumed by humans (saved seed)
• Trees are perennial
• Trees have a higher multiplication potential
• (annually and generationally)
• Legislation on tree seed lower priority

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• 5. Control of tree seed sector
• In 1992, a IUFRO/GTZ tree seed workshop
  recommended
• tropical countries should
• Pass new national tree seed laws (sensu OECD)
• Set up national designated authority
• License all tree seed producers/collectors
• Construct seed source inventory, use to give
  approval
• Certify all tree seed (identity, origin,
  disease)
• Delineate of eco-zones for all tree species
• Require mandatory seed testing

Are these feasible, are they a priority for
agroforestry trees?
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OECD Scheme for control of forest reproductive
material in international trade

• First meeting on the subject in 1966 in Paris
• Scheme established in 1974
• Aim is to encourage production and use of tree
  seed that
• ensures their trueness to name
• Publication of a National List of Approved
  Basic Material is a
• pre-requisite to implementation of the Scheme
• Seed zones (regions of provenance) have to be
  established
• within a country and a detailed seed stand
  identification data
• sheet prepared
• Four categories of reproductive material
• - source-identified seed stands (natural or
  artificial)
• - selected category for phenotypic superiority
• - untested seed orchards
• - tested category (seed stands, orchards and
  clones)

Is the OECD scheme realistic for the numerous
agroforestry species? - interestingly Rwanda
applied in 1992 to join the scheme
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Eucalyptus Case Study what prospects for other
species?

• First seed exported 1770s, steady increase
  since
• 30,000 kg exported each year from Australia
• Reliable figures on amount of seed exported are
  hard to obtain as
• suppliers are reluctant to provide
  information on their markets
• One third of all plantation trees established
  is a eucalypt
• Presence of Australian Tree Seed Centre
  centre of excellence
• Australia supports OECD certification scheme
  but does enforce it
• as it is thought of as a small industry and
  the cost of enforcement
• would be out of proportion of its value
• Few government controls, no self-regulation so
  its buyer beware
• Most seed dealers are professional, but
  unscrupulous ones also

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6. Tree type and germplasm origin
Fuel wood Fallow Live fences Fodder Medicine Timber Fruit
Undocumented origin ??? ?? ? ?? ??? ?? ???
Open-pollinated landrace ?? ??? ? ??? ? ? ??
Provenance identified ? ?? ?? ?? ? ?? ??
Seedling seed orchard ? ?? ? ? ? ?
Clonal seed orchard ?
Clones from mother blocks ? ?

• ? - infrequently
• ?? - normally
• ??? - very common

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Emphasis of various stakeholders on quantity and
quality of tree germplasm
Quality Quantity
ARIs IARCs Bilateral project NARS NGOs CBOs Farmer
s Seed dealers
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7. Germplasm Delivery

• Distribution
• - macro-delivery to NARS, NGOs, CBOs
• Dissemination
• - directly to farmers, nurseries, farmer
  groups
• Diffusion
• - farmer to farmer exchange, expansion

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8. Farmer demand for trees
Tree taxa Family (e.g. Fabaceae) Genera
(e.g. Acacia) Species (e.g. Calliandra
calothyrsus) Provenance (Retalhuleu Gliricidia
sepium) Landrace (Mt Kenya Vitex
keniensis) Variety (K8 Leucaena
leucocephala) Clone (Tommy Atkins Mango) Tree
function Fruit Timber Medicine Fodder
Fencing Fallow Shade/support
Incentives fertiliser, tree planting subsidy,
livestock, food for work Linked benefits access
to NARS/NGOs, chief, officials human interest
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9. Sources and types of tree propagule for
farmers
Nurseries
Seed dealer NGO/Govt Project On-farm Nearby farms or forest Group Individual Central
Seed (for direct seeding and nurseries) ? ?? ??? ?? ? ? ?
Seedling (nursery raised) ? ? ??? ?
Clone (cutting, graft, marcot) ?? ? ? ???
Wilding (in situ) ??? ?
Trans- planted wilding ??? ?? ? ?

• ? - occasionally
• ?? - regularly
• ??? - most usually

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• DFSC examples
• No country in Central America, Africa or Asia has
  during the past 15 years established a
  satisfactory tree seed procurement system, - with
  or without donor support!
• The technical part is easy, - not the limiting
  factor.
• The organisational, political, market part is
  difficult.
• No model works every where. Some models work in
  some parts of some countries.
• Factors No. of seed users, size of demand, no.
  of spp. in demand, ecological variation, size of
  country, infrastructure, national capacity
  (financial, adm.).
• Examples from Tanzania, Nepal and Indonesia.

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Nepal Tree Improvement and Silvicultural
Component Donor support for more than 30 years
(Australia, UK and Denmark). Centralised to
semi-centralised?? Meets approx. 10 of the
national demand. Quality of seed, - probably
mixed. Price OK. Sell only in big quantities
(from TISC), and only to users close to the 3
seed centres. Seed co-operatives Impact in
small local areas. Model might be good, but total
impact is small. Seed in small bags Under test
at present.
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Tanzania National Tree Seed Programme. Danida
support for more than 15 years. Centralised or
decentralised?? Meets less than 5 of the
national demand. Seed of OK quality but
expensive. Sell only in big quantities. Provide
seed only to users close to the three seed
centres. DFSC provided a Mercedes, when there
was a need for a Morris Minor!!
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Indonesia Indonesia Tree Seed Project. Nordic
and Danida support for 12 years. Only capacity
building through training, extension, information
and advisory services, - no direct seed
production. Seed production by seed dealers and
big private companies. Impact?? If yes, on the
countrys own conditions. Has put tree seed on
the governments agenda, - a lot more govt inputs
to the tree seed sector (10 times up), - good or
bad?? Information, extension etc. lead to demand
for quality seed (when users are ready), which
leads to the production of quality seed. Quality
seed to farmers through NGOs as part of
extension (collab. with ICRAF, Bogor).
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What can fail a seed distribution system?

• Lack of preparedness-poor seed procurement
  strategies
• Poor infrastructure inadequate means of
  communication
• Distances involved if excessive
• (Temporary) storage facilities

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What can fail a seed distribution system? ( cont.)

• Inappropriate packaging materials
• Type of seed being distributed
• Mode and Language of instructions on seed
  use/treatments
• Timing of the event(s)- should not conflict with
  other farmers activities that may deemed to be
  more important e. g., harvesting

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DFSC Conclusions Difficult to provide real
quality seed, when users do not attach a value to
seed. What to do? Tree seed should in general be
part of much wider programmes (land
rehabilitation, forest management and
establishment, rural development, etc.). Then
tree seed will find its right level and it will
be easier to sell to donors, - maybe. Tree seed
procurement systems have to be tailor made and
one system works only for one part of the demand
(companies, donors, farmers, etc.) or in one
geographical area (co-operatives, NGOs). More
emphasis on training, extension, information
(capacity building), - less on setting up
systems (DFSC/ISAAC). Realise that development
takes time, - in Denmark it took 20 years to
establish a well functioning tree seed
procurement system (1946-66).
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11. Germplasm Forecasting
Currently no methods available Important as
shortage of seed is often cited as a
problem Often dealing with a tree rich but
species poor landscape so getting germplasm of
new species or low species of low abundance is
a problem Amounts needed/forecast will be
affected by - germination and survival rates
- novelty and uniqueness of species -
adoption/expansion rates - ability/time when
farmers can be self-sufficient - degree of
extension efforts
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Seed needs for plantation tree species
of planting by species of planting by species of planting by species
Annual planting (1000 ha) Acacia Eucalyptus Eucalyptus Other broad-leafed Pinus Pinus Other conifer
Africa 194,000 6 30 30 27 27 27 10
Asia 3,500,000 8 12 12 45 15 15 20
South America 4,458,000 0 46 46 8 45 45 1
Total 8,152,000 4 31 31 24 32 32 9
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Number of trees required
what propagules will come from farmers
fields ?
Time
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Farmer self-sufficiency in germplasm will happen
at varying times for different trees
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12. Seeds or Seedlings
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Community Nursery
Community Nursery
Central Nursery
Nursery Association
Community Nursery
Nursery Association
Established small-scale nurseries
Novice small-scale nurseries
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Who are the Tree Extension Officers of the future?
Tree nursery operators
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Elements of a tree seed system
Seed sourcing
Farmer groups
Species selection
Govt institutions
ICRAF
ICRAF short term, long term?
farmers
nurseries
NGOs CBOs
Extension providers
Seed quality
Govt
Users
Farmers
NGOs, CBOs
Private sector?
Seed multiplication
nurseries
Farmers
CBOs
Seed producers
NGOs
Extension providers
What institutional framework?
Seed marketing
Tree nursery networks
Extension providers
CBOs
NTSCs
Seed dealers
NGOs
How information flow?