Analysis of the seed system in Ghana

Abstract

Received 4 February, 2013 Received in revised form 16 February, 2013 Accepted 19 February, 2013 The importance of seed to any crop-based production system cannot be overemphasized. It is the fundamental unit of any production system since it is the source of life. Two parallel seed systems exist in Ghana: A formal system established by the State and its technical partners and a traditional or informal system. The objective of the study was to provide an overview of the existing seed systems in Ghana. Stakeholders in the seed industry were interviewed with the aid of a questionnaire. Assessment of the two systems seems to suggest that the formal and informal systems have historically overlapped and there is potential for a hybrid system combining aspects of the two systems to emerge, with more relevance to the realities of smallholder farmers.