Impact of community seed banks on seed security and food access outcomes in Ethiopia

Community Seedbanks (CSBs) have emerged as a vital grassroots intervention for enhancing seed security and food resilience, particularly in conflict-affected and climate-vulnerable regions. This study empirically evaluates the impact of CSBs on seed use and household food access in three districts of Ethiopia’s Tigray and Amhara regions, utilizing primary data from 393 smallholder households. Employing logit and multinomial logistic regression models, the analysis reveals that proximity to a well-established CSB, especially the Wakaye seed bank, significantly increases the likelihood of seed use and improves both food access and diversity in the number of food groups consumed in a 24 h interval. Key determinants of seed use include household engagement in livestock production, labor intensity, and participation in nutrition training programs, while older farmers are less likely to adopt CSB seeds. Food security outcomes vary by seed bank, with Wakaye outperforming others due to its institutional maturity and seed quality. The findings highlight the critical role of CSBs in sustaining agricultural productivity and nutritional well-being under socio-political instability and climate stress. Policy efforts should prioritize strengthening the institutional capacity of CSBs, expanding farmer training on seed management and nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and integrating CSBs into national seed system strategies to improve resilience and food access among smallholder farmers.