Seed system security assessment: southern Malawi

A Seed System Security Assessment (SSSA) was carried out across Southern Malawi in October 2011. It reviewed the functioning of the seed systems farmers use, both formal and informal, and assessed whether farmers could access seed of adequate quantity and quality in the short and medium term. The work covered 3 Districts, Zomba, Balaka and Chikhwawa, which were chosen to include a range of agro­‐ecologies and possible seed security constraints. Field research
encompassed: farmer interviews, seed/grain mar
ket analysis, consultation with traders,
focus group discussions (including discussions with women’s groups), and key
-­‐ informant sessions. Background papers were also commissioned on: a) the formal breeding sector’s structures and processes; b) the formal seed sector
and fertilizer structures and processes; and c) current
decentralized seed multiplication and distribution initiatives.