Long-term seed aid in Ethiopia: past, present, and future perspectives

Seed aid is a significant area of humanitarian practice, intended to help vulnerable farmers recover from crises. Yet poorly-conducted aid can increase farmers’ vulnerability. This comprehensive report assesses the effects of emergency seed assistance in Ethiopia. It details recommendations for improving seed aid practice and outlines policy guidelines for more effective support to seed security. The report is based on research over two years and four regions, which sought different stakeholders’ perspectives: implementers (government/NGOs); seed supply providers (formal sector and local seed/grain traders); and farmer recipients of aid. Seed aid history was documented and analysed alongside diverse contemporary interventions, while policies shaping seed aid in practice were also analysed.Some key findings include: seed aid has occurred for 34 years in Ethiopia with over US$ 500m spent aid may meet diverse goals – responding to emergencies, addressing chronic stress, promoting development – but these are poorly-distinguished seed aid lacks specific policy guidance and is shaped more by ‘developmental’ policies (i.e. modern variety promotion) which may not be approapriate aid requests are not based upon actual seed security assessments, but (falsely) extrapolated from food needs, sometimes inflating figures to acquire more modern varieties diverse approaches exist, including Direct Seed Distribution (DSD) and market-based approaches (vouchers, seed fairs, cash for seed), though their use reflects implementer philosophy more than farmers’ needs. sampled farmers received aid repeatedly, though seed aid made only a modest contribution to their overall seed supply. The report also recognises that local traders are important in making seed available during stress periods. It provides an analysis of their activities, highlighting dynamics of seed quality, sources used, volumes traded, and prices.Farmers’ opinions of different aid approaches provide surprising insights into aid implementation. The report also suggests many tools and guidelines to improve seed aid policy and practice in Ethiopia, which also apply for other countries.