Seed Tracker used by National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) to support national certification schemes in Nigeria and Tanzania

Published on: April 8, 2020, Submitted by Claudio Proietti on: March 29, 2020, Reporting year: 2019

Sustainable Development Goals Contribution

Most cassava seed traded in informal markets in Sub-Saharan Africa has neither quality nor varietal identity of the planting material guaranteed. Contaminated material contributes to the spread of diseases resulting in low yields. IITA scientists developed ‘Seed Tracker’, a web-app that registers certified seed producers, allows e-certification of seed, and supports value chain development. The seed certifying authorities of Nigeria and Tanzania have adopted ‘Seed Tracker’, thus greatly increasing the efficiency of seed certification.

Website screenshot - NASC Seed Tracker is the official on-line platform of the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) of Nigeria, for registration of seed companies and seed fields with NASC.

For communication use

IITA scientists developed an app, the Cassava Seed Tracker, to e-certify seed fields (1, 2). The app allows farmers to locate the availability and purchase high quality, virus-free seed of improved varieties and to be confident of the identity of the variety they are buying. The Seed Tracker can be used on a smart phone to collect and organize seed production information, making it easier for regulatory institutions to register producers, certify seed fields, monitor seed quality, location, variety, and availability. Seed producers can find expert advice on quality seed production, and information to help buy and sell certified seed. Seed Tracker allows real-time information exchange between producers, regulators and buyers, saving time and money. The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) of Nigeria has adopted it (3, 4, 5), replacing cumbersome paper forms that later needed to be transcribed, and the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI) has started pilot testing (6, 7), to make seed certification more efficient, accessible and cost-effective.

Elaboration of Outcome

Most cassava seed are traded in informal markets in SSA, where neither the quality nor the varietal identity of the planting material is guaranteed, and contaminated material contributes to the spread of diseases resulting in low yields. Therefore, IITA scientists developed the ‘Seed Tracker’, a web-app that registers certified seed producers and allows e-certification of seed (1, 2). The Seed Tracker is usable on any internet-enabled device, and collects and organizes seed production information, making it easier for institutions to monitor seed quality and certify producers. It provides a database for ready access to information, such as seed quantity, location, variety, geography, and availability. Therefore, seed producers can find on-demand expert advice on agronomy, plant health and more. Moreover, the app can help seed producers along the seed value chain source and sell certified seed. From 2016 to 2019, over 690 seed production fields in Nigeria registered in the seed tracker, including breeder, foundation and commercial seed fields.

In 2015, the ‘Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed System’ (BASICS) project worked with the government of Nigeria to pilot the Cassava Seed Tracker. They customized the program specifically to meet the priorities of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC). The Director General of NASC, Dr. P Ojo on 10th October 2018 formally declared Cassava Seed Tracker as e-certification platform for cassava in Nigeria (3, 4, 5).

“The Cassava Seed Tracker is helping NASC to understand who, how much and where seed is produced so they can be trained, mainstreamed and certified. It helps them to understand the rules, regulations and best practices to produce quality seed. In time, it will evolve people from informal seed producers to formal seed producers,” stated Dr. Khalid Ishiak, Director Seed Certification and Quality Control of NASC (see also links to Policy contributions).

IITA introduced the app in Tanzania in partnership with the Tanzania Official Seeds Certification Institute (TOSCI) and Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) (6,7). IITA has been working with TOSCI on developing quality standards for cassava seed in the country to ensure that seed produced is healthy and free of viruses (see also links to Policy contributions). Consequently, the seed certifying authorities of Nigeria and Tanzania have adopted the use of the application, thus greatly increasing the efficiency and efficacy of seed certification, contributing to the use of clean seed, and enhancing the availability of new improved varieties.

Stage of Maturity and Sphere of influence

Stage of Maturity: Stage 1
Contributions in sphere of influence:
1.4.2 - Closed yield gaps through improved agronomic and animal husbandry practices
C.1.3 - Conducive agricultural policy environment