By Dr Thulasizwe Mkhabela

South Africa’s agricultural sector stands at a crossroads. Whilst the country boasts one of the most industrialised seed industries on the continent, it remains inaccessible to a significant portion of smallholder farmers. A recent policy gap analysis by the Agricultural Research Council and the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network reveals alarming disparities in South Africa’s seed systems.

These inequities do not only limit agricultural productivity but also threaten food security and economic sustainability. To bridge this divide, policymakers must prioritise an inclusive approach integrating smallholder farmers into the broader seed economy.

The Dual Seed System: A Legacy of Inequality

South Africa’s seed industry operates in a highly bifurcated manner. The formal seed sector, controlled largely by multinational corporations, caters to large-scale commercial farmers. These companies, including Monsanto (now Bayer) and Corteva Agriscience, dominate seed production and distribution, focusing on high-yield, genetically modified, and hybrid seed varieties.

Meanwhile, smallholder farmers - many of whom reside in rural provinces like Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape - are left to rely on informal seed systems. These traditional systems, based on seed saving, exchange, and community seed banks, have been marginalised by restrictive policies and a lack of institutional support.

This stark division reflects broader structural inequalities within the agricultural sector. Whilst commercial farmers benefit from advanced breeding technologies and streamlined seed certification processes, smallholders face significant barriers to accessing quality seeds. For instance, the Plant Improvement Act of 2018 imposes stringent certification requirements that exclude traditional and farmer-managed seed systems. As a result, many smallholder farmers are unable to legally sell or distribute their locally adapted seed varieties, effectively sidelining them from the formal seed economy.

Policy Gaps: Exclusionary Frameworks and Missed Opportunities

The policy landscape governing South Africa’s seed sector is riddled with gaps disproportionately affecting smallholder farmers. The dominance of multinational seed corporations has led to the prioritisation of commercial seed varieties at the expense of indigenous and open-pollinated varieties (OPVs). Furthermore, intellectual property rights (IPR) and hybrid vigour (heterosis) losses associated with hybrid and genetically modified seeds restrict farmers from saving and reusing seeds, increasing their dependency on expensive commercial seed suppliers.

The absence of a supportive policy framework for informal seed systems exacerbates this issue. Whilst the African Union’s Malabo Declaration and the Southern African Development Community Seed Protocol emphasise the need for inclusive and accessible seed markets, South Africa has struggled to implement these commitments effectively. The country’s failure to meet key Malabo Declaration targets for smallholder farmers, including improved access to agricultural inputs and climate-resilient seed varieties, highlights the urgent need for policy reform to address problems created by the duality of the farming sector.

A Path Forward: Building an Inclusive and Sustainable Seed System

Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach that fosters inclusivity, promotes agro-biodiversity, and enhances seed accessibility for smallholder farmers. The following policy interventions are crucial for achieving this transformation:

Recognising and Supporting Informal Seed Systems
- The government must revise the Plant Improvement Act to formally recognise and support informal seed networks. This includes creating a flexible certification process for indigenous and farmer-managed seed varieties.
- Community seed banks and farmer-led breeding initiatives should receive financial and technical support to ensure that the conservation of diverse and locally adapted seed varieties is achieved.
Reducing Barriers to Seed Certification
- The high costs and complexity of seed certification should be addressed through simplified registration processes tailored for smallholder farmers.
- Public-private partnerships should be leveraged to subsidise seed certification costs and facilitate smallholder participation in the formal seed market.
Enhancing Extension Services and Knowledge Transfer
- Strengthening agricultural extension services is critical to equipping smallholder farmers with the knowledge and skills needed to improve seed selection, storage, and breeding practices.
- Collaborations between research institutions, government agencies, and farmer organisations should be established to bridge the knowledge gap and promote sustainable seed management practices.
Promoting Agro-Biodiversity and Climate-Resilient Seeds
- Policies should encourage the conservation and use of indigenous seed varieties that are naturally adapted to local climate conditions.
- Investment in climate-smart agriculture and the development of drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and nutritionally rich seed varieties should be prioritised.
Reforming Seed Pricing Mechanisms and Distribution Channels
- Equitable pricing models and targeted subsidies should be introduced to ensure that smallholder farmers can access high-quality seeds at affordable rates.
- Expanding decentralised seed distribution networks in rural areas will enhance seed accessibility and reduce farmers’ dependence on monopolised seed suppliers.

A Call for Action

The transformation of South Africa’s seed systems is not just an agricultural imperative - it is a socio-economic necessity. By adopting inclusive policies that recognise the importance of both formal and informal seed systems, the country can create a more resilient, equitable, and food-secure future. Policymakers, industry stakeholders, and farmer organisations must work collaboratively to dismantle the barriers that exclude smallholder farmers from the seed economy.

South Africa has the potential to lead the way in developing an innovative and inclusive seed sector that serves all farmers, regardless of scale. The time to act is now. By implementing these much-needed reforms, the country can bridge the policy gaps, empower smallholder farmers, and pave the way for a more sustainable and food-secure future.

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Revitalising South Africa’s seed systems: a call for inclusive reform