Building Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS) has demonstrated that the cassava seeds system can be profitable for value chain players and sustainably deploy improved varieties of cassava stems to farmers while creating jobs. For the past decades, Africa has been grappling with the diffusion of improved cassava varieties due to a weak dissemination strategy. Researchers say in the last five years, BASICS has created a viable and sustainable cassava seed system in Nigeria, opening a vista of opportunities for seed entrepreneurs and cassava farmers looking for new and improved varieties for cultivation. Until the coming of BASICS, there was no formal seed sector for cassava stems. These village seed entrepreneurs multiplied improved stems, and they made certified seeds available to the farmers on a commercial basis,” he explained.

Source: The Guardian June 08, 2020 03:31 UTC