ASSESSING RESILIENCE IN SEED SYSTEM OF NARSINGDI DISTRICT

Abstract

Resilient seed system is essential for achieving food security in the context of climate change. The main objectives of the study were to develop a set of indicators and to assess resilience in seed system (i.e., production and processing).The study was conducted in three villages of Shibpur Upazilla of Narsingdi district. Data were collected from a sample of randomly selected 110 farmers by using a structured interview schedule. Resilience of seed system was assessed by developing a resilience index. This study was adapted a resilience assessment framework (dimension X capacity) proposed by the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ). Data quality was checked through employing data screening tests, e.g., dealing with outliers. Based on literature review and expert appraisals nine indicators of resilient seed systems were determined. Results show that (i) in terms of social, economic and ecological dimensions, about 66% seed producers had medium to high resilient seed systems; (ii) they had more adaptive capacity than absorptive and transformative; and (iii) a number of indicators, access to information, non-farm income generating activities and pest and disease management had positive and highly significant relationships with the seed systems resilience index. This study concludes that (one-third of) seed growers were facing climatic challenges and a range of options such as improving access to climatic information and promoting nonfarm

income generation activities can build their resilient seed systems through improving absorptive and transformative capacities. Several problems were identified in achieving seed system resilient.