Guinea-Bissau

Seed sector in Guinea-Bissau

The seed sector in Guinea-Bissau is composed of cooperatives, seed producer associations, non-governmental organizations and small local private actors. The Association des Productrices et d´Autopromotion pour la Lutte Contre la Faim is an NGO that (among others) provides seeds to farmers.

The government established the National Institute of Agricultural Research, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization, West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research (CORAF/ WECARD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to restructure the seed sector by training seed inspectors and seed multipliers. In addition, the mandate given by the national research institute also includes quality control of field seeds in 40 locations selected for seed production. This mandate, exercised by the various research centers, concerns monitoring not only farmers and seed producers but also seed companies, cooperatives and associations (national or foreign).

The fragility of the country is one reason why foreign companies have not invested in Guinea-Bissau’s seed industry, which is why no international seed companies are active in the country.

Observations

Pop Vriend Seeds is the only index company operating in Guinea-Bissau. Apart from selling vegetable crops, the company does not have any breeding, testing, seed production, processing or extension services in the country.

Several national seed companies (not included in the index) are involved in seed sales, but none is involved in breeding or production. No seed-producing cooperatives have been identified in the country.