Study includes short profiles of all 54 evaluated seed-producing cooperatives.
For the cooperative study, a network of 20 national focal point each selected three leading cooperatives using a set of predefined criteria. The report includes short profiles of all 54 evaluated seed-producing cooperatives. As an example, meet the three selected cooperatives from Mali here:
Coopérative pour la Promotion de la filière Semencière du Mandé (COOPROSEM)
With roughly half of its 90 members involved in seed production, COOPROSEM produces OPV and hybrid sorghum, maize, groundnut and cowpea seeds. COOPROSEM produced about 32 tons of seeds in 2017. The cooperative collaborates with ICRISAT on varietal testing and partners with seed company Faso Kaba on seed sourcing and sales, extending its reach from the local to the national level. It also regularly organizes training sessions on topics such as good agricultural practices, production and certification of seeds, storage and seed conservation. COOPROSEM also specifically targets women for groundnut seed production. It uses a variety of communication channels (videos, posters, website, radio) to raise awareness among seed producers about new varieties.
Union Locale des Producteurs de Céréales (ULPC) de Dioïla
ULPC is an umbrella organization created in 2001. It is made up of 43 cooperatives with 1,074 producers, half of whom are women. Officially registered, it is founded on solidarity among members and adheres to cooperative principles (democratic governance, equity in benefit sharing, training and cooperation, etc.). About 905 farmers benefit from the cooperative’s services. ULPC produces seeds and large-scale commercial crops. It also works on varietal improvement, the introduction of farming innovations, input supply and a warranty scheme. ULPC has seven input stores locally, although its seeds are distributed nationally too. Out of the 32 tons it produces, 25 tons are commercialized. ULPC also collaborates with seed companies and research institutes.
Coopérative Sikolokoloton
Sikolokoloton is made up of 40 producers whose seeds reach 2,000 farmers. It sources foundation seed for its members, supports certification, advises them on production, storage and marketing, and facilitates microfinancing. It collaborates with the Cinzana Agronomic Station. It has a local reach. It also collaborates with seed companies and NGOs. It is one of the few seed-producing cooperatives that has its own seed-processing unit.
