b'worldSTATUS A look at seed industry developments around the globe.West Africa works toSTATUS CANADA sustainable and environment- some districts of Sikasso, bolster its rice-basedClimate-smart soils thatfriendly ways amid challengesimproved varieties and best enable farmers to both growposed by climate change. agronomic practices for systems, while the UKcrops and stem greenhouseProject partners activelystaple crops such as sor-deals with an outbreakgases are the goal of a nationalparticipated in in-depthghum were made accessible of Tomato Brown RugoseUniversity of Guelph (U ofdiscussions following theto farmers. Once trained, G)-led project that will receivepresentations and developedmany farmers were able to Fruit Virus. $1.65 million in federal funding. country plans, includingincrease and often double the Under climate-smart man- scaling mechanisms. Theyproduction of these staple agement, farmers might aim toagreed to emphasize shar- crops and even turn away increase soil organic matter foring of knowledge, capacityfrom the solely cotton-based instance, which can help reducedevelopment, policy findingsproduction system. Source: greenhouse gas emissions. and raising of awareness andICRISATSoil microbes emit green- visibility of the project in line house gases, including nitrouswith project guidelines.oxide and carbon dioxide. AtSource: CGIAR STATUS NEPALthe same time, properly man- The Nepal Seed and Fertilizer aged soils can serve as sinks(NSAF) project is expand-to remove and sequesterSTATUS MALI ing its support to include carbon from the atmosphere.Jean Goita has come a longfinance, working with com-The federal funding will allowway since his days as a grainmercial banks to develop researchers to train dozens ofproducer in his hometownand expand access to inno-needed experts in the field. Inof Yorosso. Today, he is avative financial products the coming year, the consor- respected seed producerfor seed companies, it was tium will offer a U of G-basedcovering nine communes ofreported in a story released course on soil ecosystems,Yorosso district in Sikassoby the International Maize and sustainable agriculture andregion of Southern Mali. GoitaWheat Improvement Center climate-smart soil practices. and 10 other members of his(CIMMYT).district were trained to pro- Commercial banks are duce improved seed underimproving their knowledge STATUS CTE DIVOIRE the Africa RISING large-scaleof the seed sector, its needs The Africa Rice Centerdiffusion of technologies forand growth opportunities, so (AfricaRice) has launchedsorghum and millet systemsthey can develop loan prod-a high-potential project in(ARDT_SMS) project. ucts and credit modalities that which research will be putThere are many seedmatch the requirements of into effective use to improvegrowers in the communes ofseed producers and agribusi-the livelihoods of smallholderKiffoso, Karangana, Mahounesses, CIMMYT reports.farmers in Africa by promot- and Yorosso. They are [eager]These enterprises require ing a range of sustainableto be trained, says Seydoufinances to upgrade their intensification and diver- Dao, president of an innova- infrastructure, increase sification innovations fortion platform established inproduction and grow their rice-based systems, whileYorosso district in Septemberbusinesses. The business reducing their environmental2018 with the support of Maliplans of seed companies footprint. Agricultural Market Trust. Thewhich partner with the NSAF Rice is the most rapidlyplatform with 100 members isproject indicate that the aver-growing food commoditythe place where farmers, inputage size of loan required is in sub-Saharan Africa andsuppliers, grain processors,around $50,00060% for boosting domestic supplyand traders meet to discussinfrastructure development is clearly important for thetheir businesses.and 40% for working capital. region. At the same time, riceWith the intervention ofAbout 66% of the working needs to be produced in morethe ARDT_SMS project incapital is used to procure 76/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2019'