Partners
The CROPS4HD project is supported and implemented by a wide range of international and local partner organisations that help us achieve our goals. Together we work to improve food security and nutrition for smallholder farmers through agroecological approaches.
At the international level :
The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture guide us with their experience on genetic diversity in India.
GRAIN contribute on the policy side, notably regarding the capacity and movement building at international level.
The Association for Plant Breeding for the Benefit of Society lead the policy advocacy at the international level, particularly in engagement with formal policy platforms.
The World Vegetable Center brings support through the bank of seed and their ability to conduct nutritional analysis on vitamins, minerals and secondary metabolites.
At the local level :
India
The three main local partners will engage with districts stakeholders and district government and private sector and seek their commitment and involvement in the project.
- The Development Research Communication and Services Centre (DRCSC) has a focus on improving food and livelihood security of the rural poor through scientific management of natural resources and community-based initiatives. Therefore, they are supporting the field implementation of the project through their operational strategy knowledge.
- Bhittibhumi is an NGO working, among other things, on the theme of agroecology with a focus on gender equality and organic farming. They also are supporting the field implementation.
- Sahaja Samrudha with their work and capacity on encouraging farmers towards organic farming, they are, as well, supporting the project on the field implementation.
Niger
- Raya Karkara is a platform that brings together a multi-actor network that works to promote agroecology, support family farming, capitalise on experiences and share and create synergies. As a partner organisation of AFSA, they are supporting the policy implementation side of the project.
- AgriProFocus is a multi-stakeholder network for innovative entrepreneurs in agricultural value chains to link agribusiness and development. They support the project on the demand and supply implementation sides.
- Kundji Fondo is a local NGO working on malnutrition, the health sector, nutrition, and food security sectors. Their specific interest is the nutritional education focused on functional literacy for young women and girls and their empowerment. For the project, they are supporting the demand implementation side.
- Institut National de Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN) works on the design and execution of agricultural research programmes in all areas of rural development as well as the coordination of agricultural research in the country. They support the project on the supply implementation, through the characterisation of the NUS and the valorisation of them, and on the policy side.
- SUSTLIVES is a project coordinated by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) that aims to foster the transition of sustainability and climate change resilient food and agricultural systems in Burkina Faso and Niger. Given the similarity of the thematic with CROPS4HD synergies are likely to arise.
Chad
- The Plateforme d’Echanges et de Promotion de l’Agriculture Familiale (PEPAF) is a platform that brings together a range of multi-actors that works to provide technical support for the promotion of family farming. For the project, it will support the implementation of activities on the policy and advocacy side.
- The Institut Tchadien de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (ITRAD) is supporting the implementation of the national agricultural research policy, contributing to the identification of rural development projects as well as carrying out scientific and technical research necessary for the development of plant, forest and fisheries production while ensuring a rational management of natural resources. For the project, they will provide support regarding the supply implementation through the characterisation of the NUS.
- The University of Agronomy and Environment of Sarh will provide support the project in the supply implementation through the characterisation of the NUS.
- PROFISEM (Programme d’Opérationnalisation de la fillière semencière au Tchad) is a program under the guardianship of the Ministry of Production, Irrigation and Agricultural Equipment (MPIEA) and implemented by the German International Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ InS). Its focus is on the development of the seed sector as well as the diversification and improvement of agricultural production systems in certain intervening provinces. Given the similarity of the thematic of action of the program as well as the common provinces, synergies with CROPS4HD are likely to arise.
Tanzania
- The Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) aims is to strengthen national agricultural research system, to enhance the development and dissemination of technologies, innovations and management practices, to address the real needs of farmers and other agricultural stakeholders. For the project, they will support on the supply implantation side with the characterisation of the NUS.
- The Tanzania Alliance for Biodiversity (TABIO) is an alliance of civil society and private sector organizations concerned with biodiversity conservation, with an emphasis on agricultural biodiversity for livelihood security and food sovereignty. They will support the project on demand implantation side, with a support to the peasant groups related to indigenous seed and agrobiodiversity, and also on the policy implementation side.
Document Library
April 2025 by Sahaja Samrudha, Bittibhumi, DRCSC, SWISSAID
This publication documents farmer led innovation in agroecological practices initiated under the CROPS4HD Project in Karnataka, Odisha and West Bengal (India). These cases showcase how smallholders have developed low-cost, climate-resilient solutions—from relay cropping and natural pest control to soil revitalization and traditional food processing—using locally available resources. Through this publication, the aim is to preserve and share these farmer-led strategies, ensuring they inform research agendas and policy while strengthening seed sovereignty and sustainable farming systems.
September 2025 by European Commission
Link to original publication
This knowledge review synthesises evidence on NUS in the following areas: NUS’s contribution to food security, Nutritional benefit of NUS, Consumer preferences and consumption patters, The role of women in production, use and conservation of NUS, Economic benefits of NUS, Environmental and climate benefits of NUS, Use of NUS for ready-to-use therapeutic and supplement foods, International initiatives supporting NUS (including AgrEcoNUS+).
Policy Brief: Creating Space for Farmers’ Seeds in Tanzania’s Seed Regulations
July 2025 by SWISSAID, TABIO and AFSA
Within the framework of the Seed Legislation Workshop held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in July 2025, some concrete opportunities and promising action have been identified for creating space in for farmers’ seeds in Tanzania. A policy brief was subsequently elaborated, drawing on the key insights and discussions from the workshop.
Workshop Report: Creating Space for Farmers’ Seeds in Seed Regulations
July 2025 by SWISSAID and TABIO
The regional workshop titled “Creating Space for Farmers’ Seeds in Seed Regulations: Capitalizing International Learnings and Identifying Options for Tanzania”, held from July 28–30, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, brought together 54 diverse participants including technical staff from the Ministry of Agriculture, Members of Parliament, regional and continental experts, civil society organizations, researchers, and farmer representatives from 10 countries across Africa and Europe. Co-convened by SWISSAID and the Tanzania Biodiversity Organization (TABIO), the workshop aimed to explore actionable policy and legal options to better integrate Farmer-Managed Seed Systems (FMSS) into Tanzania’s seed laws and agricultural development strategies.”
Seeds at Risk – Global Struggles For Control Over Food
April 2025 by AFSA, APBREBES, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, SEARIC, SWISSAID
The publication Seeds at risk is a powerful appeal for the vital role of farmers’ seeds in food security and biodiversity preservation. Through a North-South perspective, the authors shed light on the pressure large corporations exert on farmers to adopt industrial seeds and secure lucrative patents. However, resistance is growing.
Policy brief on proposed Legal Framework
By TABIO and AFSA
The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) and TABIO present their latest policy brief, advocating for a legal framework that recognises and promotes farmer seed systems and protection of biodiversity. This document underlines the context and states the problems regarding the lack of recognition and support of farmer seed systems in legal frameworks. It also presents the suggested legal framework developed by AFSA, which was built on the results of various farmer organizations, and on the reflections of experts and other national and international organisations that accompany them. Finally, the document highlights three key policy recommendations.
By TABIO and AFSA
The Seed Working Group (SWG) of Tanzania was formed in 2016 and has the objective of
advocating for access to quality, reliable and affordable seed that meets the needs of
smallholder farmers. The working group is made up of a broad range of stakeholders
including civil society organisations and smallholder farmers. Among the
functions of the seed working group are: advising the government on matters patterning
with the inclusive development of the seed sector in Tanzania and; advocating for
development and adoption of good policies and practices on seeds sector. This position
paper is written in recognition of these key functions. It refers to a clause in the Seed Act
amendment of 2014 which could leave smallholder farmers vulnerable to the
interpretation of the law.
December 2024, by TABIO and AFSA
This presentation informs on the findings of the assignment contracted by TABIO/AFSA to assess the Agricultural Sector Development Programme II (ASDP II) and the Position of the Farmers Managed Seed System (FMSS) in Tanzania. TABIO/AFSA identified the need to conduct the assessment due low level of representation of FMSS in Tanzania agricultural policy and regulatory frameworks, despite huge contribution and dependency on FMSS. ASDP II is among the key documents to address critical constraints and challenges to sector performance and to speed up agriculture GDP, improve growth of smallholder incomes and ensure food security.
April 2024 by Siddhant Ranjan Padhi, Racheal John, Kuldeep Tripathi, Dhammaprakash Pandhari Wankhede, Tanay Joshi, Jai Chand Rana, Amritbir Riar, Rakesh Bhardwaj
Cowpea is a nutritious legume, but traditional methods to assess its nutritional value are slow and costly. Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) provides a faster, nondestructive alternative. This study used NIRS to estimate amylose and sugar content in cowpeas, optimizing the process with two methods: SNV-DT and MSC. SNV-DT with specific adjustments gave the most accurate results (RSQexternal of 0.962 for amylose and 0.914 for sugars). Both methods were reliable, with paired t-test values over 0.05. The high accuracy of these prediction models indicates their potential for use in large-scale germplasm screening in crop improvement programs worldwide.
Seed Sovereignty, a Viable Option for Food and Nutritional Security in Africa – Case studies
January 2024 by AFSA
These 21 case studies, gathered from nine African countries and India, demonstrate how farmers’ varieties meet the nutritional and economic needs of populations in traditional, agroecological production systems. They represent valuable tools for CROPS4HD’s advocacy activities, as they are designed to provide policymakers with evidence to better support peasant seed systems. But they also aim to boost the confidence of farming communities in their knowledge, skills and practices when it comes to managing genetic diversity.
Removing the Bottlenecks: How to Create Space for Farmer-Managed Seeds
December 2023 by SWISSAID, AFSA, The Development Fund, Fridtjof Nansen Institute, University of Cape Town / SKI
This report presents insights from a side event organized at the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) Governing Body Meeting 10, which took place in November 2023 in Rome. The main goal of this event was to address how seed regulations can be adapted to give farmers’ seed systems more room to deliver their benefits for food security and the preservation of seed diversity.
December 2023 by SWISSAID, MAELA, Recab Antioquia, Semillas de Identidad
This manual has been translated from the original Spanish version
This handbook is the second revised edition of the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS)
for the Quality of Farmers’ seeds handbook. After 6 years of implementing the seed quality
PGS, there arose a need to update and enhance the methodology handbook, fulfilling the system’s dynamic and participatory requirements. This new version serves as an (updated) methodology handbook for guardians, promoters/evaluators, and organisations committed to using PGS for seed quality as an instrument to help safeguard agrobiodiversity and guarantee quality assurance for seed distribution.
November 2023 by Manju Kumari, Siddhant Ranjan Padhi, Sushil Kumar Chourey, Vishal Kondal, Swapnil S. Thakare, Ankita Negi, Veena Gupta, Mamta Arya, Jeshima Khan Yasin, Rakesh Singh, Chellapilla Bharadwaj, Atul Kumar, Kailash Chandra Bhatt, Rakesh Bhardwaj, Jai Chand Rana, Tanay Joshi and Amritbir Riar
Horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum [Lam.] Verdc.) is an underutilized pulse crop primarily cultivated in South Asian countries like India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It offers various nutraceutical properties and demonstrates remarkable resilience to both biotic and abiotic stresses. As a result, it has emerged as a promising crop for ensuring future food and nutritional security. This study assesses the nutritional profile of 139 horsegram germplasm lines obtained from 16 Indian states that were conserved at the National Gene Bank of India. With superior nutritional compositions compared with commonly grown pulses such as chickpeas, redgram, greengram, and blackgram, horsegram has substantial potential to be promoted as a primary pulse crop in India. Based on these findings, the authors conclude that horsegram holds great promise as a future crop worth exploring.
November 2023 by Deepika D. D, Siddhant Ranjan Padhi, Padmavati G. Gore, Kuldeep Tripathi, Ashvinkumar Katral, Rahul Chandora, G.J. Abhishek, Vishal Kondal, Rakesh Singh, Rakesh Bharadwaj, Kailash C. Bhatt, Jai Chand Rana, and Amritbir Riar
The adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) is highly nutritious and can help improve food security, especially for low-income, vegetarian, and vegan populations. This study examined 100 different adzuki bean accessions, analyzing key nutrients using standard methods. It establishes the presence of significant variations in eight nutritional traits across the adzuki bean accessions preserved at the National Gene Bank of India. These promising accessions can serve as parental candidates for augmenting the nutritional profile of adzuki beans in crop improvement programs. Moreover, accessions displaying favorable agronomic traits and superior nutrient compositions can be further selected, paving the way for the development of enhanced varieties after extensive multilocation and multiseason trials.
Abstract: Sustainability of Community Seed Banks in Northern and Southern Tanzania
November 2023 by Daud N. Manongi (TABIO), Lukas Reinhard (SWISSAID), Emmanuel Kasembe (IDP) and Faith Juma (ECHO East Africa)
This paper summarizes a comprehensive assessment of community seed banks (CSBs) conducted in the Northern and Southern regions of Tanzania under the KILIMO ENDELEVU and CROPS4HD programs. Building on previous research, this study examines the sustainability of CSBs in Tanzania, mainly focusing on socio-economic factors while considering the importance of agricultural practices.
Position paper on policies for pluralistic seed systems
October 2023 by CROPS4HD
Pluralistic seed systems development is a policy and regulatory approach aiming to foster a diversity of seed systems which interact in a synergistic way and to make best use of the specific advantages of each type of seed system. This CROPS4HD position paper defines and argues in favor of this approach.
Agrobiodiversity on the plate – Securing healthy food in times of climate crisis
September 2023 by SWISSAID, FiBL and CROPS4HD
This publication looks at the reasons behind the dwindling diversity on our plates and explains why agrobiodiversity must play an increasingly important role in the future of a sustainable food system worldwide, particularly as climate change increases the challenge for many to consume a nourishing diet.
Neglected and Underutilized Crops in Tanzania: The Cookbook
August 2023 by I Am Organic
This cookbook created by CROPS4HD’s Tanzanian partner I Am Organic features over 25 recipes based on NUS.
July 2023 by Rakesh Bhardwaj, Rashmi Yadav, Harinder Vishwakarma, Kriti Sharma, Rahul Chandora, Jai Chand Rana and Amritbir Riar
Quinoa belongs to the family Chenopodiaceae, a pseudo-grain having high nutritional value, and is considered an underexploited vegetable crop with the potential to improve the nutritional security of millions. Therefore, assessing genetic diversity in Chenopodium germplasm to untap nutritional and site-specific adaptation potential would be of prime importance for breeders/researchers. This study used 10 accessions of two Chenopodium species, that is, C. quinoa and C. album. Quantitative and qualitative phenotypic traits, proximate composition, minerals, and amino acids profiles were studied to compare the differences in nutritional value and extent of genetic diversity between these two species. The results showed that C. album and C. quinoa seeds had good nutritional value and health-promoting benefits. IC415477 and other potential accessions observed in this study may be taken up by breeders/researchers in the near future to dissect nutritional value of Chenopodium and related species for dietary diversity, which is imperative for the nutritional security of the ever-growing world’s population.
Harnessing sponge gourd: an alternative source of oil and protein for nutritional security
May 2023 by Ruchi Tyagi, Rakesh Bhardwaj, Poonam Suneja, Amish K. Sureja, Anilabh D. Munshi, Lalit Arya, Amritbir Riar and Manjusha Verma
Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem. is an important cucurbit crop that assures food security and dietary diversity among the poor communities. In this study, seeds of 42 genotypes of Luffa cylindrica were evaluated for their potential use as oil seed crop. This paper shows that there is large variability in sponge gourd genotypes for biochemical parameters, and these variations have a tremendous potential to be used to create genotypes with improved oil quality and nutrient content. The nutritional value, fatty acid composition, and phenolic content of sponge gourd seeds enable for both their use as an oil source for industrial purposes as well as a dietary food supplement to meet the nutritional demands of developing nations. As a result, NDSG-1, Pusa Sneha, DSG-95, DSG-98, DSG-26 genotypes of sponge gourd can be used as a nutritious vegetable, while DSG-10 high oil yield can be used to make edible or industrial oil. More research is required before sponge gourd seeds are recommended for human nutrition.
February 2023 by SWISSAID, Geneva Academy and South Center
This publication looks at the implementation of the right to seed in Africa from the perspective of peasant’s rights declaration (UNDROP).
23 September 2022 by FiBL, ICAR and CIAT
This publication presents the prediction models that will facilitate high throughput screening of large cowpea germplasm in a non-destructive way and the selection of desirable chemotypes in any genetic background with huge application in cowpea crop improvement programs across the world. Cowpea is a representative legume that can facilitate achieving sustainable nutrition and climate change goals.
10 June 2022 by AFSA
This framework aims to ensure the recognition and protection of the right of farmers to define rules, based on their habits and customs, within their communities, networks, or other collectives, for the organisation of their seed activities, as well as the need for the State to accompany them in this.
Mapping seed-system policies, frameworks, mechanisms and initiatives in Tanzania and East Africa
10 June 2022 by AFSA
This study report provides a national mapping of existing seed policies, a national mapping of seed-related laws and regulations, and a mapping of national actors involved politically, legally and technically (farming practices) in Tanzania and East Africa.
10 June 2022 by AFSA
This study report provides a national mapping of existing seed policies, a national mapping of seed-related laws and regulations, and a mapping of national actors involved politically, legally and technically (farming practices) in Chad and Central Africa.
Analytical mapping of legal and policy instruments and actors in seed governance in Niger
10 June 2022 by AFSA
This study report provides a national mapping of existing seed policies, a national mapping of seed-related laws and regulations, and a mapping of national actors involved politically, legally and technically (farming practices) in Niger.
The key to survival – farmer managed seed systems in Latin America
March 2020 by SWISSAID
This brochure provides a synthetic overview of seed systems (Community Seed Banks, Participatory Guarantee Systems – PGS) in Latin America and particularly presents the results of SWISSAID initiative ‘Semillas de Identidad’.
The EU’s push for intellectual property rights on seeds and its impact on developing countries
29 November 2021 by APBREBES and Both ENDS
This policy brief is an abstract of the report ‘Plant variety protection & UPOV 1991 in the European Union’s Trade Policy: Rationale, effects & state of play’.
06 October 2021 by APBREBES
The study “Searching for flexibility – Why parties to the 1978 Act of the UPOV Convention have not acceded to the 1991 Act” explores the debates around plant variety protection (PVP) in nine countries that are parties to UPOV 78.
17 December 2020 by APBREBES
This publication compiles selected literature on this issue of plant variety protection (PVP) and espacially on the relevance and impact of the 1991 Convention of the International Union for the Protection of the New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) in the context of developing countries.
20 September 2019 by APBREBES
This policy bried discuss the recently published Access to Seed Index data that seems to confirm that there is no causal relationship between the UPOV system and a dynamic seed sector. On the contrary countries with a non-UPOV sui generis plant variety protection (PVP) legislation or even without a PVP legislation have in some regions the most vibrant seed sector.
A Dysfunctional Plant Variety Protection System : Ten Years of UPOV Implemtation in Francophone Africa
18 April 2019 by Mohamed Coulibaly, Robert Ali Brac de la Perrière, with contributions from Sangeeta Shashikant
Plant Variety Protection for Developing Countries. A Tool to Design a Sui Generis Plant Variety Protection System: An Alternative to UPOV 1991.
01 October 2015 by Carlos M. Correa (University of Buenos Aires), with contributions from Sangeeta Shashikant (Third World Network) and François Meienberg
Monopolies on seed: How free trade agreements threaten food security and biodiversity.
05 March 2020 by APBREBES