FICA will also continue to devote its effort to secondary vegetable and food security crops, including indigenous vegetables that have income growth potential for smallholder farmers. As we continue in business, we realize that we need to do so much more to have a real and lasting effect on the lives of smallholder farmers and the rural economics in which they live.

FICA has set up a foundation which works on knowledge transfer programs, training small, pre-commercial farmers, thus contributing to income growth and increased supplies of high quality food. Providing basic facts about seed will help readers to develop common understanding of the seed business. The style I use is intended to generate relevant questions from stakeholders, especially farmers.

What do I mean by the word seed?

This is the fertilized embryo of flowering plants, usually contained in grains with latent potential of reproduction. We use the word potential because there are other desirable conditions for the productivity to be realized. For instance correct conditions are needed for seed to germinate, weather in many cases is a key factor, the quality of the seed bed, planting the seed correctly at the correct depth and not in direct contact with any fertilizer used etc. Generally, the whole agronomy package should be adhered to.