Assessment of Community-Based Maize Seed Production in Eastern Bhutan

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Passang Wangmo, Sonam Tashi, Lhap Dorji and Dorji Wangchuk, Namgay Wangdi, & Tshethrim Gyeltshen

ABSTRACT

Community-Based Seed Production (CBSP) in Bhutan was first initiated in 2006 to overcome and address maize seed degeneration and rapid multiplication of Grey Leaf Spot tolerant varieties. With the success stories of the CBSP model in the first initiated groups, the CBSP concept has been replicated in various other maize growing areas. This study was carried out in one CBSP group each from four eastern districts namely Mongar, Lhuentse, Tashiyangtse and Tashigang. A total of 121 CBSP members were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. The main aim of this study was to assess and document the impacts of CBSPs and evaluate seed production trend within the community. The introduction of CBSP in the community saw an increasing trend of seed production in the last six years (2011-2016).The study found that the total production of maize in the four study sites increased by 45.4% from 37.4 ton in 2011 to 139.3 ton in 2016. The initiation of CBSP helped in improving food self-sufficiency within the community through increased productivity. The result from this study showed that more than 96.7% of the respondents became food self-sufficient. The study also found that mobilization of CBSP group brought unity within the community. Besides, the introduction of CBSP also helped in increasing income; the income increased by 54% in the last five years (2012-2016). The study also reported that the initiation of CBSP has benefited in ensuring seed security and quality seed production at farm level. This study also noted some negative impact such as loss of traditional varieties and increasing wage rate with the establishment of the CBSP model.

KEYWORDS:

Community-Based Seed Production; seed quality; seed security; household Income; Food self- sufficiency

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