Community Seed Production Science with a Human Face : Workshop Proceedings

In December 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with ICRISAT, ICARDA, and CIAT, organized an expert consultation workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Community Seed Production (CSP). The workshop’s objective was to create a roadmap and develop strategies for enhancing effective uptake and implementation of CSP in developing countries to contribute to improved and sustainable crop production, food security and rural livelihoods. It also explored the scope, opportunities and challenges in CSP, as well as the critical points necessary for an effective implementation. About 30 international experts with a wide range of knowledge on CSP came from different parts of the world. They attended the workshop and made technical presentations, engaged in small working groups and deliberated pertinent technical issues. These proceedings provide details of the main issues presented and discussed at the workshop as part of the effort to further the debate surrounding CSP practices. They include an acceptable general definition of CSP and how to enhance the uptake and implementation of CSP, and deliver pertinent messages on issues related to CSP which could be used for guidance in implementing relevant projects.