Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture No. 3/07
Seed systems and millet crops in marginal environments of India: industry and policy perspectives
Latha Nagarajan
IFPRI, Washington, DC, USA
Philip Pardey
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA, and
Melinda Smale
IFPRI, Washington, DC, USA
Abstract
Changes in India’s seed regulations during 1990s favored the growth of
privately- as compared to publicly-funded sectors. Most advances have
been made in the major millet crops, sorghum and pearl millet, as
compared to finger millet and other minor millets, which in many ways
dependent on local markets for seed purposes. In this study, we have
analyzed the evolving interactions between formal seed systems related
to the delivery of modern varieties and informal systems for
maintaining traditional seeds in two of the semi-arid regions of India.
The changes in the seed sector and its impact on millet crops
improvement and adoption have been discussed in the context of current
challenges facing the sector. It is evident that in these marginal
environments, crop and variety use decisions, and the crop biodiversity
levels take place within the context of local seed markets and a
national seed industry.
Keywords: millet diversity, seed systems, local markets, drylands, formal seed sector, seed industry
JEL: Q12, Q13, Q16, Q18, Q19, Q57
Vol. 46 (2007), No. 3: 263-288