Foundation Launches Project To Drive Data-led Seed Choices For Farmers

The Foundation for Sustainable Smallholder Solutions (FSSS) has launched a national initiative aimed at improving seed selection and farm productivity through evidence-based data.

The project, titled: “Using Performance Data to Promote Better Seed Varieties” in Nigeria known as ProSeV is funded by the Gates Foundation and will run for 36 months from November 2025 to November 2028.”

ProSeV focused on generating credible, location-specific performance data for rice, maize and cowpea to guide farmers, seed companies, extension services and policymakers.

Speaking at the unveiling and stakeholders’ engagement workshop in Abuja yesterday, FSSS executive-director, Dr Isaiah Gabriel, said the project was designed to address a persistent gap in Nigeria’s seed system, where farmers often plant varieties based on availability or tradition rather than proven performance under local conditions.

He noted that while several improved varieties have been released over the years, reliable post-release data on how those varieties perform on real farms across different agroecological zones remains limited or inaccessible. According to him, this has slowed adoption, reduced productivity and weakened competitiveness, particularly in crops such as rice.

ProSeV will conduct head-to-head performance trials of released and selected unreleased varieties across Nigeria’s six agroecological zones, covering at least 12 states.

The trials will assess not only yield, but also key parameters such as resilience, taste and adaptability, with the aim of aligning seed supply more closely with farmer needs and market demand.

“This project, Using Performance Data to Promote Better Seed Varieties in Nigeria, is our collective attempt to change that story. It is about replacing guesswork with evidence, replacing assumptions with data, and ensuring that when a farmer asks, ‘Which variety works best for me?’ there is a clear and trustworthy answer.

Across Nigeria, farmers are planting seeds every season, often based on hearsay, habit, or availability, not because those seeds are the best-performing options for their soil, climate, or market. When farmers are unsure, adoption slows, productivity suffers, and the entire value chain feels the impact,” Gabriel said.

Partnership and grants manager at FSSS, Eric Nyikwagh, said the project would begin with rice trials in its first year before expanding to maize and cowpea.

He explained that the initiative would work closely with national research institutions, regulators and seed companies, drawing from the national variety database to ensure transparency and credibility.