Gender and Social Impacts of Institutional Arrangements for Improved Seed Technologies

• In Event: 058 - Regular Session. Food and Agriculture: Seeds, Safety, and Systems

Abstract

New seed technologies are promoted as a vital part of meeting the challenge of feeding the world’s growing population. But conflict over a variety of issues related to the social impacts of new seed technologies is a major challenge to their use. New seed technologies have been introduced in countries under a variety of property rules, ranging from a more “private market” oriented approach to alternatives treating new seed technologies as closer to a public good. Various combinations of these approaches are supported by national governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to organize farmers’ access to these improved seed technologies. Yet, very little is known about equity of access to seed in community seed systems, or about variations in the social impacts of these different institutional designs. In reality, there is a hierarchy of access to seed from community seed banks, private agencies or state agencies. This hierarchy is often mediated by factors such as gender, social class, and size of farm holding. Therefore, it is likely that a number of seed banks within communities have different combinations of quantities and varieties of seed made available by private companies, traditional banks, or state agencies. All this results in complex patterns of seed sourcing. In this paper, we review the literature focused on social and gender impacts of the different institutional arrangements for distribution of improved seed technologies (IST) with specific emphasis on the case of India. We also draw insights from field level data from Southern India.

Authors

• Andrew Raridon, Purdue University

• Preethi Krishnan, Purdue University

• Leigh Raymond, Purdue University

• Marianne Stowell Bracke, Purdue University