Access to Seeds Index | World Benchmarking Alliance

Summary

KWS ranks twenty-third in the 2021 index for Western and Central Africa. The company’s position at the bottom half of the index is a result of limited disclosure across the majority of the measurement areas. While the company undertakes stakeholder engagement activities, it has an opportunity to develop objectives for an access to seeds strategy within which to integrate these activities. Although KWS has breeding activities in over 30 locations worldwide, no region specific information was found for the research and development measurement area. Similarly, the company follows best practices for seed quality testing and biosafety, but it could improve its disclosure in this area regarding its country-specific portfolios, distribution channels and marketing practices. The company provides very little insight into its position and activities related to genetic resources and intellectual property management.

Ranking position: #23 /32
Total score: 4.9 /100

Measurement area	Score	Rank (0-32)
Governance and strategy	#1 0.8 /10	#15
Genetic resources and intellectual property management	#1 2.5 /15	#14
Research and development	#1 0.0 /20	#21
Seed production	#1 0.0 /15	#16
Marketing and sales	#1 1.6 /25	#21
Capacity building	#1 0.0 /15	#19

Leading practices

No leading practices were identified for the company.

Governance and strategy

Stakeholder engagement
The company engages with stakeholders, including the International Seed Federation (ISF), Euroseeds and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), on topics such as genetic resources and biotechnology. The company has an opportunity to disclose information on other access to seeds topics prioritised within its engagement, as well as information on how it identifies its most relevant stakeholders.

Genetic resources and intellectual property management

Conservation of genetic resources
The company does not disclose whether it has a programme or activities to conserve and use a diverse set of crops and genetic resources in index countries.

Benefit sharing
The company supports the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Nagoya Protocol. However, it could provide greater clarity on whether it has made individual voluntary contributions within access and benefit sharing frameworks in the region.

Research and development

Seed production

Seed production activities in index region
The company does not have seed production locations in the region. It has the opportunity to introduce seed production locations in the region and engage with local seed companies and farmer organisations, respecting social and labour rights of workers. This would contribute to the transfer of advanced technologies and strengthen both local expertise and a sustainable business climate.

Marketing and sales

Quality and safety of varieties
KWS adheres to International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) protocols for safeguarding the quality and safety of seeds and is a member of the Excellence Through Stewardship initiative, through which the company adheres to best practices for biosafety. It has an opportunity to disclose its protocols for safely introducing new varieties into index countries.

Diverse portfolio
The company has an opportunity to increase disclosure by providing country-specific portfolio information, including the number of varieties and types of seed sold in index countries.

Capacity building

Field crops: Maize
Sorghum
Soya bean
Sunflower
Wheat
Vegetables: Cucumber
Eggplant
Green bean
Melon
Onion
Pepper (sweet)
Squash
Tomato
Watermelon
Full portfolio: Download the portfolios of all companies in the 2021 index for Western and Central Africa here.
Download portfolio

Summary

KWS ranks twenty-eighth in the 2021 index for Eastern and Southern Africa. As a result of limited disclosure across the majority of the measurement areas, KWS ranks in the bottom half of the Eastern and Southern Africa 2021 index, though it does demonstrate some notable activities in capacity building as well as marketing and sales. The company offers extensions services in Ethiopia with specific programmes targeting next-generation farmers, but these do not extend to building the capacity of women farmers or advancing the use of ICT among smallholder farmers. The company follows best practices for seed quality testing and biosafety, but it could improve its disclosure in this area regarding its country-specific portfolios, distribution channels and marketing practices. Through the introduction of seed production in the region, KWS has the opportunity to advance the local seed sectors by contributing to the transfer of advanced technologies and strengthening local expertise.

Ranking position: #28 /32
Total score: 8.2 /100

Measurement area	Score	Rank (0-32)
Governance and strategy	#1 0.8 /10	#16
Genetic resources and intellectual property management	#1 5.0 /15	#11
Research and development	#1 0.0 /20	#28
Seed production	#1 0.0 /15	#31
Marketing and sales	#1 2.3 /25	#28
Capacity building	#1 0.0 /15	#26

Genetic resources and intellectual property management: Benefit sharing
KWS makes an individual voluntary contribution within the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture’s (ITPGRFA’s) access and benefit sharing framework through its work with the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI), which is the country’s national gene bank. The company provided more than 2,000 smallholders with access to better seed by distributing seed samples of optimised barley and wheat varieties, which were observed in the field and then documented and conserved at the EBI.

Governance and strategy

Stakeholder engagement
KWS engages with stakeholders, including the International Seed Federation (ISF), Euroseeds and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), on topics such as genetic resources and biotechnology. The company has an opportunity to disclose information on other access to seeds topics prioritised within its engagement, as well as information on how it identifies its most relevant stakeholders.

Genetic resources and intellectual property management

Conservation of genetic resources
The company does not disclose whether it has a programme or activities to conserve and use a diverse set of crops and genetic resources in index countries.

Benefit sharing
The company indicates support for the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Nagoya Protocol but could provide greater clarity on whether it has made individual voluntary contributions within the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) frameworks in the region.

Research and development

Seed production

Seed production activities in index region
The company does not have seed production locations in the region. It has the opportunity to introduce seed production locations in the region and engage with local seed companies and farmer organisations, respecting social and labour rights of workers. This would contribute to the transfer of advanced technologies and strengthen both local expertise and a sustainable business climate.

Marketing and sales

Quality and safety of varieties
KWS adheres to International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) protocols for safeguarding the quality and safety of seeds and is a member of the Excellence Through Stewardship initiative, through which the company adheres to best practices for biosafety. The company has an opportunity to disclose its protocols for the safe introduction of new varieties into index countries.

Distribution channels
The company has distribution channels in Ethiopia and South Africa. However, it could disclose further information on how it services remote areas in those index countries.

Capacity building

Extension services
KWS indicates having a capacity development programme in Ethiopia, where it trains plant breeders and scientists. However, the company has the opportunity to build on its capacity development projects in Ethiopia by making an explicit link between its corporate breeding and distribution activities and operations in index countries and indicating whether it provides capacity building activities to smallholders in the region.

Next-generation farmers
The company trains young plant breeders in Ethiopia, focusing on the development and seed multiplication of locally adapted varieties, however it has the opportunity to disclose information on whether it has activities aimed at engaging next generation farmers into agriculture.

Field crops: Maize
Sorghum
Soya bean
Sunflower
Wheat
Vegetables: Cucumber
Eggplant
Green bean
Melon
Onion
Pepper (sweet)
Squash
Tomato
Watermelon
Full portfolio: Download the portfolios of all companies in the 2021 index for Eastern and Southern Africa here.
Download portfolio

Summary

As a result of limited disclosure across the majority of the measurement areas, KWS ranks thirty-first in the 2021 index for South and South-East Asia. While the company undertakes stakeholder engagement activities, it has an opportunity to develop objectives for an access to seeds strategy within which to integrate these activities. Although KWS has breeding activities in over 30 locations worldwide, no region-specific information was found for the research and development measurement area. Similarly, the company follows best practices for seed quality testing and biosafety, but it could improve its disclosure in this area regarding its country-specific portfolios, distribution channels and marketing practices. The company provides very little insight into its position and activities related to genetic resource management and intellectual property rights. As it is important that seed companies contribute to genetic resources and intellectual property management that supports smallholder agriculture, the company could provide more insights into its activities for others to learn from.

Ranking position: #31 /31
Total score: 5.7 /100

Measurement area	Score	Rank (0-31)
Governance and strategy	#1 0.8 /10	#14
Genetic resources and intellectual property management	#1 2.5 /15	#16
Research and development	#1 0.0 /20	#29
Seed production	#1 0.0 /15	#31
Marketing and sales	#1 2.3 /25	#27
Capacity building	#1 0.0 /15	#27

Governance and strategy

Stakeholder engagement
KWS engages with stakeholders, including the International Seed Federation (ISF), Euroseeds and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), on topics such as genetic resources and biotechnology. The company has an opportunity to disclose information on other access to seeds topics prioritised within its engagement as well as information on how it identifies its most relevant stakeholders.

Genetic resources and intellectual property management

Conservation of genetic resources
The company does not disclose whether it has a programme or activities to conserve and use a diverse set of crops and genetic resources in index countries.

Benefit sharing
The company supports the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Nagoya Protocol. However, it could provide greater clarity on whether it has made individual voluntary contributions within access and benefit sharing frameworks in the region.

Research and development

Seed production

Marketing and sales

Quality and safety of varieties
KWS adheres to International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) protocols for safeguarding the quality and safety of seeds and is a member of the Excellence Through Stewardship initiative, through which the company adheres to best practices for biosafety. The company has an opportunity to disclose its protocols for the safe introduction of new varieties into index countries.

Distribution channels
The company has distribution channels in Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, it could disclose further information on how it services remote areas in those index countries.

Capacity building

Field crops: Maize
Sorghum
Sunflower
Wheat
Vegetables: Cucumber
Eggplant
Green bean
Melon
Onion
Pepper (sweet)
Squash
Tomato
Watermelon
Full portfolio: Download the portfolios of all companies in the 2021 index for South and South-East Asia here.
Download portfolio

Governance and strategy

Genetic resources and intellectual property management

Research and development

Seed production

Marketing and sales

Capacity building

Field crops

Vegetables

Full portfolio

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More about the company

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