Stewards Globe

Variety testing
The company performs variety trials across Zambia on maize varieties from other breeding programmes, such as those of other companies and public research institutes. These trials are conducted to determine the suitability of new farming areas and to address issues of nutrient content and resistance and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

Access to seeds for smallholder farmers
Stewards Globe has objectives related to marketing and sales, capacity building and seed production. The company has an opportunity to expand its access to seeds strategy to include other measurement areas and develop time-bound targets.

Stakeholder engagement
The company undertakes stakeholder engagement activities with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), governmental organisations and research institutions, including the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), USAID and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). However, the company has an opportunity to disclose an overview of issues raised through stakeholder engagement activities as well as how it identifies its most relevant stakeholders.

The company provides limited insight into its position and activities related to genetic resources and intellectual property management. 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.

Plant breeding activities in index regions
The company has collaborative breeding activities in the index region and has received technical assistance through the CIMMYT-led Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) and Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Systems for the Eastern Province of Zambia (SIMLEZA) projects. Through these collaborative research efforts, the company works on the development of traits in maize varieties particularly useful to smallholder farmers, such as early maturing varieties and resistance and tolerance to abiotic stress. The company has an opportunity to expand its collaborative research portfolio and focus on local crops important for smallholder farmers in the index region.

Seed production activities in index region
The company has seed production activities in Zambia. They produce their seeds locally through a contract-based out grower program that provides growers with output services, access to seeds, sustainable agronomic support and an ensured seed market. The company has an opportunity to extend its seed production activities to other index countries in the region.

Engaging smallholder farmers in seed production
Stewards Globeworks with approximately 170 smallholder farmers The company offers contracts to these farmers, but it could disclose whether the contracts include arrangements on product prices and sharing of profits and risks, elements which are favourable for smallholder farmers.

Social and labour rights in seed production
The company does not disclose a policy committing to prohibit child and forced labour nor does it disclose a commitment to respect the health and safety of workers, either when seed production is carried out by the company itself or through an intermediary. Furthermore, the company does not disclose whether it pays its workers a living wage or requires its intermediaries to do so.

Diverse portfolio
As the company has only a few varieties for the majority of crops in its portfolio in Zambia, it can diversify its portfolio by offering more varieties per crop.

Demonstration and promotion strategies
The company has demonstration programmes, including field days and demonstration plots, in Zambia. However, the company could increase disclosure on programmes targeted specifically towards women smallholder farmers.

Extension services
The company offers smallholder farmers technical training and sustained agronomic support for better production results, and provides these in Zambia, the only country it is active in. The company can disclose how these extension services are provided and the number of smallholder farmers reached in the region.

Information and communications technology (ICT) and access to output markets
The company has an opportunity to offer programmes to advance the use of information and communication technology by smallholder farmers and to improve the access of smallholder farmers to output markets.

Beans, dry
Cowpea
Groundnut
Maize
Rice, paddy
Sorghum
Soya bean

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