The Adarsh Dharmagarh Women Farmers Services Producer Company Ltd (ADWFSPCL) in Kalahandi, Odisha took another major stride in empowering women through entrepreneurship in seed production.

The majority of the seed production and supply continues to be in farmer-managed systems. Formal seed systems leave smallholder farmers, particularly women, in remote areas with limited access to quality seed of preferred varieties. The lack of quality seeds has become a major constraint in varietal replacement affecting the farmers’ productivity. This is particularly true in the production of seed of open-pollinated crops and varieties which the private seed sector has generally not taken up. Due to several constraints, the public seed sector is largely unable to meet the demand for quality seed. There are also concerns about the quality of seed in farmer-managed and community-based systems due to the lack of certification.Building the capacity of small-scale seed producers for certified seed production is seen as a viable solution to help attain the twin objectives of the availability of quality seed and farmer empowerment. Additionally, by strengthening small-scale seed producers, they can potentially to play a major role in ensuring seed security for the underserved farmers.