Conny JM Almekinders

Almekinders, CJM, Beumer, K, Hauser, M, et al. (2019a) Understanding the relations between farmers’ seed demand and research methods: the challenge to do better. Outlook on Agriculture 48(1):16–21. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI Almekinders, CJM, Walsh, S, Jacobsen, KS, et al. (2019b) Why interventions in the seed systems of roots, tubers and bananas crops do not reach their full potential. Food Security 11(1):23–42. Google Scholar | Crossref Andersen, KF, Buddenhagen, CE, Rachkara, P, et al.

Introduction Improved seeds1 play a pivotal role in increasing agricultural productivity, improving farmers’ livelihoods, and addressing the challenges of climate change and global food security. Yet, whereas there have been significant advances in the development of improved seeds over the last decades, their scaling into widespread use has been mixed (e.g. AGRA, 2018; Eriksson et al., 2018; Walker and Alwang, 2015).

Introduction Improved agricultural technologies promoted by governments and other actors are not necessarily adopted by farmers, particularly in developing countries (Almekinders et al., 2019b; Walker and Alwang, 2015). This might be explained by a lack of information and understanding on farmers’ preferences and priorities and the way the improved technologies fit their realities (Almekinders et al., 2019b).