Seed Services is one startup within the Laboratory of Genetics Horticulture and Seed Sciences (GBioS) which began production activity in 2017). We are specialized in the production, distribution of quality seeds of horticultural crops and technical assistance to farmers. We provide high quality seeds of vegetable and fruit crop species especially endogenous ones. Our seeds are adapted to our local environment and have high productivity and yield compared to existing landraces.
The startup produces, packages and commercializes locally cost effective and locally adapted seeds for farmers. Currently our activities are organized around five indigenous vegetable including Tchayo (Ocimum gratissimum), Aloman (Vernonia amygdalina), Gboman (Solanum macrocarpom), Akaya (Cleome gynandra), and Fotete (Amaranthus cruentus in which the demand is increasing. Our production are ecologic.
Our seeds are provided in small packages to facilitate financial access to smallhoder vegetable growers as well as efficient use. Available packages are 5 g/packet, 10 g/packet and 20 g/packet. Seed Services also provides seedlings for germination-of delicate species as well as technical assistance to farmers including vegetable growers. The high quality seeds provided by Seed Services help farmer’s mainly vegetable growers to improve their yield, hence an increase of their income. We offered an after-sales service through the support of the producers to the implementation of the good practices of production which will allow us to be permanently in relationship with them in order to improve our services.
Our customers are vegetable growers of the urban and peri-urban area of Benin estimated at more than 5000 producers. Also we target others farmers of some rural area of Benin and neighbor country.
Our business models addressed two main problems encountered by farmers:
1- the random availability of horticultural species’ seeds: our business model ensures farmers are permanently supplied with a range of vegetables crops seeds and/or seedlings including among other crops.
2- financial inaccessibility: this is a real challenge for farmers who often use seeds from previous seasons’ harvests. With our new packaging of 5 g seed per package, we highly expect to attract farmers and meet their demand.
