Validating Farmers' Adoption for Salt-tolerated Crop Seeds in Jordan

The information on farmers’ adoption of local seed systems is based on field visits undertaken in the Zarqa and Mafraq Regions in Jordan. Farmers’ adoption depends upon social relation, locally developed seed exchange methods and private companies which are presented as leverage mechanisms for the survival of local seed systems. Farmers' decision to acquire seeds is an act of making a choice between maintaining old germplasms or searching for renewable physical input (seed) or to take advantage of each merit in specific situations. This clearly underscores the need to value the seed lot yield before putting in place any type of variety selection or seed multiplication.

This paper presents a brief overview of the seed system in Jordan with particular emphasis on the role of extension services in local seed supply. Field visits and yield estimates leads to the conclusion that the extension services should focus on farmer yields in order to validate the complementary role of local seed systems, research trials and extension program demonstrations in the development of a national seed industry.