Seeds and social norms: sorghum seed exchange among smallholder farmers in Northern Ethiopia

Seed exchange is a major means for smallholder farmers to access seeds of both traditional and new crop varieties. This study explores how social and cultural norms influence farmers’ seed exchange and thereby shape the distribution of sorghum diversity among farmers from two ethnolinguistic groups in Northern Ethiopia. Network data on sorghum variety transactions for 300 households was analyzed to map the flow of seed and determine key characteristics of the farmers playing particularly important roles as nodes in the networks. Together with a household survey, ethnographic studies of cultural practices and norms informed the interpretation of the network data. We found that exchange with neighbors was the main seed transaction type and that exchange mainly happens within ethnolinguistic groups and villages. A norm saying that no one should be denied access to seeds underpins seed sharing within the communities. Sociocultural institutions like the labor exchange institutions Lifnti/Kowa, marriage, and religious institutions influence seed sharing within both ethnolinguistic groups. Seed sharing is common among all categories of farmers, and we found no significant association between farmers’ socioeconomic status and seed sharing. The dynamics of seed exchange can explain the sorghum diversity in the study areas, as the most exchanged sorghum varieties within each ethnolinguistic group are also the most cultivated. We discuss the implications of our findings for the conservation of sorghum diversity and seed system development and conclude that policies and extension programs should leverage farmers’ seed exchange networks for the management of crop diversity and in efforts to strengthen farmers’ access to seeds of both local and improved seeds.