• What is the Seed System Lab?

  Seeds are entangled in the ecological, social, cultural and economic fabric of our lives. Seeds underpin food security and play a fundamental role in efforts to make food systems more sustainable. At the same time, seeds are 'big business'. Tension between the ecological, socio-cultural and economic aspects of seeds is at the heart of 'seed struggles' around the world.  

  The Seed System Lab is a multi- and interdisciplinary research group at NMBU's Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric) working on themes related to crop diversity, seed system development, and seed security.  

  What is crop diversity, seed systems and seed security?  

  Crop diversity is the diversity of species and varieties of cultivated plants that has co-evolved and spread within and between farming communities around the world. Seed systems are understood as the actors, activities, and institutions involved in the maintenance of crop diversity, plant breeding and selection, seed production and dissemination. In short, they are the systems that make seed available to farmers. In theory, a well-functioning seed system will ensure seed security for all farmers, i.e., that “men and women within the household have sufficient access to adequate quantities of good quality seed and planting materials of preferred crop varieties at all times in both good and bad cropping seasons” (FAO 2016)  

  In the article Navigating toward resilient and inclusive seed systems, we outline a perspective on seed systems which draws on many strands of research, from crop science to social science. 

  

• What we do

  

  Our objective is to deliver:

  1) Cutting-edge academic research

  2) Analyses of high value for policy and practice

  3) Education and knowledge for students and professionals in public and private organizations involved in seed system development 

  NMBU's Seed System Lab researches seed systems across geographical scales from the local to the national and global level.

  We research the different functions of seed systems from conservation and development (and evolution) of varieties to seed production and dissemination. We research these functions in the context of the multi-layered governance regimes they are part of as well as in the broader food systems they are part of. We also do research on seed system outcomes in terms of seed security as well as ‘higher order’ outcomes such as food security and food system sustainability.    

  No single discipline can grasp seed systems in their entirety. In the Seed System Lab, we have members and associates with different disciplinary backgrounds; crop science, agroecology, ethnobotany, anthropology, political ecology, political economy, development studies, and economics. We work with research partners from other fields and faculties at NMBU and at other universities. We engage in co-production of seed system knowledge and innovation with stakeholders outside academia, including farmer organizations, civil society organizations, and public institutions in the seed systems.  

• Projects and initiatives

  

  BOLD
  Biodiversity for Opportunities, Livelihoods and Development (2021-2030)

  

  ACCESS
  Access to seeds: From emergencies to seed system development (2019-2023)

  

  Seed System Toolkit
  Tools for characterizing and analyzing seed systems

  

  Sustainable Food Systems
  The Seed System Lab is part of this NMBU cross-faculty Sustainability Arena

• Upcoming events

  Course: Seed Systems, Crop Conservation, and Genetic Diversity

  The PhD course will be held at Wageningen University and Research 27 November - 4 December, 2026. The Seed System Lab is a co-organizer of the course.

• Courses

  • Agroecology and Development EDS352
    Runs every spring semester.
  • Governance of Plant Genetic Resources and Seeds: Laws, Policies and Practices EDS315 Runs in the June block - not every year.
  • Seed Systems of Opportunity Crops and the Diversification of Food Systems
    This is the 2025 edition of a series of postgraduate courses organized by the Virtual Seed Academy. Field course offered in Uganda, March 23-April 3, 2025, in collaboration with Wageningen University and Research, Makerere University and other partners. The 2027 edition will be offered in Benin, dates forthcoming.

• Publications

  2026

  • How community seed banks contribute to climate-resilient seed systems: evidence from Ethiopia, Malawi, and Nepal; Andersen R, Vásquez VM, Mulesa TH, Westengen OT, Gauchan D, Wynberg R, Abera FA, Shrestha P, Tsehaye Y, Abebe KA and Aga TG. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2026.1830059.
  • Farmers as breeders and seed producers: Insights from 30 years of scaling up seed clubs in Vietnam; Nguyen, L.H., Dalle, S.P., Sharma, S., Kilian, B., Mulesa, T.H., Tin, H.Q., and Westengen, O.T.; Outlook on Agriculture; doi.org/10.1177/00307270261422412
  • Seeds and social norms: sorghum seed exchange among smallholder farmers in Northern Ethiopia; Wendmu, T.A., de Boer, H.J., Makate, C., and Westengen, O.; Ecology and Society. doi.org/10.5751/ES-16855-310113

  2025

  • Contribution of community seed banks to farmer seed systems and food security in Northern and Central Malawi; Tione, G., Westengen, O.T., Holden, S.T., Katengeza, S.P. and Makate, C; Food Policy; doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102860
  • The dynamics of crop diversity and seed use in the context of recurrent climate shocks and poverty: Seasonal panel data evidence from rural Uganda; Makate, C., Angelsen, A., Holden, S.T., and Westengen O.T.; World Development Perspectives; doi.org/10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100698
  • Three reasons why food system transformations are contested, and why food system scientists and policymakers should care; Westengen, O.T., Lecy, K.S., Angelsen, A., Aspholm, M.E., Bjugstad, N., Eriksen, S.H., Haug, R., Karlsson, C., Olsen, H.F., Rognli, O.A. and Schwarm, A; Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems; doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1570961
  • Seeding Diversity: Enhancing access to crop diversity through innovative seed system linkages in Tanzania; Otieno G, Mulesa, T.H., Dalle, S.P., Mohamed, M.D., Hamisy, W.C. and Westengen, O.T.; Research report; doi.org/10.21355/80vm-xk82
  • Seed Systems in Bhutan: A report on the current status and potential pathways for seed system development; Tamang, A., Gyeltshen, W., Doji, R., Sherab, T., Thering, W., Mulesa, T.H., Dalle, S.P. and Westengen, O.T.; Research report; doi.org/10.21355/t40p-jb95
  • The Sierra and the Coast: An Assessment of Seed Systems Used by Farmers in Two Regions of Ecuador; Dalle, S.P., Endara, D., Vaca, J.L., Carrera, H., Bonilla, A.L, Guaranda, U., Tixe, D.A., Tapia, C., Mulesa, T.H., and Westengen, O.T.; Research report; doi.org/10.21355/mt80-5h39
  • Sembrando la diversidad: Conociendo los sistemas de semillas utilizados por los agricultores en el Ecuador; Dalle, S.P., Endara, D., Vaca, J.L., Carrera, H., Bonilla, A.L, Guaranda, U., Tixe, D.A., Tapia, C., Mulesa, T.H., and Westengen, O.T.; Research report; doi.org/10.21355/b267-n212

  2024

  • From the wild to the market: the trade of edible plants in Guinea-Bissau; Leite, A., Westengen, O.T., Catarino, L., Monteiro, E., Mango, S.P., Indjai, B. and Cuní-Sanchez, A.; Economic Botany; doi.org/10.1007/s12231-024-09614-0 
  • Smallholder access to purchased seeds in the presence of pervasive market imperfections and rainfall shocks: panel data evidence from Malawi and Ethiopia; Makate, C., Angelsen, A., Holden, S.T., and Westengen, O.T. ; Agricultural and Food Economics; doi.org/10.1186/s40100-024-00325-7
  • Seeding diversity: enhancing farmers’ access to crop varieties and quality planting materials in Uganda’s seed systems; Mulesa, T.H., Otieno, G., Dalle, S.P., Mohamed, M.D., and Westengen, O.T; Research report; hdl.handle.net/10568/173978

  2023

  • Navigating toward resilient and inclusive seed systems; Westengen, O.T., Dalle, S.P., and Mulesa, T.H.; Proceedings of the national academy of sciences; doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2218777120
  • Seed systems development to navigate multiple expectations in Ethiopia, Malawi and Tanzania; Haug, R., Hella, J.P., Mulesa, T.H., Kakwera, M.N., and Westengen, O.T.; World Development Sustainability; doi.org/10.1016/j.wds.2023.100092
  • Evolution of farm-level crop diversification and response to rainfall shocks in smallholder farming: Evidence from Malawi and Tanzania; Makate, C., Angelsen, A., Holden, S.T. and Westengen O.T.; Ecological Economics; doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107736
  • People Gathered by Sorghum: Cultural Practices and Sorghum Diversity in Northern Ethiopia; Wendmu, T.A., Gebrelibanos, T.S., Kovi, M.R., Ring, K.H., de Boer, H.J., Abera, F.A., and Westengen, O.T.; Human Ecology; doi.org/10.1007/s10745-023-00442-9
  • Rainfall shocks and inequality have heterogeneous effects on farmers' seed purchase decisions in East Africa; Makate, C., Angelsen, A., Holden, S.T., and Westengen, O.T.; Climate Risk Management; doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2023.100556

  2022

  • Exchange and experimentation: community seed banks strengthen farmers’ seed systems in Northern Malawi; Vansant, E.C., Kerr, R.B., Sørensen, H., Phiri, I. and Westengen, O.T. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability; doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2022.2122254
  • Maize variety preferences among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia: Implications for demand-led breeding and seed sector development; Marenya, P., Wanyama, R., Alemu,S., Westengen, O.T. & Jaleta M.; PLoS ONE; doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274262
  • Cultural Effects on Sorghum Varieties Grown, Traits Preferred, and Seed Management Practices in Northern Ethiopia; Wendmu, T.A., Cuni-Sanchez, A., Abebe, H.T., de Boer, H.J., Abera, F.A. & Westengen, O.T.; Economic Botany; doi.org/10.1007/s12231-022-09555-6
  • Crops in crises: Shocks shape smallholders' diversification in rural Ethiopia. World Development; Makate, C., Angelsen, A., Holden, S.T., and Westengen, O.T.; World Development; doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2022.106054

  2021

  • Politics of Seed in Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation: Pathways to Seed System Development; Mulesa, T.H.; Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems; doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.742001
  • Discriminatory effects of gender disparities in improved seed and fertilizer use at the plot-level in Malawi and Tanzania; Makate, C. and Mutenje, M; World Development Perspectives; doi.org/10.1016/j.wdp.2021.100344
  • The imperial maize assemblage: maize dialectics in Malawi and India; Jakobsen, J. & Westengen, O.T.; Journal of Peasant Studies; doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2021.1890042
  • Pluralistic Seed System Development: A Path to Seed Security? ; Mulesa, T.H., Dalle, S.P., Makate, C., Haug, R. & Westengen, O.T.; Agronomy; doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020372

  2020

  • Safeguarding a global seed heritage from Syria to Svalbard; Westengen, O.T., Lusty, C., Yazbek, M., Amri, A., and Asdal, Å.; Nature Plants; doi.org/10.1038/s41477-020-00802-z
  • Farmers and Plant Breeding – Current Approaches and Perspectives; Westengen, O.T. and Winge, T. (eds.) Routledge (Book); ISBN: 9781032088877
  • Seed security in theory and practice: A comparative study of seed security frameworks and their use; Dalle, S.P. and Westengen, O.T.; Noragric Report; ISSN: 1892-8102

  2019

  • Governing seeds in East Africa in the face of climate change: Assessing political and social outcomes; Westengen, O.T., Haug, R., Guthiga, P., and Macharia, E.J.F.; Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems; doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00053

• Lab members and partners

  Core group

  PhD candidates and Master's students

  • Noel Templer, Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), NMBU and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) - PhD Candidate
  • Francis Takyi, Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), NMBU - Master's student
  • Karoline Juul Sandvik, Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), NMBU - Master's student

  Co-supervised PhD candidates

  • Egnonnam Raïssa Elvicia Houngbede, University of Abomey-Calavi - PhD Candidate
  • Henry Mvungi, Makerere University - PhD Candidate
  • Joyce Adokorach​, Makerere University - PhD Candidate
  • Lewis Gnanglè, University of Abomey-Calavi - PhD Candidate
  • Mazidath Tidjani​, University of Abomey Calavi - PhD Candidate
  • Mirabelle Mikpasso​, University of Abomey Calavi - PhD Candidate
  • Shida Nestor, Makerere University - PhD Candidate
  • Stephen Angudubo​, Makerere University - PhD Candidate

  Alumni and former members

  • Teshome Hunduma Mulesa, Core Team (2022-2024) and PhD (2022)
  • Grace Tione, PhD (2026)
  • Tesfakiros Semere Gebrelibanos, PhD (2024)
  • Tsedal Asres Wendmu, PhD (2023)
  • Ida Arf Tarjem, PhD (2022)
  • Miluska Bravo Vela, MSc (2026)
  • Jane Lakot, MSc (2025)
  • Viviana Meixner Vásquez, MSc (2021)
  • Gabriel Graton Roman, MSc (2020)
  • Emelie Vansant, MSc (2019)
  • Mariana Garcia Medina, Intern (2024)
  • Loi Huu Nguyen, Intern (2022)

  Collaborating institutions

  • University of Abomey-Calavi, Genetics, Biotechnology and Seed Science Centre – Benin
  • National Biodiversity Centre – Bhutan
  • Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias – Ecuador
  • Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) – Ecuador 
  • Union de Organizaciones Indígenas y Campesinas de Cotacachi (UNORCAC) – Ecuador
  • International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre – Ethiopia
  • Crop Trust – Germany
  • Fridtjof Nansen Institute – Norway
  • Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT – Tanzania and Uganda
  • National Plant Genetic Resources Centre – Tanzania
  • World Vegetable Center – Tanzania
  • Sokoine University of Agriculture – Tanzania
  • Makerere University Regional Centre for Crop Improvement – Uganda
  • Plant Genetic Resources Centre – Uganda

The Seed System Lab welcomes new students & collaborators!

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