Access to clean, improved varieties of seeds remain a major challenge to achieving high productivity and profitability in agricultural production in Africa. Improved seed varieties may be unavailable, sold at high costs or sold in adulterated forms to smallholder farmers in rural areas, thereby promoting the use farmer-saved seeds. This has contributed to consistently low yields and poor income levels, increased rural poverty and under-development in the sector.

At IITA GoSeed, we are passionate about improving farmers’ access to clean seeds and creating a viable seed ecosystem in Nigeria and across Africa.

IITA GoSeed was established in 2016 as a unit of the IITA Business Incubation Platform (BIP) and registered as a Limited Liability Company. It is domiciled at the headquarters of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

IITA GoSeed is responsible for the commercial promotion of the early generation seeds of the improved crop varieties generated by IITA and other CGIAR Centres across the globe. Our focus crops include banana, cassava, cowpea, maize, plantain, rice, soybean and yam. We produce and sell high quality Breeder and Foundation Seed of these crop varieties to seed producers in the seed system in Nigeria and across Africa at affordable prices. Working with seed experts, seed producers and other stakeholders across the various value chains, we ensure the downstream movement of seeds to farmers toward transforming their productivity, income and livelihoods.