Strengthening banana seed systems among smallholder farmers in Bugiri District, Uganda

Context Farmer-managed banana seed systems support biodiversity but risk spreading pests and diseases. As demand for high-quality disease-free seed grows, formal seed systems with strict standards offer a solution. However, guidance on how to effectively integrate these systems and key actors remains limited, hindering sustainable banana production. Objectives The study investigates interactions between formal and farmer-managed banana seed systems, addressing: (i) What structures and pathways define the formal and farmer-managed banana seed systems? (ii) What are the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders facilitating interactions within the integrated seed systems? Methods A qualitative approach was used to analyze interactions between formal and farmer-managed seed systems through 12 key informant interviews and 12 focus group discussions. Content and thematic analysis were used to identify crucial structures, pathways, and stakeholder roles in facilitating these seed system interactions. Results and conclusions The farmer-managed seed system dominated, relying on trusted informal exchange of suckers, while formal seed sources like research institutions and certified nurseries were rarely used. Stakeholder engagement focused on seed sourcing, mother garden establishment, and awareness creation. Harmonizing differing quality perceptions would foster system integration. A proposed strategy outlines stakeholder roles to integrate formal and farmer-managed systems, ensuring local adaptability and genetic diversity preservation. Significance Integrating formal and farmer-managed banana seed systems offers a scalable pathway for delivering clean, disease-free planting material of the desired varieties to smallholders. By clarifying stakeholder roles and linking certification with farmer-led multiplication, this approach informs seed policy and development investments that improve seed quality, strengthen biosecurity, and sustain access to locally adapted planting material.