Food Policy (journal), Volume 133 (2025)
This peer-reviewed article reports a quantitative study of community seed banks (CSBs) in five districts of Northern and Central Malawi. Using survey data covering 688 households and 1,600 plots from the 2021–2022 season, combined with historical climate data, the authors examine how farmers use CSBs, the association of CSB participation with plot-level crop yields (maize, groundnut, soybean) and household food security, and whether past exposure to climate shocks correlates with CSB participation. Methods include propensity score matching and household-plot fixed effects. Key findings: among CSB participants, CSBs provided about one-third of seeds for maize, groundnut and soybean; participants sourced less seed from their own harvest than non-participants; plot-level yield associations varied by crop (positive for soybean, mixed/null for groundnut, lower yields on maize plots with CSB seed); CSB participation is positively associated with household food security indicators (fewer days worried about food, fewer months with limited food, lower probability of food insecurity). Exposure to higher mean temperatures and past rainfall shortages correlated with higher propensity to participate in CSBs, suggesting a role in climate adaptation. The paper emphasizes that results are associative (not strictly causal), calls for more research on causal links and efficiency of CSBs compared with other interventions, and discusses policy implications including possible formal recognition, quality-declared seed approaches, and networking for CSB sustainability.
Key topics: community seed banks, seed systems, food security, climate adaptation
