Towards Equitable Seed Systems: Community‐Driven Models to Enhance Accessibility and Affordability of Common Bean Seeds in Sub‐Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT Inclusive seed systems are crucial for improving agricultural productivity, food security, and equitable participation in agricultural value chains. However, inclusive seed production and delivery models that improve the availability, accessibility, and affordability of quality seed for women and other vulnerable groups remain uneven in sub‐Saharan Africa. Our study aimed to investigate how seed sector actors evaluate the effectiveness of common bean seed production and delivery models in 10 countries in sub‐Saharan Africa. We assessed the effectiveness of these models in promoting the availability and accessibility of quality seeds and in ensuring affordability for both men and women. We collected data from 10 countries in Sub‐Saharan Africa. We collected data from 166 seed producer groups, non‐governmental organizations, national agricultural research organizations, and seed companies. These data were cross‐tabulated to obtain summary statistics, which were tested for significant differences using the chi‐squared and Fisher's exact tests and triangulated with selected Seed Sector Performance Index indicators. Our study has revealed variation in seed production and delivery models for the common bean value chain. We found that community‐based seed and seed production cooperatives were effective in encouraging the involvement of women and other vulnerable groups and in increasing the availability and accessibility of quality seeds. In contrast, commercial‐oriented, own (individual), contract farming, public–private partnerships, direct sales, and seed delivery models were less effective or showed more mixed performance across countries and outcomes. Affordability remained the weakest and most uneven outcome across both production and delivery models. We argue that seeds need to be grounded in local realities to increase the availability, accessibility, and affordability of quality seeds while also addressing the social, institutional, and market barriers that limit women's and vulnerable groups' participation and benefit.