About the project

Our aim is to track spoilage effectively, as cheaply as possible for use in complex systems

There are many technologies that can track all the conditions we are interested in but few are at a price point that is accessible for companies in lower and middle income countries to implement and deploy on large scales.

Creating a sensor that could travel on every seed bag the formal sector produces will quickly identify patterns of spoilage in supply chains and provide a sustainable, scalable approach that also assists government regulation.

For these reasons, we are aiming to make each sensors as close to $0.01 as possible.

Ultimately, by identifying and controlling seed spoilage in the supply chain, this will reduce the chance of smallholder farmers investing in seed that is too damaged to grow. It could also complement seed aid programmes, where seed viability is essential for community recovery.

Our trial and learning phase for this technology is in Uganda.

Types of spoilage

Genetic issues

These are mainly compromised in the field or when it comes to the processing facility, if the processors are not well cleaned where other varieties can be mixed in. There is also a risk from outgrowers mixing seed into pre-certification bags to bulk up the quantity. Further, there is a chance of genetic mixing at the marketing, but perhaps to a smaller extent.

Physical issues

These are largely issues associated with temperature, moisture or drying in the field. It also includes what moisture content the seed was harvested and threshed at before being taken to the processing facility. Seed can be compromised during the drying of the processing due to the calibration of the cleaning equipment which can affect the physical quality parameters. This can also cause the seed coat or embryos to be damaged which might reduce the chance of germination.

Seed health issues

These could be disease issues passed in the seed. This originate from the outgrowers’ fields through the processing unit and right up to the market. For this reason, these factors are monitored from the field facilities up to the time we do the certification. If a seed health problem is identified, that seed lot is excluded from entering the market. Sometimes however, there are post certification problems.

Out of these three main areas, our technology focuses on the physical seed challenges. Certified seed is checked for genetic and health issues but often the physical conditions within the supply chain are difficult to monitor.

Our technology seeks to make this unseen damage, visible.

High-risk points in seed supply

Initial moisture content

This relates to how much water is present in the seed before processing into seed bags. Too dry and the seed dies, to wet and it germinates early. This initial moisture level affects how resilient the seed is in transport and storage.

Seed bags opened

When see bags are opened before the final customer this could suggest the presence of counterfeit seeds. It could also expose the seed inside to unfavorable environmental conditions or pests that damage the seed.

Transport conditions

Seed travels great lengths on rough roads through a variety of vehicles. Adverse environmental conditions and physical trauma threaten seed viability.

Time stored

If kept in favorable conditions, seed can keep for a long time but often this is hard to achieve causing seed to lose viability over short periods of time. This might be when seed for one season isn’t bought and so is stored until the following year.

Our Ugandan research