Seed Security in Fragile and Climate Vulnerable States: System Disruptions and Solutions for Niger, Pakistan, South Sudan and Syria

Extreme weather and disasters due to climate change aren't a distant reality— the conflict-affected communities in which the International Rescue Committee (IRC) works increasingly represent the epicenter of the climate crisis today. Agro-pastoral communities across Niger, Pakistan, South Sudan, and Syria continue to confront the effects of climate change, persistent insecurity and conflict in some areas, economic deterioration, food and supply shortages, and high prices for essential items including food and agricultural supplies, as well as health concerns exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Airbel Impact Lab, IRC’s Research & Innovation Unit, and IRC’s Country Teams, in coordination with farmers and local stakeholders, have identified opportunity areas ripe for innovation and transformation that have the potential to alleviate the high risk and significant uncertainties in seed systems posed by climate impacts and protracted conflict.

In this series of case studies, we describe system disruptions threatening seed security in agropastoral communities within each country, put forward systems-based recommendations toward strengthening seed security, and call for a disruption to the paradigm wherein the most vulnerable populations are systematically left out of climate action. In northeast Syria and Pakistan, where our work is further along, we have proposed seed security solutions packages which have the potential to make a sustainable, scalable impact and build lasting resilience in agropastoral communities. This work serves as a model for our work in Niger and South Sudan, and the case studies will be updated as our work progresses.