The Seed Product Market Segment Database (SPMSD) identifies and describes over 400 seed product market segments. These segments cover 25 crops across ten subregions where CGIAR and NARES currently target investments in crop breeding and seed systems. For each segment, the database presents uniformly applied descriptors that describe the opportunity for impact and a target product profile (TPP) that presents the basic design elements of products for that segment.
This systematic approach – based on the identification of SPMS, description of the opportunity of each segment, matched to a unique TPP – offers a comprehensive framework for the prioritization of investment decisions and seed product design.
To open the database explorer: Click on this image below or on the web link at the bottom of this page
View the Market Segment Explorer here.
Methodology
Each segment in the database represents a crop within a sub region that was identified based on what the crop is used for and where and how the crop is grown. The table below lists the eight criteria used for the identification of the segments. This approach results in a set of unique seed product market segments, where each segment is defined as a group of farmers with a similar seed product need.
| Criteria | Description | Examples and notes |
| Crop* | Crops in the CGIAR crop breeding portfolio | In some instances, the criterion is further specified by germplasm (e.g. banana and plantain, spring, durum and winter wheat, pearl and finger millet) |
| Material type | Hybrid seed production system |
yes or no no implies open-pollinated, inbred, variety or clone |
| Subregion | Subregion where the crop is grown (subregions derived from the seven regions recognized by CGIAR**) |
One of the following:
|
| End use | Use of the product by processors and consumers (on farm, off farm) |
Examples include:
|
| Color | Description of the color of the grain, skin or flesh |
Examples include:
|
| Production environment | Where the crop is grown (climate, elevation) |
Examples include:
|
| Production system | How the crop is grown |
Examples include:
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| Maturity*** | Length of time from planting to harvest |
One of the following:
|
*Rice, maize, sorghum, spring wheat, durum wheat, winter wheat, cassava, cowpea, groundnut, soybean, sweet potato, chickpea, barley, finger millet, pearl millet, pigeon pea, potato, common bean, faba bean, forages (Bracharia and Penisetum), lentil, banana, yam, plantain, grass pea.
**For list of regions recognized by CGIAR, see https://www.cgiar.org/research/cgiar-regions/.
***May not apply in all cases.
For each seed product market segment, the database provides 12 market segment descriptors of the investment opportunity. These descriptors for each seed product market segment provide CGIAR, NARES and funders information to make decisions on prioritization and investment levels within and across crops as well as geographies. The data was obtained from publicly available information that includes FAO, World Bank, and national agricultural reports. Additional seed product descriptors will be added to SPMSD as new data sources are identified.
| Descriptors of investment opportunity included for each segment in SPMSD |
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How to navigate
This initial version of SPMSD includes an option to navigate by CGIAR center. The table below identifies the crops associated with the CGIAR centers engaged in crop breeding.
Duplicity of market segments is present where two or more centers have pipelines for the same crop that feed the same subregion (e.g. rice and cassava in East Africa). Future versions of SPMSD will present a ‘one crop’ focus without the center-level perspective.
On the top left side, you will find 4 filter tabs – All crops, All centers, All sub-regions and Reset. From the filter tabs one can select the crop, center, and sub-region of interest. Below the 4 tabs, there is a Sort drop-down tab that enables one to select any of the 12 market segment opportunity descriptors. Press the Reset tab to clear all selection before starting a new search.
To change the visuals on the map to reflect new data from a new search, click on market segment box.
