In the area of seed development, funding of farmer participatory crop-breeding has led to the release of 68 locally adapted varieties of crops such as cassava, bean, sorghum, and maize. Many of these varieties incorporate traits from varieties developed by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and Africa’s national research organizations, along with farmers' own traditional varieties. Twenty four small- and medium-sized seed companies and cooperatives have experienced a near doubling of their seed production in two years. Their understanding is influenced by the quantity and quality of information available on fertilizer and by their access to that information. For example, the ratio of farm-gate price to cost, insurance, and freight ranges from 1.42 for the United States to 2.04 and 2.56 for Nigeria and Angola respectively. • It is important that African countries assess and prioritize the IP issues (trademarks, patents, geographical indicators, plant breeder’s protection, and traditional knowledge) according to their short-, medium- and long-term implications on their modes of agricultural productivity.