Partners within CSP are supported to engage in a diverse array of collaborative activities. Below is a snapshot of these activities and an indication of which activities are relevant for which CSP topic.

Action research
CSP Topic: Extension

Action research is relevant to foster innovation, build evidence and document experiences; they are implemented by national and local partners; the research areas are identified by the topic team; the team also oversees and monitors implementation.

Digital solutions
CSP Topic: Quality assurance; PVP; and variety release

Digital solutions are critical to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and accountability in coordination, information management and regulation of the seed sector; competent companies are contracted to provide services; the topic team manages them for the technical aspects; WCDI staff with insights into digital solutions provides oversight.

Exchange – international
CSP Topic: Quality assurance

Exposure to several innovations in practice is a powerful tool for fostering innovation and moving critical stakeholders out of their comfort zone; staff of stakeholders relevant to the topic engage with peers of and in other African countries through participation in the seed quality assurance partnership of the ISSD Africa Community of Practice.

Piloting modalities
CSP Topic: Institutional markets; quality assurance; PVP; and variety release

Testing modalities is a critical part of the process of innovation; once partners identify an innovation, these are piloted and tested at a scale that they can be monitored; lessons learnt can provide inputs to institutionalization and scaling; the topics of the pilots are identified by the topic team; the team also oversees and monitors implementation, and facilitates the formulation of lessons learnt.

Studies
CSP Topic: Coordination; institutional markets; quality assurance; variety release

Research and studies provide evidence on challenges and innovation pathways; they assess current situations; scope, design and plan innovations; inform decision- and policy makers; and support institutionalization and scaling; the topics of the studies are identified by the topic team; the team oversees and monitors implementation and facilitates sharing of outcomes.

Trainings – international
CSP Topic: Quality assurance; plant variety protection

Participation of staff of national partners and relevant stakeholders in international trainings supports their involvement and contribution to innovation pathways; staff participates in trainings organized by WCDI (Integrated Seed Sector Development; Plant Variety Protection) in Wageningen; each topic team identifies the persons participating in the training.

Trainings – local
CSP Topic: Quality assurance; extension; company promotion; PVP

In the piloting and testing, but also scaling of innovations, it is relevant that staff of partners and relevant stakeholders get awareness, are exposed, and learn about innovations; training workshops foster participation of critical stakeholders.

Variety demonstrations
CSP Topic: Company promotion

Variety demonstration is a critical part of the innovation for seed companies engaging in the marketing and promotion of quality seed of new varieties; seed companies implement such actions within the topic, supported and monitored by the topic team; both Nigerian and Dutch companies may make use of this modality.

Workshops & meetings
CSP Topic: All topics

Innovation pathways are of a participatory, iterative and multi-stakeholder nature; topic teams have the resources to organize meetings at federal, state and/or district levels to address aspects relevant to the implementation of the topic.