SEADS is a set of evidence-based international principles and minimum standards that support the design, implementation, and evaluation of crop-related crisis responses. SEADS covers all types of crops: perennial, annual and horticulture and all types of emergencies, rapid-onset, slow onset and complex. SEADS principles and minimum standards take a livelihoods-based approach that understands the market and considers the impact of technical options—market-based or in-kind delivery—on local crop-production value-chains.
Where context allows, SEADS standards favor market-based delivery over direct in-kind distribution. SEADS seeks to compliment MERS and MISMA using frequent cross-references across the principles, minimum standards and further reading sections of the handbook. Specifically, consideration of markets is reflected in: SEADS Principle 1: Use livelihoods-based programming, Standards for Initial Assessment for Crop-Related Response (Chapter 4) and SEADS practical tools and technical responses (Chapter 5-7)
