Seed Experts Convene in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (August 21, 2024) — Seed industry experts yesterday underscored the importance of uniform legal frameworks to regulate seed quality, trade, and intellectual property across East and West African countries. This, along with a standardized process for registering new seed varieties and managing plant pests and diseases, will enable the adoption of innovative crops across national borders, they said.

The benefits of policy harmonization and its potential to transform seed industries leads the list of topics being discussed in the ongoing seminar-workshop on seed systems development in the two regions. Leading experts, including plant breeders, regulatory officials, and seed industry stakeholders gather in Addis Ababa to gain insights into best practices, strategies for implementation, and the overarching benefits of a coordinated approach to the development of the seed sector.

Yacouba Diallo, secretary general of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), an organization of seed companies and seed trade associations across the continent based in Dakar, Senegal, outlined the benefits of having strong national and regional coordination of seed systems in partnership with the private sector. Harmonizing seed regulations, he said, leads to cohesive phytosanitary regulations and protect crops and biodiversity from cross-border threats.

“By aligning critical regulations and adopting science-based policies, we can enhance the efficiency and transparency of seed markets,” said Claid Mujaju, Director of Research Services of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development based in Harare. Harmonizing environmental and liability standards enables national seed systems to promote sustainable seed production practices and manage environmental impacts, he said. Coordinating regulations for varietal release and seed treatments, for example, will ensure efficacy and safety while minimizing environmental and health risks, Mujaju explained.

Adelaida Harries, seed quality management expert and former research scientist with Iowa State University’s Seed Science Center, stressed that a unified approach to the regulation of genetically modified seeds entails balancing innovation with safety concerns and public acceptance.

“Governments have an important role in fostering policy environments that ensure technology deployment and facilitate global trade,” according to Samuel Crowell, senior director for international programs and policy of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) with headquarters in Alexandria, VA. “Governments can definitely ease regulatory burden through policy innovation,” he said. “They can cooperate with industry to streamline varietal registration, harmonize seed catalogs to avoid duplicating requirements, and make sure that an intellectual property system is in place that ensures commercial success,” Crowell added.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) partners with Iowa State University’s Seed Science Center (ISU-SSC) in hosting the ongoing seminar-workshop on "Seed Systems Development in East and West Africa.” The event aims to advance food and nutrition security through the development of efficient, dynamic, and sustainable integrated seed systems.

Seminar-Workshop to Advance National Seed Systems Development Plans For East and West Africa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (August 20, 2024) — Officials of national seed authorities, researchers, scientists, and seed industry professionals gather in Addis Ababa to develop recommendations to advance action plans for seed systems development in East and West Africa. Seventeen guest speakers from nine countries will join 47 participants from the five focus countries of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania in this four-day seminar-workshop.

The US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) co-hosts the event with Iowa State University’s (ISU) Seed Science Center (SSC). Mikael Cleverley, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., to the U.S. Mission to the African Union (USAU) and Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) will open the event. The Hon. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment of the African Union Commission, will deliver the keynote address.

“We aim to provide a forum by which participants can share their best approaches and practices in implementing innovations to their seed systems, including that of fostering public-private partnerships,” said Justina Torry, senior agricultural attaché with the USDA-FAS office based in Addis Ababa. “The goal is to foster a dynamic seed sector capable of placing high-quality seeds within the reach of small-scale farmers. We advance this goal by harmonizing regional seed regulations to boost trade. Our participants’ recommendations will also inform future technical assistance activities in the five focus countries.”

Opening day highlights include an assessment of the state of seed systems in East and West Africa using an analytical tool developed by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Opportunities for seed sector growth in the two regions will be explored in a talk by Moumini Savadogo, executive director of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF). Yacouba Diallo, Secretary General of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) will share the association’s recommendations to strengthen the national and regional coordination of seed systems in partnership with the private sector. Veteran maize physiologist Jill Cairns of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) will give an overview of the Seed Production Technology for Africa project while biodiversity expert Melesse Maryo, director general of the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI), will share participatory mechanisms for conserving biodiversity and indigenous knowledge in the continuous effort to improve seed quality.

“We have had global engagements in partnership with the USDA-FAS over the years,” says Lulu Rodriguez, global programs lead for Iowa State University’s Seed Science Center. The seminar-workshop in Ethiopia is the latest of our joint efforts to expand farmers’ access to quality seed, promote the growth of national seed industries, help nations strengthen their seed programs and facilitate seed trade,” she added.

Interested parties may attend the event online. Information about virtual access, seminar-workshop schedule, speakers and participants are available at the website https://www.seeds.iastate.edu/seed-systems-development-workshop.

USDA and Iowa State University Host Seminar-Workshop on Seed Systems Development in East and West Africa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (August 18, 2024) — The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) partners with Iowa State University’s Seed Science Center (SSC) in hosting a pivotal seminar-workshop on "Seed Systems Development in East and West Africa." Scheduled to take place August 19-22 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this seminar-workshop aims to advance food and nutrition security through the development of efficient, dynamic, and sustainable integrated seed systems.

The event convenes 50 representatives of seed authorities and seed industries, scientists, researchers, and policy makers from the focus countries of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Seminar-workshop speakers from regional and international development agencies and research centers, officials of national seed trade associations and seed companies will discuss initiatives, interventions, and opportunities that can significantly enhance the effectiveness of seed systems. The goal is to expand farmers’ access to quality seeds and boost seed trade.

In the two-day seminar, participants will exchange experiences in fostering seed system innovations. Discussions will cover best practices and successful approaches to various aspects of seed system implementation, with a focus on fostering public-private partnerships. The attendees’ collective expertise and experience are expected to develop a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in seed systems development across East and West Africa.

Workshop attendees in the next two days will work to develop actionable recommendations to support the advancement of national and regional action plans for seed systems development. These recommendations will also inform future technical assistance activities.

Interested parties have the option to attend the event online. Information about virtual access, seminar-workshop schedule, speakers and participants are available at the website https://www.seeds.iastate.edu/seed-systems-development-workshop.

About the USDA-FAS: The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is the foreign affairs agency with primary responsibility for the USDA’s overseas programs—market development, international trade agreements and negotiations, and the collection of statistics and market information. It also administers the USDA's export credit guarantee and food aid programs and helps increase income and food availability in developing nations by mobilizing expertise for agriculturally led economic growth. The FAS mission statement reads, "Linking U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities and global food security."

About the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University: Iowa State University’s SSC is a global center for excellence in seed science, technology, and systems. It operates one of the world’s most comprehensive public seed testing laboratory that analyzes seeds of 300 species for over 350 seed-borne pathogens. It offers the only online master’s program in the world on Seed Science, Technology, and Business. SSC projects in 80 countries over the past 20 years have helped to expand producers’ access to quality seed, facilitate seed trade, and promote the growth of national seed systems and industries.