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Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa. COMESA INITIATIVES IN ENHANCING ACCESS TO SEED BY FARMERS Julius Mathende Paper Presented at the FANRPAN Organised Seed Security Workshop Johannesburg, South Africa, 20-21 May 2010. OUTLINE. Background on ACTESA
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Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa COMESA INITIATIVES IN ENHANCING ACCESS TO SEED BY FARMERS Julius Mathende Paper Presented at the FANRPAN Organised Seed Security Workshop Johannesburg, South Africa, 20-21 May 2010
OUTLINE • Background on ACTESA • Issues and Decisions Related to Seed • ACTESA/COMESA Initiatives in Seed Development & project areas • Partners in Seed Development
WHO IS ACTESA • Specialised Agency for COMESA • Objectives • Improve policy environment and competitiveness • Improve and expand market facilities and services, and • Increase commercial integration of producers into national and regional markets.
FOCUS AREAS • Cereals and Pulses • Roots and Tubers • Oilseeds • Horticulture • Tree Crops • Forestry products • Livestock • Agricultural Inputs
MAJOR ISSUES IN S SAHARAN AGRIC • Low Productivity • Low Fertiliser Use • Nutrient Mining • Adoption of Improved/quality seed • Intra Regional Trade • Export/Import Restrictions
MAJOR DECISIONS TOWARDS REDRESS • MDG 1 • G8 L’ AQUILA DECLARATION 2009 • G8 Agrees to fund agric to tune of US$20b in 3yrs • Abuja Fertiliser Summit • 50kg/ha by 2015 • AU Maputo Declaration 2007 • 10% of National Budgets towards Agric • Sitre Declaration of 2009 • Agriculture sustainability key to prosperity • Seychelles Declaration on Seed by COMESA Ministers of Agriculture of 2008
IMPORTANCE OF SEED • Major Component of Green Revolution Trinity • No seed or planting material – crop agric doomed • Contribution to Productivity Gains • 1% in productivity gains leads to 2-3% poverty reduction
ACTESA/COMESA INPUTS MKT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES • FIVE PILLARS OF INPUTS MARKET DEVELOPMENT • COMESA AGRO INPUTS PROGRAMME -EC • COMPONENTS (INTERVENTIONS) • Enhance Capacity to Deliver Rural Credit • Agro Dealer Development • Seed Policy and Supply
MEASURES TO ENHANCE SEED SUPPLY & TRADE • Regional Seed Policies & Regulations Harmonisation and Rationalisation • 19 Member States • Focus Areas • Variety evaluation, release & registration • Standards for Seed Certification • Phytosanitary measures (Pest Lists) • Plant Variety Protection • Import/export documentation
MEASURES TO ENHANCE SEED SUPPLY & TRADE - 8 LANDLOCKED STATES • Regional Seed Policies & Regulations Harmonisation and Rationalisation • Approach • Baseline (SADC, COMESA, West Africa) • Stakeholder Workshop on Recommendations & Way Forward • Feedback and Buy-in from Member States • Finalise Report (Concretise Recommendations) • Submit Report to technical committee and policy organs • Draft Legal Instruments • Adoption and domestication
MEASURES TO ENHANCE SEED SUPPLY & TRADE • Seed Quality and Supply Improvement • Support for Equipment for Seed Certification • Support for Equipment for Seed Multiplication • Support for production of basic/breeders seed • Support for multiplication of seed
PARTNERS IN SEED DEVELOPMENT • All those who share our vision and wish to work with us – lost sheep most welcome back • Donors, fellow RECs, Farmers, National Governments, Financial Institutions, Insurance Companies, Input Suppliers, Researchers, Extensionists, NGOs, policy makers, press, etc
MY EXPECTATIONS • Draw lessons on seed harmonisation from others • Engage a few partners under the COMESA Agro Inputs Programme (COMRAP) Implementation