Southern African Seed Systems Development Initiative ICRISAT and ISU

1. Southern African Seed Systems Development Initiative ICRISAT and ISU FANRPAN-HASSP Common Vision Workshop 20-21 May 2010 Johannesburg, South Africa

2. Southern African Seed Systems Development Initiative Coverage

3. Overall Objective of the Initiative To Improve food security and increase profitability of southern African resource poor farmers Changing the institutional & policy environment Facilitating increased and efficient availability of new varieties Expanding seed marketing and trade More choices of improved seed to farmers

4. Objectives of this Presentation Present on the progress made since project inception Share project experiences Challenges faced and suggestions on how to overcome them

5. Background Information • Project started in 2004/05 -- now entering its sixth year • USAID Agriculture program – Agriculture Enabling Environment • Collaborative work between ICRISAT, ISU, SADC FANR & regional partners • Focus is on supporting regional seed policies harmonization & capacity building • Concentrates on technical issues that promote marketing and regional trade of seed: - Variety Release - Certification & Quality Assurance - Quarantine & Phytosanitary Measures

6. Why Seed? Why Harmonize its Trade Policies & Regulations? • Seed constitutes the main propagule for plant growth • Sets precedence for increased agricultural activity & economic gains among farming communities • Different policies & regulations governing seed trade in SADC Member States (Seed trade barriers & restrictive national seed regulations) • Seed markets are isolated • Farmer’s choices are limited • Seed prices are not subject to competition • To lure domestic foreign investment in seed, expanded markets are imperative • Seed security is key to being food secure

7. Progress to Date • Technical approval of seed harmonization agreements (2005/06) - Variety Release System - Seed Certification & Quality Assurance - Quarantine & Phytosanitary Measures • Approval of harmonization agreements by SADC council of Ministers and the Ministers of Agriculture - In 2007 permanent secretaries approved - Inter-Ministerial Council of Ministers approved in 2007 - Ministers of Agriculture approved in 2009 - Ministers from DRC, Lesotho, Namibia & Swaziland signed -- 2010 - Other countries could not sign as it requires the substantive Minister & not their representatives - Now need to facilitate the remaining Ministers to sign

8. Progress to date Cont’d Advisory assistance to seed industry to support implementation of accreditation/certification agreement - Training was done for private seed sector participants - Follow ups were made by ISU to assist additional companies Setting up of seed import/export quality manuals & quarantine pest lists - 14 countries were trained in the development of import/export manuals - Regional quarantine pest list was also developed

9. Progress to date Cont’d • Collaboration with ARIPO Regional PVP position in the SADC Member States • Facilitating the creation of a regional variety catalogue to support implementation of the variety release agreement - Countries put together information on 19 crop varieties (2009) - Supports the implementation of the SADC Variety Release System-- Variety released in two SADC countries qualifies for trade in the region - 10 countries in the region submitted their national variety lists & these were cross tabulated at the Lusaka workshop (see next slide) - Regional variety catalogue now awaits distribution

10. Progress to Date Cont’d

11. Progress to Date Cont’d • Increased awareness of the technical agreements in seed policies harmonization in SADC countries - Distribution of information material --800 copies of the technical agreement monographs were distributed • Development of seed quality manuals - Several—eg MRI, Kamano, ZamSeed & Dengo commercial developed manuals with the assistance of ISU • Strengthening regional awareness & forging a common regional understanding on plant protection in the region - Involved exchange of information & appraising on policy & institutional issues to do with pests & diseases

12. Progress to Date Cont’d • Instituting the regional & national PBR agreement - Protocol for PBR was developed based on UPOV convention - Mozambique & Zambia now have PBR laws joining countries like Zimbabwe & Tanzania who already had them - PBR policy brief has been prepared & now awaits printing • Training on modalities of establishing seed & PBR laws in countries where they do not exist--2009 - Workshop was held and 8 countries attended - There is significant progress in the countries • Unplanned benefits - Pooling together of seed practitioners - Sharing of knowledge, best practices & ideas

13. Progress to date Cont’d

14. Challenges Signing of MoU by SADC Ministers of Agriculture 4 Ministers signed: DRC, Lesotho, Namibia & Swaziland There is need to find ways for the remaining countries to sign After harmonization, then what? Implementation Need to facilitate seed trade – flow of quality and improved seed across national boundaries through a series of initiatives