Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africaand Southern Africa

COMESA INITIATIVES IN ENHANCING ACCESS TO SEED BY FARMERS

Julius MathendePaper Presented at the FANRPAN Organised Seed Security Workshop

Johannesburg, South Africa, 20-21 May 2010

OUTLINEOUTLINE• Background on ACTESA• Issues and Decisions Related to

Seed• ACTESA/COMESA Initiatives in

Seed Development & project areas• Partners in Seed DevelopmentPartners in Seed Development

WHO IS ACTESAWHO IS ACTESA• Specialised Agency for COMESA• ObjectivesObjectives– Improve policy environment and

competitiveness – Improve and expand market facilities and

services, and – Increase commercial integration of

producers into national and regional markets.

FOCUS AREASFOCUS AREAS• Cereals and Pulses• Roots and Tubers• Oilseeds• Horticulture• Tree Crops• Forestry products• Livestock• Agricultural Inputs

MAJOR ISSUES IN S SAHARAN MAJOR ISSUES IN S SAHARAN AGRIC AGRIC

• Low Productivity• Low Fertiliser Use–Nutrient Mining

• Adoption of Improved/quality seed• Intra Regional Trade• Export/Import Restrictions

MAJOR DECISIONS MAJOR DECISIONS TOWARDS REDRESSTOWARDS 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 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 ACTESA/COMESA INPUTS MKT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVESDEVELOPMENT 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 MEASURES TO ENHANCE SEED SUPPLY & TRADESUPPLY & TRADE

• Regional Seed Policies & Regulations Regional Seed Policies & Regulations Harmonisation and RationalisationHarmonisation and Rationalisation– 19 Member States19 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 & MEASURES TO ENHANCE SEED SUPPLY & TRADE - 8 LANDLOCKED STATESTRADE - 8 LANDLOCKED STATES

• Regional Seed Policies & Regulations Harmonisation Regional Seed Policies & Regulations Harmonisation and Rationalisationand 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 MEASURES TO ENHANCE SEED SUPPLY & TRADESUPPLY & 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 PARTNERS IN SEED DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

• 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 EXPECTATIONSMY EXPECTATIONS

• Draw lessons on seed harmonisation from others• Engage a few partners under the

COMESA Agro Inputs Programme (COMRAP) Implementation

Thank you for your Thank you for your attentionattention