ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, August 19, 2024—Keynote speakers who opened the four-day seminar-workshop on seed systems development in East and West Africa acknowledged the critical role of seed systems in ensuring sustainable agricultural growth and resilience.
“Seeds are the foundation of our agricultural systems, influencing not only crop yields, but also the livelihoods of countless farmers across East and West Africa,” said Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, African Union Commission. “The quality, availability, and accessibility of seeds can make the difference between thriving and struggling communities,” she added. Commissioner Sacko expressed confidence that the gathered pool of experts will be able to identify initiatives, interventions, and strategies that will drive significant improvements in seed systems to enhance 
seed trade in East and West Africa. Click here to listen to a short part of Commissioner Sacko's speech.
Mikael Cleverley, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) to the U.S. Mission to the African Union (USAU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), also welcomed the diverse group of experts, practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders from nine countries across the continent and beyond. “Your presence here underscores our collective commitment to enhance seed systems, address challenges, and seize opportunities for improvement and innovation,” he emphasized.
DCM Cleverly reiterated the U.S. government’s support of the African Union’s ten-year seed sector strategy, including investments in developing and disseminating scalable seed innovations through the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
“We are eager to support African-led efforts in this space, including advancing seed market liberalization, improving commercial delivery by seed companies of new varieties, and providing preferred traits that will drive market development,” he explained. He also underscored the importance of strengthening seed system actors’ capabilities, improving early-generation seed production, and strengthening continental, regional, and national monitoring systems for seed trade, pest prevalence, and crop production.
The four-day seminar, sponsored jointly by the USDA-FAS and the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University, explores a range of topics, including seed production, distribution, policy frameworks, and the role of technology in advancing seed systems. Invited speakers will also share successful case studies, discuss strategies for overcoming obstacles, and identify pathways for collaboration that can lead to impactful, sustainable solutions.
“This workshop is not just about sharing knowledge but also about building partnerships and fostering dialogue,” explains Clemen Gehlhar, global programs manager at the USDA-FAS based in Washington, DC. “It is through these interactions that we are able to generate actionable insights and develop practical strategies to enhance seed systems across East and West Africa.”
Seminar-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.
Contacts:
Justina Torry, senior agricultural attaché, USDA-FAS Addis Ababa, +251-11-130-6777, torryJ@state.gov
Clemen Gehlhar, program manager, Global Programs, Agricultural Economic Development Division, USDA-FAS Washington, DC, +1 202-720-1891, Clemen.Gehlhar@usda.gov
Lulu Rodriguez, global programs lead, Seed Science Center, Iowa State University, +1 515-294-5363, lulurod@iastate.edu
Cynthia Hicks, communication specialist, Seed Science Center, Iowa State University, +1 515-296-5386, cghicks@iastate.edu