Nairobi, Kenya
February 16, 2015
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) seed regulations were launched in Nairobi, with calls for organizations and individuals to take up the production of seed to promote food security in Africa. Many countries in the continent are not food secure due to lack of good and certified seed or none at all.
From Left, front row: Azariah Soi, the Chairman of the Seed Trade Association of Kenya, John Mukuka of ACTESA, Dr. Esther Kimani of KEPHIS and Argent Chuula of ACTESA and other delegates who attended the official launch of the COMESA Seed Regulations launch at Hilton Hotel, Nairobi, recently
“There is a huge amount of seed required, presenting opportunities in investing in seed, stated Dr. John Mukuka, a seed expert from the Zambia based trading bloc.
“For instance, Ethiopia imports seed from Zambia while Rwanda and Burundi need seed for cereals, “ Argent Chuula, the Chief Executive of ACTESA emphasized in his speech.
The regulations were launched after years of development by COMESA through the Alliance for Commodity Exchange in Africa (ACTESA) which realized the importance of having harmonized regulations to facilitate trade within the member countries. ACTESA was formed as a result of the Maputo Declaration which states that African governments should commit to the allocation of at least 10 percent of national budgetary resources to agriculture and rural development policy implementation.
ACTESA is a regional Agricultural Specialized Agency of COMESA and its mission is to integrate smallholder farmers into domestic, regional and international markets through an improved policy environment and expanded market facilities and services. ACTESA was established by the COMESA Authority to harmonize and coordinate multiple interventions of Member States, Development Partners, Implementing Agencies and COMESA Secretariat.
The Ag. Managing Director, KEPHIS, Dr. Esther Kimani in her speech, recognized that the COMESA states were at different levels of seed development, hence the need for other countries to strive for improvement to make inter border trade seed trade a reality. For instance, Kenya is a member of the Organization for Economic Corporation and Development as well as the International Seed testing Association while some of her neighbours were not members; Kenya also has established infrastructure and a liberalized market. The launch also brought to the fore the need to have regulatory staff in the different COMESA countries to oversee the functions of seed.
Mr. Kenneth Ayuko, representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries reiterated the need for availability of seed which he pointed out was necessary for agricultural improvement and trade.
“To access seed, there has to be trade between countries,” he stated.
COMESA states will also have to improve their plant variety protection mechanisms so that breeders of seed are confident that their inventions will not be copyrighted.
The event was attended by University of Nairobi, the Seed Trade Association of Kenya, Plant Breeders, Kenya Agricultural Research and Livestock Organization, Seed companies and representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
After Nairobi, the regulations will be rolled out in Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Burundi.
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