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| Organisations move to improve high-yielding seed varieties in W/Africa
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Bamako, Mali (PANA) -
A broad coalition of public and private sector organizatio
ns Monday announced a new partnership aimed at raising the yields and incomes fo
r
smallholder farmers in West Africa by increasing their access to improved, loca
l
ly-adapted varieties of major food crops, according to a press statement from th
e
coalition here.
The coalition, involving the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), t
he African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), the Economic Community of West Africa
n
States (ECOWAS), and the United States Agency for International Development (US
A
ID), hopes to achieve its aim through the West Africa Seed Alliance (WASA).
WASA is a baby of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid T
ropics (ICRISAT), the Seed Science Centre at the Iowa State University (SSC-ISU)
,
in the US, and the CNFA Incorporation.
Its objective is to promote a sustainable commercial seed industry focused on en
suring that small-scale farmers in West Africa have affordable, timely and relia
b
le access to good quality seeds and planting material.
WASA will work closely with West African governments and regional organizations
to implement policies that encourage private-sector investments in local seed pr
o
duction that will stimulate increased adoption of improved high-quality seed and
complementary inputs.
USAID support to WASA started in late 2007 but the signing of this Memorandum of
Understanding Monday at the opening of an international conference in Bamako, M
a
li, organized by AGRA greatly reinforces the Alliance.
â?The livelihoods of smallholder farmers in West Africa are directly linked to
a modernized agriculture,â? says Dr. Joe DeVries, Director of AGRAâ?s Seed Prog
ramme.
â?It is also no coincidence that the most successful agricultural enterprises c
ome about mostly through an effective public-private sector partnershipâ? added
Dr. Robert Kagbo, Senior Agricultural Advisor of USAID/West Africa.
Farmers in West Africa only cultivate about 1-3 hectares, and do not use improve
d seed of varieties of locally-bred material except for such cash crops as cotto
n
and cocoa.
They generally rely on poor quality seeds saved from previous years or provided
by aid organizations. Crop yields are therefore quite low and harvests often do
n
ot provide enough food for their families, much less to have a surplus to sell o
r
store for later consumption.
A key goal of WASA is to support existing seed companies and entrepreneurs inter
ested in producing and marketing seed and complementary inputs by providing rele
v
ant training and technical expertise, business development management, and marke
t
ing assistance.
â?Our goal is to work with our partners and with local businesses to provide th
em the means to benefit from modern science for improving the livelihood of the
A
frican farmer,â? said Mr. Justin Rakotoarisaona, Secretary General of AFSTA.
WASA will focus on commercial production of conventionally-bred varieties from v
arious sources world-wide so that farmers will have a wide range of choices in t
h
e market.
Given the importance of crop biodiversity to local farmers and regional plant br
eeding programs, WASA initiatives will, however, encourage the use of landraces
f
or further crop improvement.
WASA also focuses on policy reforms that encourage private-sector investment and
facilitate cross-border seed trade, as well as on improving crop productivity f
o
r various agribusinesses.
AFSTA is the main private seed industry association in Africa, consisting of 16
national seed trade associations, 44 private African and foreign seed companies,
agricultural service providers, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
It has received commitments from private-sector members to support the Seed Alli
ance activities, which will include providing technical assistance in seed produ
c
tion, processing, sales, distribution and marketing.
ECOWAS promotes regional economic integration of West African countries and has
already adopted a regional regulation on seed harmonization in its 15 member sta
t
es to facilitate cross-border trade in seeds.
The next preoccupation of ECOWAS and WASA partners is to work with national gove
rnments on implementing the regional seed agreement at the national level in ord
e
r to facilitate private sector investment in seeds in West Africa.
"WASA has fully embraced the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Progra
mme (CAADP) and understands that farmers hold the key to breaking the cycle of f
o
od insecurity in West Africa,â? said Dr. Norbert Maroya, WASA Coordinator.
â?We believe farmers will see in this innovative Seed Alliance an opportunity t
o build a stronger economic foundation for an integrated and prosperous regional
agricultural sector in the region," he added.
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| Bamako - 05/10/2009 |
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