West Africa Seeks to Speed Up the Movement of Agricultural Seeds 

West African countries are looking to make it easier to move agricultural seeds across borders as governments, researchers and businesses work to strengthen regional food production. The issue was discussed at a regional meeting ahead of the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali. 

More than 200 researchers, entrepreneurs, regulators and financial partners from seven countries took part in the meeting organised by the Centre of Excellence for Seed Systems in Africa. The discussions focused on how countries can improve the movement and distribution of crop varieties across the region. 

A regional framework for seed trade has existed for years. Since 2008, ECOWAS rules have allowed certified seeds approved in one member country to be recognised in others. A 2018 agreement expanded this cooperation to 17 countries. 

However, the rules are not being applied in the same way everywhere. Differences in national systems, laboratory capacity and technical skills continue to make cross-border movement more difficult. 

The availability of early generation seed is another challenge. These seeds are generally produced by public research institutions and are later used by companies to produce certified seeds for farmers. Limited supplies can therefore affect the availability of popular crop varieties. 

Some businesses are working to address the shortage. Through long-term agreements with national research institutions in Mali, Faso Kaba is able to organize seed production planning well in advance. Improved multiplication techniques have contributed to better availability of planting stock for cassava and yam crops. Farmers are gaining access to better varieties thanks to these developments. 

Financing remains another important part of the seed trade in West Africa. Participants at the meeting called for greater private-sector investment, including access to affordable loans and longer repayment periods. 

The region has made progress over the past two decades. According to figures presented at the meeting, more than 650 scientists have been trained and over 685 varieties have been released. Around 60% of those varieties have been commercialised, while improved seed adoption has increased from 6% to more than 30%. 

The next challenge is to build stronger regional connections. Better coordination between governments, research institutions and businesses could help agricultural seeds move more easily across borders and reach farmers who need them.