BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
EZULWINI – Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Sydney Simelane has called on African countries and their partners to move beyond commitments and take bold, practical action to strengthen seed systems and secure the continent’s food future.
Simelane was speaking on Monday afternoon during a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) side event held on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) Seed Investment Summit at the Ezulwini Palazzo International Convention Centre.
The side event was held under the theme, “From Continental Commitments to Action: Accelerating Resilient, Inclusive and Technology-Driven Seed Systems in Africa.”
The PS challenged participants to use the platform to develop practical solutions and partnerships capable of unlocking investment in seed research, breeding, production, distribution and adoption.
“As we deliberate today, I encourage all participants to be bold and practical,” Simelane said.
He said Africa needed to translate continental commitments into action at national and regional levels, particularly as the continent implements the Kampala Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Declaration, Agenda 2063 and the Africa Seed and Biotechnology Programme.
Simelane said access to quality, affordable and climate-resilient seed was fundamental to agricultural production, food security, nutrition and the transformation of Africa’s agrifood systems.
“A thriving food system begins with farmers having timely access to quality, affordable and climate-resilient seed of varieties that respond to their needs, markets and agroecological conditions,” he said.
He stressed that seed development should not be viewed merely as a technical issue, saying it was central to productivity, resilience, livelihoods, biodiversity conservation and food sovereignty.
The PS further called for greater investment in seed research, breeding, multiplication and local production capacity, while strengthening linkages between researchers, breeders, seed producers, agro-dealers and farmers.
He said Africa also needed to strengthen community-based seed initiatives and phytosanitary systems to ensure farmers had reliable access to quality planting material.
Simelane placed particular emphasis on seed sovereignty, saying African countries, institutions, communities and farmers should have the capacity to conserve, develop, multiply, regulate and access seed adapted to African conditions.
He said this should go hand in hand with safeguarding plant genetic resources and supporting farmer-managed seed systems, while strengthening formal seed systems.
The PS also encouraged participants to embrace technology responsibly, including biotechnology, digital tools and improved quality assurance systems.
“Let us also ensure that new technologies, including biotechnology, digital tools and improved quality assurance systems, are deployed responsibly and inclusively to benefit farmers and strengthen resilience,” he said.
Simelane said Eswatini was continuing to strengthen its national seed system through policy and regulatory measures, seed quality control, variety evaluation and release processes, plant genetic resources conservation, research and extension support.
He said partnerships remained critical in improving farmers’ access to quality planting material.
The PS expressed confidence that the discussions would produce concrete ideas and partnerships to accelerate implementation of the Africa Seed and Biotechnology Programme and the Kampala CAADP commitments.
“With coordinated action, sustained investment and strong political commitment, Africa can build seed systems that are resilient, inclusive, sovereign and capable of supporting a thriving food system for present and future generations,” Simelane said.
The FAO side event brought together representatives of the African Union Commission, FAO, the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, member states, development partners, researchers, seed sector actors and farmers’ organisations.
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