BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
EZULWINI – The African Union Commission has warned that barriers to regional seed trade continue to restrict the movement of improved and climate-resilient seed varieties across African borders, despite ongoing efforts to harmonise seed systems.
Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy and Acting Director of Agriculture and Rural Development at the African Union Commission, Harsen Nyambe Nyambe, said the continent needed to address regulatory and trade barriers if farmers were to benefit fully from advances in seed research and technology.
Nyambe was speaking during the Senior Official Session of the African Ministerial Seed Summit currently taking place in Ezulwini.
He said Africa’s ambition to achieve food security, build resilient agrifood systems, create jobs and strengthen economic growth was anchored on effective seed systems.
According to Nyambe, high-quality seed was more than an agricultural input, as it represented genetics, breeding, innovation, research, biodiversity and resilience.
However, he said too many African farmers continued to struggle to access high-quality seed of improved and climate-resilient varieties.
“Despite the efforts for regional seed harmonization, barriers to regional seed trade continue to limit the movement of improved varieties across borders,” Nyambe said.
He said seed systems across the continent remained uneven in their development, while investment was not always commensurate with the scale of the challenges facing the sector.
Nyambe said addressing these challenges required senior officials to create conditions for a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable seed sector.
He said the Summit provided an opportunity for African countries to take stock of the current state of seed systems, reflect on lessons learned and identify practical actions to strengthen the sector.
The AU official said resilient seed systems were indispensable to increasing agricultural productivity, strengthening food systems resilience and achieving sustainable economic development.
He also identified investment as a key area requiring attention, saying the Summit provided an opportunity to identify investment opportunities while addressing constraints within the seed sector.
Nyambe said the technical session would help shape recommendations and decisions that would guide the future direction of Africa’s seed sector.
He called on delegates to use their expertise and experience to develop solutions that would strengthen seed governance, improve regulatory harmonisation, mobilise investment and support innovation.
He said such measures should ultimately ensure that farmers had timely access to quality seed.
Nyambe urged delegates to build consensus around practical and implementable recommendations that could unlock the potential of Africa’s seed systems.
He said stronger partnerships, enhanced investment and renewed momentum were necessary to build resilient seed systems capable of serving African farmers both now and in future generations.
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