The seed industry is crucial to agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In any discussion of agricultural development strategies, the subject of seed has a unique capacity to draw attention and interest. Seed is the primordial input, the embodiment of past harvests and the promise of future ones. It is not surprising that seed is a prominent feature of many proposals for programmes and projects concerned with improving the productivity of limited-resource farmers. In addition, efforts to strengthen the private sector in developing country agriculture often target the seed industry. However, these various seed initiatives have had relatively little impact on the majority of resource-poor farmers.

In recognition of the potential threat to crop genetic resources arising from modern crop improvement, countries will need to be assisted to enhance their germplasm conservation practices to safeguard adapted local and improved varieties. Germplasm characterization systems and information exchange networks are needed in the region to share information on agro-ecological and socio-economic characteristics of crop varieties grown in SSA.

Essential factors necessary to establish an enabling environment for the development of the seed industry in SSA, especially the growth of the private seed sector, are relevant and effective seed legislation including provisions for intellectual property rights and seed quality control. In this sense, governments will need assistance to make informed choices as they develop and implement their seed rules and regulations.

A regional seed advisory scheme in which the conduct of seed supply and demand surveys, advice on the proper and effective incorporation of the private sector in a manner which addresses national goals, development of guidelines for seed legislation, seed policies, seed security schemes and modalities, etc. will need to be developed to offer seed-related assistance at the regional, sub-regional and national levels in SSA.

Throughout the SSA, it is abundantly clear that decision makers are attaching great importance to improving the seed sector as a means to improving the food security situation in their respective countries. They are equally daunted by the complexity of the subject. More importantly, they are increasingly cognisant of the fact that policy decisions on pricing, incentives and subsidies and other measures affect directly the development of the seed sector.

FAO traditionally has been instrumental in the technical and professional development of the seed systems in the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Now, FAO assistance in the region will put more emphasis on developing strategies, policies and programmes for the advancement of this very important sector.

The Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is greatly indebted to the Government of Côte d'Ivoire for kindly accepting to host this regional technical Meeting on Seed Policy and Programmes for Sub-Saharan Africa, and to the Government of France for providing the financial support for its implementation.

Special thanks are also addressed to the FAO Representation in Côte d'Ivoire and the National Organizing Committee for their competence in the organization of the meeting.

Finally, we sincerely thank all the participants, especially those from Sub-Saharan Africa, resource persons, international organizations, government and non-governmental organizations, and also the private seed companies and associations which responded to FAO's invitation to attend this meeting.

U.G. Menini
Chief, Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service
Plant Production and Protection Division
FAO, Rome

AGPS - Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service (FAO)

AIPO - African Intellectual Property Organization