The African Union is in the process of finalizing a draft protocol on intellectual property rights under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), sparking concerns among civil society organizations about the potential impacts on seed systems and the rights of smallholder farmers. While the AfCFTA, enacted in May 2019, seeks to dismantle global trade barriers and enhance intra-African trade as part of the AU Agenda 2063, the inclusion of plant varieties, genetic resources, and traditional knowledge within the intellectual property rights protocol has raised alarm. Critics argue that such regulations could undermine the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across the continent, who are pivotal to Africa's food security and economy. Susan Nakacswa of GRAIN emphasizes, "You cannot protect or help farmers rights when you are talking about plant breeders’ rights," highlighting the clash between farmers' rights and plant breeders' interests. With an estimated 33 million smallholder farms in Africa, primarily managed by women, the stakes are high. These farms are crucial for the continent’s food supply, relying on traditional, subsistence farming practices. Famara Diedhiou of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) adds, “We are a continent where about 60 percent of the population depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. So whenever a protocol, or whenever a policy is related to agriculture, we need to wake up and stand up to see what it is about,” underscoring the urgency for advocacy and vigilance in the face of policies that could affect agricultural livelihoods and food sovereignty in Africa.