Nairobi: Harmonization of seed policies and regulations has been identified as a crucial factor in improving seed production, reliability, trade, and the competitiveness of the seed industry in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region.
According to Kenya News Agency, COMESA, through its specialized agency, the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), has initiated the COMESA Seed Trade Harmonization Regulations to address these issues. ACTESA Chief Executive Officer Dr. John Mukuka highlighted that only 20 percent of the 90 million smallholder farmers in the COMESA region currently have access to quality and improved seeds.
Speaking in Nairobi at the regional COMESA Seed Harmonization Plan (COMSHIP), Dr. Mukuka noted that approximately 130 million people in the COMESA region are food insecure, with chronic poverty and hunger affecting a significant portion of the 610 million population. The potential seed market in the region is estimated at 2 million metric tons of quality and improved seed. However, less than 500,000 metric tons are currently produced and accessed, representing merely 2 percent of the global seed production and value.
Dr. Mukuka explained that the regional seed market's fragmentation into small national markets, each with its own seed policies and regulations, poses a challenge. Seed companies must enter each market separately, leading to increased costs and delays in delivering quality seeds to small-scale farmers. The COMESA Seed Trade Harmonization Regulations aim to expedite the implementation process at both national and regional levels. The Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme (RECAMP), funded under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), is actively supporting this effort.
Progress on COMSHIP since 2015 includes the registration of 119 seed varieties from 20 seed companies and CGIAR centers within the COMESA region. These regulations allow seed companies to commercialize their seeds without the previously required two to three-year wait. The regulations have been officially gazetted in 11 COMESA Member States, with the Democratic Republic of Congo set to follow by May 2025.
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) Managing Director Prof. Theophilus Mutui emphasized the importance of high-quality, certified seeds for optimal yields and sustainable farming. KEPHIS has developed robust regulatory frameworks and quality assurance systems, participating in the COMESA Regional Seed Harmonization from its inception.
COMESA European Development Fund (EDF) Programme Manager Mshuka Kamwela recognized the financial support from the European Union through the 11th EDF Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme (RECAMP) as vital in raising awareness, building institutional capacity, and aligning national seed laws with COMESA regulations. Kamwela highlighted the commitment of all Member States and stakeholders to improve regional seed trade and enhance food security in the region.