Semences en Afrique (3/3) : comment les acteurs privés veulent promouvoir des cultures de qualité 

In Africa, the availability of quality seeds remains low. How do the continent's seed industry and private players intend to change this? FARM interviewed Justin Rakotoarisaona, Secretary General of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA).

• AFSTA in brief: Founded in 2000, AFSTA has 123 members, including private seed companies, national seed trade associations, and seed sector service providers. The organization has several objectives, the main one being to promote the use of quality seeds of improved varieties and to develop private seed businesses in Africa. AFSTA also works to harmonize regulations in Africa to facilitate the cross-border movement of seeds.

The last AFSTA congress was held last March in Dakar. What were the main conclusions and avenues of work?

Several themes were discussed, including the role of Centre of Excellence for Seed Systems in Africa (CESSA) in the development of the seed sector in Africa. CESSA, which began its activities in 2022, is hosted by AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa). We also discussed the challenges and opportunities of implementing the solution in Africa e-Phyto of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)[1]The issue of innovation and new technologies was also addressed.

Finally, we also discussed solutions to improve seed trade in Africa, including the progress made in implementing harmonized seed regulations at the level of the Regional Economic Communities (EAC, ECOWAS, COMESA, SADC) and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area of the African Union. Indeed, regulations are generally complex and poorly harmonized between countries, which makes the production, distribution and cross-border trade of seeds particularly difficult.

Beyond the institutional life and development of AFSTA, members want to act on the obstacles to cross-border trade affecting the movement of seeds on the continent and establish a policy framework that promotes innovation and ensures broad access to innovative tools for the seed sector. Finally, it appeared essential to strengthen ties with seed stakeholders at the national, regional, and global levels.

How is the seed sector structured in Africa today?

In Africa, the formal and informal seed sectors coexist harmoniously in a socio-economic context characterized by farmers' low purchasing power. Indeed, a large proportion of farmers on the continent, most of whom are subsistence farmers, save seeds from their own production and use them from one season to the next. These seeds are then used as seeds, especially for food crops. The formal sector supplies hybrid seeds for field crops as well as vegetable seeds, generally imported from Europe and Asia. Africa's share of the global formal seed market does not exceed 3%.

For a year now, the African Union has been emphasizing the need for the African continent to take control of its agricultural and food destiny. What role do seeds play in achieving food sovereignty in Africa?

Seeds are the foundation of Africa's successful control over its agricultural and food destiny. Thus, AFSTA spares no effort to promote the sustainable use of quality seeds, which guarantees improved farmer yields and, therefore, food security on the continent. Indeed, many are aware of the important role seeds play in ensuring an efficient agricultural sector capable of meeting the needs of the agricultural industry in Africa. The African private seed sector, represented by AFSTA, is also actively participating in the implementation of the African Union's African Biotechnology and Seed Program. This program aims to promote the use of quality seeds for African farmers.

What is the state of seed heritage in Africa and the level of availability of quality seeds for producers?

Overall, seed resources in Africa are conserved in both the public and private sectors. They are able to provide quality seeds to farmers despite significant infrastructure and logistical challenges that sometimes prevent the timely availability of seeds. There is also a fairly developed network of agricultural input traders in Africa, thanks to the efforts and mobilization of private seed companies. Almost all governments in Africa have also made an effort to help farmers access quality seeds.

How are private sector players in Africa working to preserve seed resources, particularly for food crops (millet, cowpea, sorghum, etc.) that are essential to the food security of the population?

Private seed players are profit-oriented, whereas, as we know, margins for food crops, with the exception of hybrid seeds, are generally low compared to other crops. They are therefore less interested in them. In addition, legume seeds that are self-pollinating[2] do not degenerate quickly, allowing farmers to save their seeds. They do so for a few years before replacing them with formal seeds from the private sector. The market volume for this type of crop is therefore small, which limits investment and research capacity. In this context, the public sector is essential, including the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), for the conservation of the germplasm of these crops. They have also licensed their varieties or use a well-established transfer system to private actors who ensure the production of seeds to supply farmers.

To do this, private seed companies sign a contract or agreement with the CGIAR to exploit the species and varieties in which they are interested within the framework of the multilateral system of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). The same applies to national agricultural research centers that develop varieties and make them available to private seed companies through a contract or agreement in exchange for payment of royalties (fees), the amount of which is stipulated in the agreement.

Many stakeholders and institutions are calling for agroecological intensification of agriculture in Africa with a wide range of production options. What challenges does the seed sector face in achieving this?

It should be noted first of all that seed production is not so different from conventional agricultural production, but it requires more intensive care. Seed production must be carried out with specific and well-informed genetic material. The seed sector is concerned with the conservation of the agroecological environment; the adoption of good agronomic practices is essential to minimize the harmful effects of agricultural intensification.

It should also be noted that a significant quantity of seeds marketed by private seed companies are produced under contract by farmers they supervise. They are important links and can adopt agroecological intensification practices while respecting technical seed production guidelines. They cultivate on smaller areas and with less heavy agricultural equipment than that used in seed production under the control of seed companies. They can therefore take care of the environment while ensuring the production of quality seeds.

Generally speaking, the use of quality seeds by farmers contributes significantly to the achievement of agroecological intensification because it allows much more food to be produced on smaller areas.

[1] The e-phyto solution refers to the electronic version of phytosanitary certificates.

[2] So-called "self-pollinating" plants pollinate themselves (self-fertilization), the pollen of one plant fertilizes the ovary of the same plant.