Africa
THE Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, the West African Economic and Monetary Union, WAEMU, and the Inter-State Center for Drought Control in the Sahel, CILSS, in collaboration with CORAF organized the 9th ordinary meeting of the Regional Committee for Seeds and Plants of West Africa and the Sahel, CRSPAOS,from September 18 to 20, 2024 in Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire.
This annual meeting brought together representatives of ECOWAS and Sahel Member States, regional and sub-regional seed institutions, technical and financial partners as well as farmers’ organizations to assess progress made in the implementation of the harmonized regional seed regulation adopted by ECOWAS in 2008.
The main objective of this meeting was to take stock of the implementation of the recommendations of the 8th session, which was held in Bissau in 2023, to assess the state of application of the harmonized regional seed regulations of the member countries of the ECOWAS-CILSS area and to assess progress in the establishment of the Regional Fertilizer Committees, COACE, and Pesticide Approval Committees, COAHP.
The proper implementation of regional seed regulations goes hand in hand with the strengthening of the seed sector within each Member State. We must therefore, at the level of our countries, significantly increase the capacities of all stakeholders in the national seed value chain in order to enable them to benefit from the harmonization of seed regulations, underlines Professor Pascal KT ANGUI, Director General of Food Production and Security, representing Mr. Kobenan Kouassi ADJOUMANI, Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production of Côte d’Ivoire.
To fully achieve this objective, States will have to prioritize the implementation of seed regulations. The ECOWAS Commission recognizes the important role of quality seeds in improving agricultural productivity to achieve the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy, ECOWAP, and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, CAADP. The Harmonized Regional Seed Regulation aims, among other things, to create favorable conditions for the emergence of a strong seed industry, capable of ensuring a regular supply, at the right time, of quality seeds and in sufficient quantity in the sub-region, said Madam
Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture.
The effective harmonization of seed regulations in the ECOWAS-UEMOA-CILSS area should ultimately allow the free movement of certified seeds, thus contributing to improving agricultural productivity and food self-sufficiency in West Africa and the Sahel. CORAF, mandated by ECOWAS, UEMOA and CILSS to implement and provide the technical secretariat of CRSPAO, will continue to play a central role in coordinating and facilitating these consultation platforms, with the technical and financial support of its partners, in order to ensure effective implementation of harmonized seed regulations.
The Regional Committee for Seeds and Plants of West Africa and the Sahel remains a key instrument for boosting agricultural development in West Africa and the Sahel, as it enables the implementation of regionally agreed strategies, to contribute to the emergence of a strong regional seed industry” declares Moumini SAVADOGO, Executive Director of CORAF.
By assessing the progress of the previous session held in Bissau in 2023, this 9th edition will constitute a platform for exchanges on the accreditation of seed systems to OECD standards and the establishment of fertilizer control and pesticide approval committees.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Regional Plan for Preparedness and Response to Pest and Disease Epidemics in West and Central Africa was officially launched.
The ceremony was chaired by Professor Pascal KT ANGUI, Director General of Food Production and Security of Côte d’Ivoire representing the Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production of Côte d’Ivoire. It was attended by the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture of ECOWAS, officials from UEMOA, CILSS and technical and financial partners.
A.I
Sept. 24, 2024
Tags: ECOWAS Professor Pascal KT ANGUI
