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The Community of Practice of Seed Security Assessments for the Horn of Africa

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From:
"Okidi, Joseph (FAOKE)" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
The Community of Practice of Seed Security Assessments for the Horn of Africa <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 12 Feb 2015 09:17:12 +0300
Content-Type:
multipart/mixed
Parts/Attachments:
Dear Abdirahman,



Thanks for potting this interesting write up on the PROPOSED CHANGES TO SEED POLICY.  I am interested to know who is behind this proposed seed policy changes in Africa? What I know about plant Variety Protection (PVP) laws is basically to protect the rights of plant breeders within the formal seed sector and I don't think it gas significant impact on the informal seed sector. We might only need to advocate for the protection of indigenous varieties. Sometimes it is the forces of demand and supply  that add or remove a variety from circulation.  Germplasm collection and preservation should be one of our national, regional and international responsibility. 



Regards,



Joseph



-----Original Message-----

From: Abdirahman Osman [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 

Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2015 1:42 AM

To: The Community of Practice of Seed Security Assessments for the Horn of Africa

Subject: Re: KENYA SSA Recommendations We know much more than we think’



Proposed changes to seed policy are over-simplified, unworkable solutions that will ultimately fail – though an elite group of farmers may enjoy some small short term benefits.

As to seeds, all of the participating states agreed to adopt plant variety protection laws and rules for marketing seeds that better support the private sector. Despite the fact that more than 80% of all seed in Africa is still produced and disseminated through ‘informal’

seed systems (on-farm seed saving and unregulated distribution between farmers), there is no recognition in the New Alliance programme of the importance of farmer-based systems of saving, sharing, exchanging and selling seeds.

African governments are being co-opted into reviewing their seed trade laws and supporting the implementation of Plant Variety Protection

(PVP) laws. The strategy is to first harmonise seed trade laws such as border control measures, phytosanitary control, variety release systems and certification standards at the regional level, and then move on to harmonising PVP laws. The effect is to create larger unified seed markets, in which the types of seeds on offer are restricted to commercially protected varieties. The age old rights of farmers to replant saved seed are curtailed and the marketing of traditional varieties of seed is strictly prohibited.

Concerns have been raised about how this agenda privatises seeds and the potential impacts this could have on small-scale farmers. Farmers will lose control of seeds regulated by a commercial system. There are also serious concerns about the loss of biodiversity resulting from a focus on commercial varieties.









 	 	Best Regards

       Abdirahman Ismail SHADO













On 2/9/15, Okidi, Joseph (FAOKE) <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dear all,

>

> BIG QESTION: One of the main  recommendations of the Kenya SSA is that 

> Government (THVCs program), FAO and NGOs should limit or completely 

> stop Direct Seed Distribution (DSD) in the South Eastern Livelihood 

> Zone of Kenya. Do you agree with this recommendation, why?

>

> Regards,

>

> Joseph

>

>

>

> From: The Community of Practice of Seed Security Assessments for the 

> Horn of Africa [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf 

> Of Okidi, Joseph (FAOKE)

> Sent: Friday, February 06, 2015 11:47 AM

> To:

> [log in to unmask]<mailto:CoP-SeedSecurity-L@LISTSERV

> .FAO.ORG>

> Subject: New Year Greetings

>

> I send my sincere gratitude and greetings to all who managed to get to 

> the New Year -2015. It has been a while without any discussion in our 

> community of practice on seed security issues around the horn of 

> Africa (HoA). I know end (2014) and beginning of 2015 had their tolls 

> on our workload, but I believe we all got through.

>

> Seed Security Assessment updates:

>

>

> *         Kenya: Towards the end of last year, FAO Kenya in collaboration

> with County Government (Agricultural Department) conducted a seed 

> security assessment in the South Eastern Livelihood zone. Key findings 

> are as summarized in the attached document.  Any comment on the  

> findings and recommendation is welcome.

>

>

> *         Malawi: The recent flood in Malawi has call for humanitarian

> response. For effective and efficient response, FAO in Collaboration 

> with CRS is organizing a Rapid Seed Security Assessment from 16th to 

> 28th of this month.

>

>

> *         Uganda: A seed security assessment will be conducted in West Nile

> by the Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) Programme with 

> technical support from FAO . This assessment will commence in the 

> second week of March.

>

> Please let us know if you are planning any seed security assessment in 

> your country/region, and do not hesitate to contact us for any 

> technical support.

>

> Wishing you all a happy New Year!!

>

> Regards,

>

> Joseph Okidi

> Regional Seed Security Officer (HoA)

> FAO Kenya

> +254 (0) 733 997696

> +254 (0) 788 508837

>

>

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