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

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From:
Mawadri Stephen <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Mawadri Stephen <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 12 Feb 2015 17:35:23 +0000
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Dear all.I think direct seed distributionis inevitable but the system can be minimized by encouraging farmers to savetheir own seeds. In conflict situations, farmers’ seed saving systems can bedisorganized and they may need to be supported with DSD. Secondly, whenintroducing new cultivars you would need to the same. But all these have to bepreceded with assessments so that farmers’ interests are taken into account.Many organizations rush to procurement of seeds without doing assessments andthese results to introduction of alien seeds that are either rejected by thefarmers in preference to the common ones or not planted especially when blanketseed distribution is done where trainings may not be provided due to large sizeof the beneficiaries. I always believe that farmers’ seed saving system is verysustainable if we can build strong farmers institutions. I know some seeds aredifficult for farmers to save for instance onions and cabbages but othervegetable seeds, pulses, cereals and grains can be saved. I have seen manyfarmers suffer in hands of unscrupulous seed dealers who supply fake seeds whichare not viable, impure and wrong varieties (labeling is different with what isactually inside the sack) and this is common with sorghum seeds. I also preferto buy unshelled groundnuts from farmers than to buy shelled ones from seedcompanies because the later loses viability faster than the other. Stephen MawadriSouth Sudan 

     On Thursday, February 12, 2015 1:15 PM, Thomas Osborn <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
   

 Regarding the discussion on seed policy. National seed policy should be developed with all the seed sector stakeholder the government, private sector and farmers so there is a shared vision of the seed sector both formal and informal. These are national policy and national decisions.
As Joseph says, PVP is to provide IPR protection to those that spend the time and money to develop new varieties. IPR protection is not so much against farmer saving and trading but against other seed companies taking (stealing) the new variety and eventually selling it on the market. An example is Kenya that  has PVP in compliance with UPOV, and a vibrant a seed industry but there are still plenty of improved varieties being traded in the local market as is evident in the recent Kenya SSA.
PVP, depending on how it is written in the country, has provisions for farmers to save and plant seed from the harvest for the next season. PVP does not affect traditional varieties but only registered varieties with PVP protection. 
Quite frankly because of the ease of farmer seed saving of self-pollinated varieties most seed companies focus on hybrids and vegetable seed for which seed saving is more problematic. They know when they produce self-pollinated varieties that farmers will not purchase it so often unlike hybrids that must be purchased every year.

Regards

Tom

-----Original Message-----
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: Thursday, February 12, 2015 7:17 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: PROPOSED CHANGES TO SEED POLICY

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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