Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia account for 82% of seeds produced in ECA Increased farmer participation Evolution of seed sector policies in Eastern and Central Africa Michael Waithaka 1, Miriam Kyotalimye 1 and Evans Sikinyi 2 Introduction Seed is life and any seed scarcity normally implies food security concerns especially given inadequate national capacities to hold strategic seed and food reserves. Prior to 1999, the seed industry in Eastern and Central Africa (ECA) was fraught with policy bottlenecks that limited both trade and access to seed for farmers across the region. The seed industry was dominated by the public sector, variety release processes were lengthy and cumbersome, capacity for certification was limited, quarantine procedures were a burden, plant variety protection systems were not in place, and the procedures for export and import were haphazard. In 1999, ASARECA launched seed sector policy studies in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Followed by national and regional workshops to identify five key areas for regional policy harmonisation. Key achievements are summarised below. Unfolding impacts Between 2002 and 2008, local seed production tripled from 43,000 tones to 122,000 tones while seed imports into the region almost doubled from 9,000 tones to 15,000 tones. Intra-ECA seed trade more than tripled as seed exports from Kenya and Uganda have gradually increased from less than 1,000 tones to more than 3,000 tones. Proportionately, Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia accounted for 36%, 32% and 14% of the total seed produced over the period while Tanzania produced the least amount of seed in the region at 4%. The harmonization of seed policies in the ECA region has seen a general increase in seed price stability for maize seed, which benefits commercial farmers. Improved seeds policy environment in the region has led to a substantial expansion in seed maize production in Kenya and Uganda by 235% and 255% respectively. Seed production in Tanzania shrunk by about 40% after the harmonization of seed policies. The decline in Tanzanian seed maize production is compensated for by the increased seed maize imports from South Africa. On the other hand, Kenya’s seed maize exports to Uganda and Tanzania increased by 66% and 105% respectively. Consequently, the harmonization of seed policies increases consumer surplus in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania by 41%, 423% and 1,150% respectively. Similarly, producer surplus for seed maize growers in Kenya and Uganda respectively increased by 270% and 203% but decreases by 28% in Tanzania. Overall, the implementation of the harmonized seed policies translates into a gain in welfare of about US$128 million for the three countries. Given that these three countries account for only 44% of the regions seed maize industry, the total welfare gain for the entire ECA region can be estimated at US$727 million. Key milestones in seed industry policy reforms 2002 Detailed harmonisation agreement on seed sector policy reforms and a Seed Regional Working Group (S-RWG) formed to oversee reforms; National seed sector policy studies undertaken in remaining ASARECA countries; Tanzania enacts the Protection of New Plant Varieties (Plant Breeders’ Rights) Act, Tanzania reviews seed industry legislation and enacts a new Seed Act as per provisions of harmonisation agreement; Rwanda enacts a new Seed Act 2004 S-RWG revamped to form the Eastern Africa Seed Committee (EASCOM), a public –private partnership of policy makers, breeders, the national seed agency and the national seed trade associations to hasten progress of a harmonised seed industry policy regime in the region 2005 Operationalizing of the Tanzania Plant Breeders’ Rights Law ; Uganda accedes to OECD Field Certification Schemes 2006 Ethiopia enacts the Seed Proclamation 2006 with some of the provisions; Uganda reviews 1994 Agricultural Seeds and Plant Act and enacts The Seeds and Plant Act 2006 as per provisions of the harmonisation agreement 2007 Regional seed certification standards developed for Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, followed by joint field inspections to harmonise procedures; Tanzania gazettes seed industry regulations to implement the Seed Act Burundi publishes first national variety catalogue 2009Kenya enacts national performance trials regulations (Kenya NPT regulations 2009) and subsidiary legislation - the seeds and plant varieties (seeds) regulations, Burundi national seed trade Association (COPROSEBU) launched; Rwanda enacts three ministerial decrees to enable implementation of the Rwanda Seed Act 2003; Madagascar publishes first national variety catalogue 2011Kenya launches national seed policy; Uganda’s Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Bill reviewed by parliamentary committee on agriculture; Regional quarantine pest list prepared for Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda; Regional variety catalogue updated for ASARECA. Acknowledgement: This work was made possible through a collaboration of national seed trade associations, ministries of agriculture, National Research Institutes and breeders, national seed certification and plant protection agencies. Support from United States Agency for International Development - East Africa (USAID-EA) is appreciated. 1 Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) 2 Eastern Africa Seed Committee (EASCOM) Total domestic seed production increased from 43,000 tons in 2002 to 122,000 tons in 2008 Returnees from IDP camps in Gulu, Uganda contracted by Victoria Seed Company as rice seed growers Mr and Mrs. Bbosa - NASECO seed company contract seed growers in Kibaale, Uganda attribute their improved wellbeing to seed production Seed industry regulators in ASARECA countries undergo training in conducting Distinctiveness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) procedures at KEPHIS Lanet in 2009 Uganda Seed Trade Association (USTA) members undergoing quality management training during an exchange visit at the Kenya Seed Company in 2009