Stakeholders from the Republic of Benin and across Africa are organizing a summit to develop a seed roadmap for the West African region.
The consortium includes the Government of Benin, Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) of the African Development Bank, the Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed System, Phase 2 (BASICS-II) project of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) in Nigeria, Sahel Consulting, and Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA).
The two-day Seed Business Summit, themed “Building a Harmonized Roadmap for Seed Sector Transformation,” is being organized in collaboration with the Beninese Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MAEP) and the Beninese National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRAB), among other stakeholders. The summit will be held from June 20th to 22nd, 2024, in Cotonou, the capital of Benin. It aims to catalyze an agricultural revolution by establishing an economically sustainable seed system for priority crops like rice, cassava, maize, soybean, livestock, fish, sorghum, and millet.
Dr. Solomon Gizaw, Head of the TAAT Clearinghouse, stated, “This summit represents a direct response to the need for a comprehensive audience consultation to identify major challenges, develop solutions, and advocate for more investments in Benin’s agriculture.” He added, “The seed summit will bring together policymakers, international financial institutions, scientists, the private sector, and farmer organizations for a roundtable discussion to broker investments for Beninese agricultural transformation with quality inputs, particularly seed as a primary entry point.”
Prof. Lateef Sanni, BASICS-II Project Manager, explained, “The seed summit will produce outcomes that will form the basis of future investment in Benin’s seed system. It will generate recommendations to help shape the country’s agricultural policies and plans.” Dr. Godwin Atser, Country Director of SAA-Nigeria, emphasized, “The summit will address factors limiting growth in Benin’s agricultural sector, including the underdeveloped seed sector characterized by poor quality seeds, a weak seed regulatory framework, a struggling research system for variety maintenance, and low private sector participation. A solid seed system will surely transform the country’s agricultural landscape. SAA, BASICS-II, TAAT, and other partners will share models currently strengthening the seed systems in Nigeria, Tanzania, D.R. Congo, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.”
The Beninese Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, Gaston Cossi Dossouhoui, is expected to chair the summit’s opening ceremony, supported by other development partners.
In addition to the conveners, numerous national stakeholders, including farmers, seed producers, and international development partners, will participate in the summit. These include the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Bank, the European Union, the World Food Programme (WFP), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), GIZ, and JICA. Other participants include AfricaRice, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the World Vegetable Centre (WorldVeg), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and the WorldFish Centre.
