April 2013

Source: Newsletter of the World Vegetable Center (AVRDC)

The 13th African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) Annual Congress, held from 3-6 March 2013 in Balaclava, Mauritius, attracted 225 delegates from 39 countries to explore seed business
opportunities and strengthen networks among seed stakeholders. The congress was preceded by a half-day workshop hosted by the International Seed Trade Association and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, in which participants analyzed the current status of the African seed industry and charted a way forward for seed sector
development.

Congress attendees heard presentations on intellectual property rights in Africa; protocols on plant variety protection; the West Africa Seed Program; harmonized seed regulations in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); seed treatment, and more. Abdou Tenkouano, Regional Director, AVRDC Regional Center for Africa, gave a talk on  Strengthening vegetable breeding in Africa: Access to traits at the World Vegetable Center.”

Representatives of regional and international organizations attended the congress: International Seed Federation (ISF), Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA), International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), African Regional Intellectual Property Right Organization (ARIPO), Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the African Organization for Intellectual Property Rights (AOIP).

Seed companies had many delegates visiting their exhibition booths and the trading room provided an opportunity for companies to forge new business relationships.

Special interest groups on vegetables and field crops were launched during the meeting of national seed trade associations on March 4. Jacqueline Hughes, AVRDC Deputy Director General - Research will lead the vegetable group; the field crops group will be guided by Denias Zaranyika of Seed Co. Ltd. and John MacRobert of the International Maize and Wheat
Improvement Center (CIMMYT).

The next congress will be held in Tunis, Tunisia from 4-7 March 2014.

Website: https://avrdc.org/

Published: April 19, 2013