Source: SADC

Agriculture is the most important sector for economic growth and development in most SADC countries. It is sad however, that agricultural production continues to lag behind the needs of a rapid growing population. Most countries in the SADC region are not food secure.

In the words of Honourable Benjamin Mkapa, His Excellency, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania: “SADC should avoid always to be in the news for wrong things – hunger”. He was raising concerns about the large number of malnourished people in the region and that many of the hungry poor were the farmers themselves!

In achieving increased productivity, availability and access to agricultural inputs especially seeds is important because they determine the potential for yield as well as the productivity of other inputs. Despite the importance of seed,  both access and availability of quality seed continue to be a problem in the SADC region and this has contributed in part to food insecurity.
 

Movement of seed from one SADC Member State to another is hampered by the diverse and fragmented seed regulations. As a result of this, countries in seed deficit are unable to take advantage of the benefits of surpluses in other Member States.
 

In addressing this difficulty, the SADC Seed Security Network through guidance of Food Agriculture and Natural Resources Directorate has facilitated technical discussions on the need to harmonizing seed regulations. At their recent technical meeting, regional seed experts finalized technical specifications regarding crop variety release, seed certification and phytosanitary for seed. The experts further requested SADC Secretariat through the Seed Network to begin the process of presenting the technical specifications to higher levels with the view to seeking their approval. It is envisaged that when approved at policy and political levels, the harmonized specifications will facilitate easier movement of seed in the SADC region.
 

SADC Seed Security Network on a mission to present Harmonized Technical Specifications at higher levels
 

The SADC seed Security Network has been and is still on a long and arduous mission to take technical specifications developed by seed experts to higher levels in the SADC Member States. This is as a result of a realization that for the specifications to be implemented, they will have to be approved at the Council of Ministers. The missions which have already covered Member States including Angola, Malawi. Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe are designed to:
 

·     Present technical specifications and facilitate ownership at policy levels;

·     Seek  support of Member States in the future discussions of Senior Officials and Council of Ministers;

·     Seek advice on the issues of implementation and institutional support and

·     Any other issue incidental to the foregoing.                            
 

The months of October and November will be dedicated to completing the missions in readiness for a workshop of senior officials in Maputo, Mozambique in early December. Indications so far in the interaction made suggest that Member States are in full support of this initiative and appreciate the benefits that it brings