Opening Up the Markets for Seed Trade in Africa

Keyser, John C.

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ACCESS TO FERTILIZER;    ACCESS TO MARKETS;    ADB;    AFRICAN FARMERS;    AGRIBUSINESS;   

RP-ID  :  81834

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Despite its vast agriculture potential,Africa is increasingly dependent on food imports from therest of the world to satisfy its consumption needs. Foodoutput has not kept pace with population growth, and morethan 80 percent of production gains since 1980 have comefrom the expansion of cropped areas rather than from greaterproductivity of areas already cultivated. This paper looksat the current requirements for seed trade in Africa, theobstacles, status of ongoing plans for regionalharmonization, challenges of harmonization, andopportunities for near-term improvement. With Africaincreasingly dependent on food imports, regional economiccommunities have been discussing harmonized seed policiesfor many years. While agreement on key regulationspertaining to variety release, seed certification, andphytosanitary control is now falling into place, improvedfarmer access to quality seeds are many years away due tocapacity limitations and legal obstacles. Without relying oncomplex rules, experience elsewhere shows there are manysimple options for improved seed trade that Africangovernments can implement directly while continuing to worktowards full harmonization.