Enhancing Africa’s seed standards

G7 agriculture ministers have launched a new plan to enhance Africa’s participation in the seed certification schemes of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), usually referred to as the OECD Seed Schemes. The plan, which was launched in September 2024, is part of wider efforts to strengthen agricultural activity and its contribution to economic development.

The new G7-OECD Joint Initiative: Strengthening seed certification in Africa aims to improve seed quality, boost yields and farmer incomes, and strengthen agricultural productivity across the continent.

The OECD Seed Schemes provide an international framework for the certification of agricultural seeds in international trade, facilitating the movement of seeds across borders by harmonising certification standards and procedures. Sound seed certification improves domestic production, helps develop export markets and provides farmers, plant breeders and authorities with reassurance on seed quality. Sixty-two countries participate in the Seed Schemes, which have been adopted into national legislation in countries worldwide.

The G7-OECD initiative aims to boost African countries’ capacity to effectively certify seeds. Better certification is expected to reduce fraud, strengthen crop yields and boost the growth potential of the agricultural sector in Africa.

The new G7-OECD initiative will expand uptake of the seed certification schemes to up to 14 African countries over a five-year period. Capacity-building activities will improve countries’ ability to:

• meet global OECD Seed Schemes standards
• facilitate access to quality seeds to farmers, including smallholder farmers
• improve farmers’ and smallholder farmers’ livelihoods
• facilitate trade and access to new markets
• build an inclusive seed system to achieve national food security and sustainability goals, including resilience to climate change

“Better food systems start with better seeds. Since the 1960s, OECD Seed Schemes have been certifying the varietal identity and purity of seed lots destined for international trade, ultimately ensuring farmers can trust the seed they are buying,” says OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann. “This new G7-OECD Joint Initiative, the first of its kind, holds the promise of making a substantial impact on African agriculture, by providing farmers with affordable and accessible seeds capable of responding to the effects of climate change and other unpredictable situations, boosting yields and income for farmers, and ultimately enhancing food security and agricultural productivity across the continent.”

(OECD/ile)

Read more on the OECD website