Yaounde: Experts elaborating seed roadmap for efficient agricultural productivity.

Held under the theme: “Towards a sustainable seed system for maize, rice, cassava, soya bean, wheat, beans and sweet potatoes in Cameroon”.

The workshop which ends May 30, has brought together critical stakeholders who are engaged in different functions in the seed system.

The workshop is within the framework of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation, TAAT, phase II programme. 

It was jointly organised by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, IRAD; the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, IITA; African Agricultural Technology Foundation, AATF; WorldVeg; Africa Rice Centre; Alliance Biodiversity & CIAT, and The African Seed Access Index, TASAI.

It has as objectives to raise awareness on the critical importance on seed sector in pivoting agricultural transformation in Cameroon, raise awareness on the role of quality seed in agricultural transformation, share best practices in building sustainable seed systems leveraging on technical assistance from TAAT to support government goals, and advocate more investments in building seed systems for economic prosperity, including job creation and access to affordable foods.

At the end of the workshop, the seed roadmap elaborated will help channel investments to boost the supply of quality seed of climate-smart and market-preferred varieties to respond to the growing needs for food and industry. It will also see the seed sector policy environment improved to attract private sector investment.

Speaking at the event, Dr Komi K. Mokpokpo Fiaboe, IITA Deputy Country Director, Central Africa Hub and Country Representative of IITA Cameroon, said Africa has for long been depending on food from abroad because of lack of the appropriate technology, thus the need to assess the gap that causes dependence on foreign food.

“This is where TAAT comes in to provide the right technology at the right time,” he said. 

Dr Komi noted that seed is the most important piece in the agricultural production process and thus a strong seed roadmap will lead to Africa feeding itself, and agricultural transformation.

Meanwhile, Dr Nying Charles Shey, Director of Regulation and Quality Control of Agricultural Products and Inputs at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, representing the Secretary General of the ministry, said seeds play a crucial role in agriculture, as a wrong choice of seeds can lead to poor yield and losses.

He added that without good seeds, all other agricultural mechanisms such as use of irrigation, good crop rotation, appropriate fertilizers, among others, will all be in vein. 

The Senior Agricultural Officer added that quality seeds undergo certification and are called Certified Seeds. 

This, he said, are seeds that have gone through all the processes of testing, production, storage and marketing. He said to acquire quality seeds, farmers should go to agro dealers and can identify them by the appropriate labeling.

Dr Nying disclosed that in government’s National Development Strategy 2030, NDS30, it has targeted quality seeds of various farm produce, recalling that in 2001 the government enacted the seed law, which governs production and marketing of seeds in the country.

Agricultural dev’t enshrined in NDS30

Opening the workshop, the Deputy Director General of IRAD, Dr Francis Ngome, representing the Director General, Dr Noe Woin, said Cameroon is home to a substantial amount of arable land, which is used wisely, will enable the country firstly to feed its population well and secondly to limit food imports. 

“These two objectives are so dear to the government of our country that they are clearly enshrined in Cameroon's National Development Strategy for the period 2020 to 2030, NDS30,” he said.

Dr Ngome added that: “It is therefore clearly with this in mind that the African Development Bank…and several of our technical and financial partners have set themselves the task of helping Cameroon in particular, and Africa in general, to meet certain challenges linked to agricultural production and productivity, through the Technologies for Transforming African Agriculture, TAAT, programme”. 

“Given the importance of seeds in all agricultural production activities, we are here today, at the request of the Cameroon Government's senior authorities, to assist certain key players and contribute to the development of its seed roadmap,” he stated.

The workshop will feature two technical sessions; the first focusing on understanding the status of the seed system in Cameroon and what is obtainable in other geographies, while the second will be devoted to breakout sessions for consultative discussions on developing the seed roadmap for individual value chains.