AFSTA 2025: A call to action to overcome challenges threatening Africa’s Seed Sector

Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (Minagri), urged the participants of the 25^th African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) Annual Congress, taking place in Kigali, to utilize it as an opportunity to explore solutions to the challenges hindering the growth of the seed industry in Africa.

The AFSTA annual congress, the only one of its kind in Africa, brings together leading seed traders and producers, traditionally covering a broad range of topics in the seed value chain.This year’s Congress, officially opened on 3 March 2025, has coincided withcelebrating AFSTA’s 25 years of existence.

It will focus on discussions around future trends and vision for transforming Africa into a dynamic seed trade hub for sustainable growth in the agricultural sector and enhanced food security. It will also dwell on strategies of scaling up technologies and innovations in the seed system and how public-private partnerships can unlock opportunities for seed SMEs.

In his opening remarks, Eric Rwigamba, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Resources, said that to build resilient and inclusive seed systems that promote food security and position Africa as a key player in the global seed industry, there is a need to fostering collaboration, innovation, knowledge exchange and a co-shared vision.

“Looking ahead, the continued partnership between national associations, like in our case the National Seed Association of Rwanda (NSAR), AFSTA, development partners and Government will be crucial in addressing emerging challenges while aligning with PSTA 5 and Vision 2050. We will need to emphasize and prioritize investment in research and development, climate finance, new breeding techniques, capacity building, regulatory reforms and innovative seed technologies.”

“I therefore encourage all participants to utilize this congress as an opportunity to explore solutions to the challenges hindering the growth of the seed industry in Africa. Our collective strength lies in our ability to collaborate, innovate and drive change together. Through shared commitment, we can build a more resilient, prosperous and food-secure Africa.”

Innocent Namuhoranye, the Chairperson of National Seed Association of Rwanda, said that the AFSTA Congress 2025 comes to Kigali at a time the Rwandan Government’s efforts are geared towards shifting from being a market actor in the seed sector to a market enabler, emphasizing the private sector’s role in the seed industry.

“Rwanda is at the forefront of accelerating development in seed production and trade through the use of technology, and the laws related to seed production and trade are being respected. This goes hand in hand with speeding up reforms to align with those of more developed countries, and collaborating with them in ways that bring mutual benefits.”

According to Amadou Sarr, President of AFSTA, this organization, which is currently active in 48 countries and has 28 national associations, has contributed significantly to the drafting of regulations and lobbying regarding seed production in Africa.

“When I look at the progress that has been made, the results are quite interesting and satisfying because today, the availability of seeds and yield are more important. It improves the situation for producers and also contributes to food security. So, seeds are life; they are the way to participate in food self-sufficiency and food security.”

The challenges lie in barriers between countries, lack of communication, and the failure to support the development by the private sector, he emphasized.

Allelua of Agriseeds Ltd, a company specialized in agricultural seeds supply and marketing in Rwanda, said, “The challenge is that in Rwanda, there are no companies that produce vegetable seeds. Importing them from other countries is very expensive, which makes them expensive for farmers as well. This leads them to look for cheaper ones, but often these are not of good quality”.

The AFSTA congress will end on March 6, 2025, after a special policy dialogue meeting on Plant Breeding Innovation and Biotechnology between the seed industry players and the policymakers including the top government officials from more than 10 countries and the representatives of the African Union.