On the sidelines of the 2022 edition of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) Congress, Dr. Kulani Machaba from South Africa was elected President of the Association.
He succeeds Kenyan Azariah Soi, who has served as AFSTA’s President since 2020.
Dr. Kulani Machaba takes the reins of AFSTA for a mandate of two (02) years. He is expected to hand over the baton to first Vice-President Dr. Amadou Sarr of Senegal, next year.
The newly elected President intends to use his mandate to rapidly advance the current strategic plan of the Alliance and create a conducive environment to innovation in the seed trade in Africa.
To achieve this, he will focus on improving services to AFSTA members by promoting the transboundary movement of quality seeds in Africa and improving partnerships and collaboration with various seed trade stakeholders.
Dr. Machaba has over 20 years of experience in the agricultural sector and seed regulation.
He was a long time member of the AFSTA’s Board of Directors, representing the South African National Seed Organization (SANSOR), of which he is a long-standing member.
Dr. Machaba is the Regulatory Leader for Corteva Agriscience’s Africa and Middle-East region.
Founded in 2000, AFSTA is an umbrella association that brings together National Seed Associations and seed companies in Africa, with the aim of creating an adequate regulatory, phytosanitary and commercial framework and environment to foster the circulation and availability of quality seeds to farmers across the continent.