Actualité

CORAF in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), is organizing from September 15 to 17, 2025 in Accra, Ghana, the 10th ordinary meeting of the Regional Committee on Seeds and Seedlings of West Africa and the Sahel (CRSPAO).

This annual meeting will bring together representatives of the Member States, regional and sub-regional seed institutions, technical and financial partners as well as farmers' organizations to assess the progress made in implementing the harmonized regional seed regulation adopted by the 3 Intergovernmental Organizations in 2018.

The main objective of this meeting is to review the implementation of the recommendations from the 9th session, held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in 2024, and to assess the progress made by ECOWAS-UEMOA-CILSS member countries in implementing harmonized regional seed regulations. 

"We need to intensify our efforts to ensure that harmonized seed regulations are dynamic instruments that facilitate seed trade, promote quality assurance and improve farmers' access to improved varieties." highlights Mr. John DUMELO, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture of the Republic of Ghana.

To fully achieve this objective, States will need to prioritize the application of seed regulations. The ECOWAS Commission recognizes the central role of seeds in improving agricultural productivity, which depends largely on the availability of quality seeds in a timely and appropriate manner. 

"The role of the Harmonized Regional Seed Regulation is therefore very clear, as it facilitates the trade of seeds in West Africa and the Sahel and thus contributes to the increase in the volume of certified seeds marketed in our countries" says Dr Emmanuel GLÉ, representative of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture.

The effective harmonization of seed regulations in the ECOWAS-UEMOA-CILSS area should eventually allow for the free movement of certified seeds, thus contributing to the improvement of agricultural productivity and food self-sufficiency in West Africa and the Sahel. CORAF, mandated by ECOWAS, UEMOA and CILSS to implement and ensure the technical secretariat of the CRSPAO, will continue to play a central role in the coordination and animation of these consultation platforms, with the technical and financial support of its partners, in order to ensure effective implementation of harmonized seed regulations.

"The multiplication of seeds remains insufficient to cover our needs, certification systems are still malfunctioning, and above all, trade barriers continue to hinder the free movement of seeds between our countries. These challenges call for innovative solutions and renewed political will." says Dr. Moumini SAVADOGO, Executive Director of CORAF. 

In its capacity as the Permanent Secretariat of the CRSPAO, CORAF will continue, with the support of its technical and financial partners, its coordination efforts to ensure effective implementation of harmonized regulations and accelerate producers' access to quality seeds. 

About CORAF

CORAF, a sub-regional organization made up of the national agricultural research systems of twenty-three countries in West and Central Africa, has the mandate to coordinate the implementation of subregional agricultural research policies as defined by governments. Created in 1987 with its Executive Secretariat in Dakar, Senegal, CORAF’s main objective is to improve livelihoods in West and Central Africa, through sustainable increases in agricultural production and productivity and to promote competitiveness and markets.

Learn more: www.coraf.org/

For more information : 

Christel KENOU, Communication Manager, CORAF

Mail :  [email protected]