Published: 30 June 2025

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has launched a regional seed certification and labelling system designed to enhance seed quality, strengthen cross-border trade, and improve food security across its member states. The initiative, which was officially unveiled in Zambia on Thursday, is expected to significantly transform the seed industry by increasing traceability and competitiveness in the regional agricultural market.

The move is the culmination of years of collaborative work involving national seed authorities, national plant protection organisations, the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), national seed trade associations, and the COMESA Seed Committee. These stakeholders have worked closely to harmonise standards that have historically varied from one member state to another.

COMESA Secretary General Dr John Mukuka said the launch addresses one of the most pressing issues in the region's agricultural sector: limited access to quality seed. He revealed that only 20 percent of the 90 million smallholder farmers in the COMESA region currently have access to improved seeds, a situation affecting approximately 130 million people and contributing to widespread food insecurity and poverty.

Dr Mukuka highlighted that the potential seed market within COMESA could reach 2 million tonnes annually, but current production and distribution remain drastically low-less than 50,000 tonnes-representing just 2 percent of global seed production and market value. He attributed this shortfall to a fragmented seed market where each country maintains its own policies and regulations, making regional seed trade expensive and inefficient.

In response to these challenges, COMESA, through its specialised agency, the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), developed the COMESA Seed Harmonisation Implementation Plan (COMSHIP) in 2014. The plan aims to standardise seed laws across the region, ease trade barriers, and support seed companies and small-scale farmers alike. It includes provisions to facilitate the domestication of regional regulations, raise awareness, and monitor implementation.

To date, eleven countries, including Zimbabwe, Egypt, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, and Zambia, have officially adopted the COMESA Seed Trade Harmonisation Regulations. Between 2016 and 2017, over 200 seed inspectors, analysts, and quarantine officers were trained in thirteen member states, reinforcing capacity to monitor and enforce seed quality standards.

The launch also saw the introduction of the COMESA Seed Information System (COMSIS) manual, developed in May, which outlines regional protocols for variety testing, registration, seed certification, and phytosanitary procedures.

AFSTA Secretary General Dr Yacouba Diallo expressed strong support for the harmonisation effort, noting that his organisation would continue to mobilise the industry for broad adoption of the certification label to ensure smooth movement of quality seed across borders.

European Union representative Ms Christiane Haziyo also welcomed the development, describing it as a strategic breakthrough for agriculture in the region. She said fragmented regulations, inconsistent certification standards, and varying quarantine measures had long hindered efficient seed trade. The new system, she noted, will reduce costs for producers, support seed companies, and give smallholder farmers improved access to quality inputs.

"This is not just a technical achievement; it is a critical step towards ensuring food security, promoting economic development, and improving the livelihoods of millions across the COMESA region," said Haziyo.

With agriculture playing a vital role in the region's economies and employment, stakeholders believe the regional seed certification and labelling system will usher in a new era of agricultural growth, resilience, and sustainability.
- The Herald

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