Project timeframe: 2010-2013
 

Project goal: to contribute to improved food security of smallholder farmers in the SADC region through increased availability of and access to improved seeds.

  • A major constraint to agricultural productivity and food security in SADC is an inadequate supply of high quality seed due to climatic, economic and social factors.
  • In years of seed shortage member states need to import seeds from neighboring countries. However, this process can be complicated because laws and regulations are disjointed.
  • The implementation of the SADC Harmonized Seed Regulatory System will make a significant difference

Project objectives:

  • Seed variety release policies in the target countries aligned with SADC Protocols
  • Phytosanitary policies in the target countries aligned with SADC Protocols
  • Seed certification policies in the target countries aligned with SADC Proto-cols
  • Measures to operationalize the re-aligned policies introduced and related capacity of government, civil service and other key stakeholders strength-ened
  • Seed certification facilities strengthened and successfully functioning in the four focal countries
 

This project contributes to CAADP:

  •  Pillar 2 – rural infrastructure and trade related capacities for market access;
  • Pillar 3 – food and nutrition security; and
  • Pillar 4– agricultural research, technolo-gy dissemination and adoption

FANRPAN’s pilot project (2010-13) in four SADC member states aims to pro-vide enabling support to domesticate the regional seed protocol.

The four pilot countries are: Malawi; Swaziland; Zambia and Zimbabwe

FANRPAN makes use of the following instruments:

  •  Policy dialogue platforms
  •  Policy research and advocacy
  •  Review of national policy and legislation
  •  Training of farmers
  •  Monitoring, evaluation, learning and knowledge sharing mine compliance with the SADC Seed Certification System