AFRICAN SEED NETWORK (ASN)

The ASN was formed at the Seed Policy and Programmes Meeting for Sub-Saharan Africa held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire in November 1998. The first meeting of the ASN board was held in Harare in October 1999. Six project profiles were developed at this meeting. These are as follows: · Strengthening the seed industry in Sub-Saharan Africa through Networking; · Seed Information Management System for Agro-ecological and Socio-economic Data on Crop Varieties; · Regional Harmonisation of Seed Rules and Regulations; · Support to the Improvement of Quality Seed Production and Distribution Systems; · Building Farmers´ Capacity to Restore their Seed Supply Systems in Disaster Situations in Sub-Saharan Africa; · Capacity-building through Training in Seed Production and Management and Information Dissemination.

The structure of the African Seed Network

Some information on the roles of the Scientific and Technical Working Groups of the Seed Network is as follows:

I. Working Group on Seed Information Management Systems for Agro-ecological and Socio-economic Data on Crop Varieties

Objective: The purpose of this working group is to construct sub-regional relational databases on agro-ecological and socio-economic information relative to crop varieties which are currently grown in the field and used in plant improvement programmes. These data then can be aggregated into a regional database and information disseminated as needed through electronic media, newsletters and other fora.

II. Working Group on the Harmonisation of Seed Rules and Regulation

Objective: The purpose of this working group is to focus on the analysis of existing seed rules and regulations in SSA in order to discern those that have established an enabling environment for or are constraints to seed commercialisation and trade within and across borders.

III. Working Group on Demand Driven Seed Supply Systems

Objective: The purpose is to develop participatory approaches to the development of crop varieties adapted to the agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions under which small-scale farmers manage their crop production systems to assure that farmers have a secure access to good quality seeds of adapted varieties.

IV. Working Group on Disaster Preparedness and Response

Objective: FAO has a comparative advantage to design effective strategies to co-ordinated actions of all stakeholders involved in disaster preparedness, response and rehabilitation activities in disaster-prone areas procure, multiply and distribute seed of adapted varieties to farming communities affected by disasters.

V. Working Group on Training and Dissemination of Information

Objective: The purpose is to develop an inventory of past and present training programmes in the region intended to strengthen and improve on-farm seed and planting material production and management systems.