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The USAID Mission to West Africa, on behalf of the ECOWAS Department of Agriculture and Water Resources' group of technical and financial partners, has convened key regional players for a roundtable discussion focusing on the region's prospects and priorities for the formulation of programs related to agricultural inputs, fertilizers, technology and seeds. The forum is part of the new ECOWAS regional agricultural investment plan. The forum took place at the CORAF/WECARD Executive Secretariat headquarters on October 19, 2016 in Dakar. The meeting was facilitated by Ms. Shirley Erves of the USAID-West Africa Mission.

Focusing on the theme: "Improving producers' access to improved seeds and fertilizers: The next step in regional planning", the round table provided a platform for discussions between strategic partners such as ECOWAS, UEMOA (represented by ECOWAS), CILSS, Hub Rural, IFDC, AFSTA-West Africa, the Seed Enterprise Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN), the Regional Association of Fertilizer Professionals (WAFA), CORAF/WECARD and USAID. The aim is to facilitate regional understanding of the constraints and opportunities for increasing the availability and accessibility of quality, adapted fertilizers and seeds.

With the ambition of playing a leading role in the implementation of regional seed programs, CORAF/WECARD, through its Executive Director Dr. Abdou Tenkouano, presented the institution's new orientation in order to respond effectively to the new visions of regional agricultural policies. The aim is to drive modern, sustainable agriculture, based on the effectiveness and efficiency of small-scale farmers and the promotion of agricultural enterprises through greater involvement of the private sector.

The forum brought together all the main stakeholders in the Seed Program coordinated by CORAF/WECARD and IFDC's Fertilizer Program for West Africa, to take stock not only of the constraints, but also of the opportunities that need to be capitalized on to boost growth in the agricultural inputs industry.

Among the main constraints, the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) pointed out that access to the credit and equipment needed to develop private enterprises, and farmers' access to inputs, are major obstacles to the growth of the agricultural inputs industry, particularly seeds. Participants also pointed to cross-border restrictions on the movement of fertilizers and seeds.

To meet these challenges, CORAF/WECARD remains convinced that science, technology, innovation and appropriate policies must be applied to the agricultural inputs sector. Consequently, Dr. Abdou Tenkouano, underlined CORAF/WECARD's contribution to the Scientific Consortium for Agriculture (S4AC), a recently established coordination platform for collective action by Africa's supra-national agricultural research and development organizations to advance the implementation of the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa (S3A). The aim is to "facilitate access to inputs of good quality and quantity to meet the needs and means of small-scale producers", declared Dr Abdou Tenkouano.

In conclusion, participants agreed on a holistic approach to input-related issues (seeds, fertilizers and pesticides), and consequently on the need for a common program on agricultural inputs in place of projects managed individually by institutions. They also recommended the implementation of a regional program by ECOWAS, UEMOA, CILSS, CORAF/WECARD and their partners, including USAID, the World Bank and the African Development Bank, addressing the concerns of both the private sector and producers. The private sector and farmers' organizations must be placed at the forefront of such a program in order to effectively increase access to and use of agricultural inputs in line with the objectives of regional/national agricultural investment plans.