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For anyone struggling with the complexities of development, the search for transferable models can be difficult.

In West Africa, the ongoing challenges of low investment in seeds, insufficient private sector involvement in the industry, lack of public-private partnerships and poor quality seeds may have found a solution.

All this is made possible by an innovative program of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) implemented since 2012. Entitled, Programme semencier de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (PSAO), today credited with significantly improving seed availability for farmers and enabling countries to adopt legislation authorizing cross-border exchanges.

Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank (WB) and other donors, PSAO has succeeded in bringing together key players in the region to work together to make quality seeds accessible to West African farmers.

Satisfied with the results of the PSAO model, key industry partners in West Africa met in June 2017 to learn from the model, identify lessons and establish a roadmap to take the West African seed industry to the next level.

At this meeting, concrete recommendations emerged to ensure that the model is expanded in proportion to the potential of the seed industry and the ambition of the region's governments and communities. Below are the three-dimensional recommendations on regulation, agro-industry and financing to be put forward in the next phase of the program, as well as by stakeholders (policy makers, development programs, national and regional seed systems).

Seed Regulations

Improve implementation of seed regulations at country level. There is a need to deepen the implementation of the ECOWAS Seed Regulation by further including the public sector, creating and mentoring country certification teams, strengthening certification facilities and establishing cost-effective certification procedures.

Expand quality assurance using alternative quality control models. The pursuit of alternative quality control systems such as the declared quality system and the use of accredited private seed testing facilities should reduce the cost of seed certification and extend the benefits of seed testing to cover a wider range of crops.

Minimizing obstacles to the cross-border movement of seeds. Concerted efforts should be made to minimize obstacles to cross-border trade, by training non-traditional players and lobbying decision-makers and other national and regional partners.
Grouping together to advance the seed sector. It was felt that when participating countries are grouped according to their degree of advancement in the seed harmonization process, particularly in terms of capacity, facilities and results, faster overall results would be achieved as interventions targeted, according to different needs for better results for each group.

Agro-industry sector

Expand the use of the PSAO business model. The PSAO business model has proven to be an appropriate tool and needs to be consolidated, extended, adopted more widely and made more accessible to partners by promoting and sharing the model among ASIWA stakeholders.

Improving demand for quality seed. Creating demand for quality seeds was considered a weak link. In a possible follow-up to PSAO. An important demand component should be incorporated, involving extension, research and private sector empowerment, aimed at increasing demand for seed and strengthening the seed value chain of all crops covered to establish a solid foundation on which the industry will thrive.

Financing

Improving credit and financial support for the seed industry. The private sector must advocate improved credit provision for the seed industry, as well as the full institutionalization of the Seed Sector Support Fund enshrined in the Regulations, and its sustainable applicability to all elements essential to the growth of the industry in participating countries.

For details of the full report on the learning event, please click here.
Independent mid-term evaluation highlights model elements to build on
An independent mid-term evaluation of the program in 2016 highlighted successful approaches that could be scaled up to enable the seed industry to kick-start the desired transformation in agriculture.

This involves the implementation of harmonized regional seed regulations in 17 West African countries and the promotion of the seed demand forecasting tool. Other successes of this model include the creation of business models, the leveraging of public-private partnership in the seed sector, the resilience of regional seeds, and the establishment of an essential monitoring and evaluation system.