Ethiopia encourages local, foreign entities to involve in seed production and delivery

Addis Ababa, June 21, 2022 (FBC) – A validation meeting for IGAD Seed Systems Analysis Report held in Addis Ababa in attendance of representatives of member countries.

On the occasion, Deputy Director General of Ethiopian Authority for Agriculture, Wondale Habtamu stated that IGAD needs to be more inclusive and should be able to specifically address farmers’ demands that are vulnerable to climate change impacts.

Saying that seed is the source of food and medicine other necessities in livelihoods, Wondale stressed need to see inter- REC partnerships for synergistic effects, rather than repeating similar process steps.

According to Wondale, Ethiopian seed system is one of the key components in providing the national seed security and dare to achieve the potential of the country’s crop production.

Ethiopia has well developed seed policy, seed law, regulations, directives, and guidelines dealing with variety development, release and registration, seed certification and marketing, as well as phytosanitary and quarantine measures for seed import and export globally, he noted.

Ethiopian Government encourages participation of local and foreign private seed producers to involve in seed production, marketing, and processing and in delivery of quality seed to small holder farmers and the private sector, the Deputy Director underlined.

Ethiopia welcomes and is happy to be part of IGAD’s regional initiative to support seed system development and facilitate regional trade, he added.