Côte d'Ivoire's Ministry of Agriculture, AfricaRice and TAAT to Build a Roadmap for Seed Sector Transformation

Participants at the Seed Business Summit with Côte d'Ivoire Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (at the center in white-blue clothes). (Photo Credit: Adeniyi Idris)

The Seed Business Summit, held from September 9th to 11th, 2024 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, focused on building a harmonized roadmap for seed sector transformation. Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MEMINADER) in partnership with Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), Building an Economically Sustainable Cassava Seed System Phase II (BASICS II), and Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), the summit aimed to pave the way for agricultural transformation in Côte d'Ivoire.

The formal seed sector in Côte d'Ivoire is evolving, with a well-structured system for perennial crops but an emerging framework for annual food crops. The government's agricultural development strategy focuses on building a more intensive and sustainable sector. Key priorities include strengthening the rice, maize, soybean, cassava, and fisheries value chains to achieve food self-sufficiency, reduce imports, and boost exports. This approach aligns with the National Plan's objectives, aimed at transforming Côte d'Ivoire's agriculture to ensure long-term food security and economic growth.

This pivotal event focused on creating a sustainable seed system for priority crops such as rice, maize, soybean, cassava, millet, and fish, supporting food security and economic development in the country. Key achievements included the development of the first draft of the Seed Sector Roadmap for Côte d'Ivoire and the launch of a comprehensive Seed Sector Assessment.

In his address marking the official opening of the Summit, the Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani, emphasized that this summit is essential for strengthening national seed systems, which are vital for food security and agricultural resilience.

The summit highlighted the early-stage challenges faced by Côte d’Ivoire's seed sector, such as inadequacies in seed quality control, certification systems, and the supply of breeder, foundation, and certified seeds. The TAAT program, in collaboration with key stakeholders, seeks to establish a comprehensive master plan to enhance seed production and distribution across major crop value chains.

"This Seed Roadmap Workshop is a crucial platform for stakeholders to agree on the quantities of different seed categories needed annually until 2030, and to identify the capacities required across the seed value chain. It is about setting clear targets, ensuring high-quality seed production, and building the necessary support systems to meet Côte d'Ivoire’s agricultural goals.", explained Dr Sali Ndindeng, TAAT Rice Compact Coordinator and AfricaRice Rice Sector Development Program Leader.

The event provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange experiences, share success stories, and explore opportunities for scaling up climate-resilient, productivity-enhancing seeds. Best practices from Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Liberia were also shared to inspire future progress in Côte d’Ivoire’s seed sector development.