AFSTA CONGRESS 2025 was held in SERENA Hotel, Kigali in the Republic of Rwanda on 3rd – 5th March 2025 under the theme “25 years strong: Innovating quality seed for Africa’s sustainable agriculture”. During the congress, AFSTA was also celebrating the 25th Anniversary of its existence, the only one of its kind in Africa, bringing together leading seed value chain actors to discuss a wide spectrum of issues relevant to the seed sector. The congress attracted 300 delegates from more than fifty (50) countries and was collaboratively hosted by the National Seed Association of Rwanda (NSAR) and the Government of Rwanda. It was a platform that enabled seed people from all over Africa and beyond to network and exchange ideas on what the current situations portend for the future of seed production and trade. Moreover, the discussions strategically focused on future trends and vision for transforming Africa into a dynamic seed trade hub for sustainable growth in the agricultural sector and enhanced food security through establishing strategies of scaling up technologies and innovations in the seed system and brainstorming about how public-private partnerships can unlock opportunities for seed small scale and medium enterprises (SMEs).   Besides, the state and future of plant breeding innovation in Africa, state of plant variety protection systems in Africa, as well as how to better position the continent in the global seed industry were also part of the congress discussions.

During the congress, the participants also discussed the status of implementation of the harmonized seed trade policies and regulations by member States, as well as the Africa Free Trade Agreement and its potential impact on the Seed Industry. Several representatives of regional and international organizations were represented and participated in the congress, namely the International Seed Federation (ISF), the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), the Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) through its project on Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), the African Union, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), Euroseeds, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), and World Vegetable Centre. Among other issues, discussions focused on the pivotal role of biotech and plant breeding innovations in shaping the future of African agriculture. The Congress also highlighted the importance of regulatory harmonization and the need for a science-based regulatory approach.

Link to photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCKdKY