Recommendations and Way Forward
The participants of the 1st Rwanda Seed Association Congress 2023 confirmed that:
• The seed value chain development requires different stakeholders to work together under
the principles of co-responsibility and solidarity to ensure sustainable seed production and
distribution to deliver on farmers’ prosperity, which must be at the centre of any action or
policy;
• Developing, designing and implementing the Rwandan National Seed Strategic Roadmap is
paramount to achieve the prosperity for seed industry actors and farmers;
• The Strategic Roadmap was developed through consultations with different seed industry
players and presented during the 1st Rwanda Seed Association Congress 2023
Therefore, the congress participants draw and recommended the following:
1. The Government shall acquire accreditation with major seed industry quality organizations
like ISTA and, OECD certification schemes as well as adopt UPOV, to establish an improved
regulatory environment in Rwanda and ensure a conducive regulatory environment;
2. Support and capacitate NSAR to become a true advocate and facilitator for the Rwanda seed
industry;
3. The Government shall support the industry through capacitating NSAR to become
increasingly self-regulatory in the next seven years of the strategic roadmap. Therefore, the
private seed industry shall develop its internal systems to ensure adherence to rules and
regulations;
4. Develop PPPs between government, private industry and NGO to develop a well-structured
plan to enhance sustainable improved seed use in Rwanda;
5. Promote Rwanda as an investment destination for seed production and trade;
6. Build human and system capacity to improve control in seed production and quality control;
7. Seed industry players shall implement robust systems including R&D and establish
appropriate infrastructure and facilities that will foster the thriving growth of the seed
industry. The seed companies shall strongly work with the Government by investing in
technical and financial resources to strengthen the seed system and extension services to
raise farmer awareness on the use of improved seeds;
8. Attract affordable financing funds to allow a scale-up of the investment throughout the seed
value chain levels, through engaging the industry financial players to create optimal financing
structures;40
The chairperson of NSAR concluded with a
vote of thanks to (i) the congress organizing
committee for the successful event, (ii) the
partners who finically supported the congress
and (iii) delegates from different contents for
honouring NSAR invitation to participate in
the 1st Rwanda National Seed Congress 2023.