Seed Unit Annual Report 2002

Abstract

Almost all countries in the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region have invested significant resources in strengthening their agricultural research programs and national seed supply systems with a view to develop an agricultural sector that contributes to the national economy and improves the status of food security. In recent years, the liberalization of the seed sector led to the emergence of the private sector in some countries. However, national seed programs in CWANA are still dominated by the public sector and face serious constraints. Well-functioning seed programs are operating only for a few major food and industrial crops. The development of the seed sector varies across the region, with the seed industry characterized by different regulatory requirements, standards, and procedures which are barriers to regional integration.

The primary objective of the Seed Unit of ICARDA is to strengthen national seed systems in Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region to build sustainable seed supply systems. Given that much of the Unit’s activities are currently undertaken within the framework of special projects, this approach provides funding only for those countries that these projects serve, while limited resources are allocated for work in other countries of the region. In 2002, two new projects were funded for seed activities in Afghanistan, one by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the other by the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The progress of the Unit’s activities during 2002 is reported in 8 sections as follows: WANA Regional Seed Network (Section 2), Harmonization Initiative on Seed Regulations (Section 3), Review of Seed Programs (Section 4), Seed Security (Section 5), Research (Section 6), Human Resources Development (Section 7) and Seed Production and Distribution (Section 8). Section 9 and 10 present Seed Unit Staff, External Consultants, and List of Publications.