West Africa Seed and Planting Material Network (WASNET) 

Project Title : Promotion of Seed Production and Marketing in West Africa

Project Purpose :

West African countries efficiently co-operate in the seed and planting material sector and key personnel of West African countries take actions to improve seed and planting material production and delivery systems, in particular focused on small-scale farmers.

Objectives:

Promote co-operation, exchange and sharing of information

Improve uniformity of seed sector development

Standardize seed production, marketing and quality control

Promote regional seed trade

Brief project description (200-250 words maximum) :

The ”Promotion of Seed Production and Marketing in West Africa”, is project which is actually in it third phase. During its first (orientation) phase from April 1996 to September 1998 the seed sector analysis was done for many countries in the sub-region. The commitment of the National Seed Services and the regional organisations after the progress review of the orientation phase has recommended a second phase. The second phase of the seed project known as West Africa Development Unit (WASDU) was from October 1998 to September 2001. During the second phase a seed unit office with seed facilities was set up inside the Crops Research Institute in Kumasi Ghana, while the project was still based at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Accra. Many training workshops (national and regional) were organised for the seed key actors. One of the outputs of the project during it second phase was to initiate a regional network.

A foundation meeting of the West Africa seed and planting Material Network (WASNET) was organised from 18 to 21 October 1999 in Gomoa Fetteh, Ghana. Private Seed Enterprises, IITA, the project’s staff and representatives of nine countries in West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria, Mali and Togo) attended this meeting.

The third phase of the project (October 2001 to September 2006) was funded by BMZ through GTZ to allow the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to implement and enhance the ability of West Africa seed and Planting material Network to carry out its activities.

Development Investor (or Donor) :

German Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) through German Technical Co-operation (GTZ)

Partners :

National Agricultural Research and Extensions Systems in West Africa (NARES)

Agro-Ecozone(s)/Location(s) :

(Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo) in to be extended to Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Chad etc.

Duration :

5 years (01 October 2001 to 30 September 2006)

Expected Output(s) :

• Ability of WASNET member countries to carry out or implement their respective network activities is enhanced.
• WASNET’s bodies (General Assembly, Steering Committee, working committees) are functioning according to the network strategic plan.
• WASNET links with CORAF/WECARD and other regional and international bodies in the seed and planting material sector are strengthened.
• Ability of WASNET to publish its’ newsletters two times a year is sustained.
• Proposals for additional funding for WASNET activities are developed and submitted to donors.

Potential Impact(s) (Beneficiary/ies) :

• Bring together private and public seed sectors actors and make them aware of constraints, needs, improvements, co-operation, and activities (both successful and unsuccessful) in seed improvement and development in West Africa.
• Facilitate seed and planting material movements across countries within WASNET
• Standardise and harmonise seed activities in all member countries of WASNET to facilitate seed supply and use in West Africa,