Concept Note INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP CONVERGENCE OF STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATIONALISATION OF A REGIONAL SEED ALLIANCE

Transcription

1 West Africa Seed Program(WASP) The Alliance for Seed Industry in West Africa (ASIWA) Concept Note INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP CONVERGENCE OF STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATIONALISATION OF A REGIONAL SEED ALLIANCE 3 rd 4 th August 2015, Abidjan (Côte d Ivoire) 1

2 Background on WASP and ASIWA Concept The West Africa Seed Program is funded by USAID/West Africa under the United States Government s Feed-the-Future (FtF) Initiative and implemented by CORAF/WECARD in support of the CAADP, ECOWAS Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP), including the implementation of the Regional Seed Regulation. The goal of WASP is to contribute to sustainable improvement of agricultural productivity in the West Africa sub-region through actions that will lead to the increase in the supply of seeds from the initial 12% to 25% from 2012 to 2017 through an all-inclusive alliance, relying on broad and combined expertise of a wide range of stakeholders to optimize resources and to create synergies. WASP exists to address the many barriers to seed certification, production, trade, distribution, and use in West Africa. The ECOWAS Commission through WASP plans to establish an Alliance for Seed Industry in West Africa (ASIWA) to engage a broad cross-section of key stakeholders and drive WASP objective at scale. Vision for ASIWA ASIWA serves as a sustainable, inclusive, effective platform to facilitate consultation and dialogue among West African seed industry actors, enable expanded cooperation between public and private seed stakeholders, and drive collaborative learning to expand production, supply and use of quality seed in West Africa. This platform would involve both regional and national aspects, with the regional platform playing a more strategic role, and national platforms playing a more tactical role in supporting and coordinating seed development across the region and specific country contexts. ASIWA would pursue an inclusive approach in engaging a spectrum of private sector stakeholders (seed users, end buyers, seed trade), science and research institutes (public and private), and government agencies involved in seed research production and regulation. ASIWA s Value Proposition ASIWA will allow interested stakeholders to convene and collaborate in efforts to increase the production, supply and utilization of quality seeds in West Africa. The joint participation of private sector firms, national and regional government agencies, and development stakeholders will ensure that ASIWA captures the respective needs, goals, and resources of each of these groups and responds with informed programming that leads to further development of West Africa s private seed sector. ASIWA could add significant value to seed development efforts in various domains described below: Convening Point for Seed Stakeholders One of ASIWA s most important functions is to serve as a convening point for stakeholders with direct or indirect interest in seed sector development. Furthermore, as the convening point for a broad range of seed industry stakeholders from throughout West Africa, ASIWA has the potential to serve as a policy advocate on key issues that are identified by its members. Where appropriate, ASIWA could establish a relationship with the West Africa Seed Committee (WASC/COASem) as a policy advocacy partner. 2

3 Communications Hub As a focal point for activities in the seed sector, ASIWA could serve as a platform to exchange and disseminate ideas, experiences, and best practices in seed development, within the context of a Community of Practice as well as through more traditional communications tools. ASIWA would serve as a trusted source of seed industry information for stakeholders throughout West Africa, allowing companies, government agencies, NGOs, and development partners to share relevant content across borders, across the public-private divide, and throughout the certified seed value chain. Market Facilitation and Industry Development ASWIA could use its convening power to find market-led solutions (at national and regional levels) that foster the development of a private sector seed industry. These would consist of private-private and public-private initiatives at the national and regional levels to spur the adoption of improved seed by West African farmers, and therefore the growth of the West African seed market. After carrying out two regional and seven national consultative meetings (in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo) to sensitize national stakeholders in the establishment of the ASIWA Regional and National Affiliates, the next logical step is the launching of the alliance at the regional level while continuing sensitizing the remaining West African countries in establishing their ASIWA National Affiliates. B/ Workshop Objective The objective of the workshop is to share with and sensitize a global stakeholder audience on the ASIWA concept for buy-in. C/ Expected Results The overall expected result at the end of the workshop is shared understanding of the ASIWA concept by international, regional and national stakeholders Outcomes of the workshop: 1. Stakeholders understanding of the rationale, articulation and implementation approach of ASIWA improved; 2. Preliminary results and lessons of the process of establishing ASIWA Regional and National Affiliates shared; 3. Stakeholder commitments for the establishment and the operation of ASIWA is confirmed, notably through the adoption of the Action Plan; 4. Operational and Sustainability mechanisms proposed A Regional Governance system (Steering and Monitoring Committee (SMC) established. 3

4 D/ Methodology The international workshop to launch the ASIWA Regional Alliance will cover two days (3 and 4 th August 2015) during which plenary presentations, group work and exhibitions will be organized. The plenary presentations will focus on presentations of: (i) the concept note of the workshop, (ii) the challenges and opportunities of regional seed sector, (iii) ASIWA Action Plan and working modalities through thematic working groups as recommended in the concept paper of the Initiative; (iv) the main results and lessons learnt from the processes of establishing ASIWA National Affiliates (v) statements of commitment of different actors and stakeholders. These presentations will be followed by open discussions to allow participants come to a common understanding of the ASIWA concept, share experiences to improve the concept, and to validate outcomes and recommendations. Two group work sessions will be organized. The first session will be devoted to the consolidation of expectations, solicitation of contributions from stakeholders and the preparation of their commitment statements to the establishment of ASIWA. The second session will bring together a small group of people, who will focus on the preparation of the road map and the composition of the Regional Steering and Monitoring Committee (SMC). Thirdly, a session will be held to provide an opportunity for different stakeholders to communicate via open discussions and other promotional materials (posters, brochures, policy briefs, videos, exhibitions, etc.) on seed sector activities. E/ Dates and venue of the workshop The workshop will take place on 3 rd and 4 th August, 2015 in Abidjan, Côte d Ivoire F/ Participants The workshop will bring together about hundred participants representing various categories of stakeholders and partners including: International and national private sector companies and enterprises National Public Institutions in charge of agricultural seeds (Ministry of Agriculture); CORAF / WECARD: members of the Executive Secretariat; Producer Organizations (ROPPA, etc.); International research centers: AfricaRice, The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC), International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); Regional and International Organizations of the seed sector: Africa Seed, African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), World Foundation for Agriculture and Rurality (FARM), Groupement National Interprofessionnel de Semences et plants (GNIS), l Union pour la Protection des Obtentions Végétales (UPOV) ; Regional Economic Community (ECOWAS) and Monetary Union (UEMOA) 4

5 Regional organizations: Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA); the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), the Sahel Institute (INSAH), the Hub Rural; West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) Development partners: the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Bank (WB), African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Annex 1. Workshop Agenda Dates and timing Activity Day 1. Monday 3 rd August 2015 Responsible Session 1 : Opening and framing of the workshop 1.1 Welcoming remarks 1.2 Introductory speeches: o AFSTA o ROPPA o 9h00-9h30 o CORAF/WECARD o USAID o CEDEAO 1.3 Official opening of the workshop by the Hon Minister of Agriculture 9h30-10h00 Group photo and coffee-break 10h00-10h Presentation of the workshop concept note and agenda Session 2 : Rationale, Action Plan and Intervention Approach of ASIWA 10h10 10h40 10h40-11h40 11h40 12h10 12h10 13h00 13h00 14h00 14h00 14h challenges and opportunities of the seed industry in West Africa (15 min presentation, 20min discussions) 2.2 Overview of ASIWA : Rationale, Action plan and Working Groups (25 min presentation, +35min discussions) 2.3 Preliminary results and lessons of the process of setting of ASIWA national Alliances (15 min presentation, +15min discussions) 2.4 General discussion : Consolidation of ASIWA s Rationale, Action Plan and Implementation Approach Lunch-break 2.5 Presentation of the WASIX platform Director of NSC M. MINAGRI Facilitator CORAF CORAF CORAF Facilitator Cabinet Prose consultant WASIX 5

6 Dates and timing Activity Responsible Session 3 : Preparation of actors and stakeholders commitments 14h30 15h00 15h00 15h30 15h30 16h00 16h00 18h Overview of expectations and contributions of different actors and stakeholders categories 3.2 Presentation of ToRs and constitution of Working groups Coffee break 3.3 Group work : Consolidation of actors and stakeholders expectations and contributions + preparation of commitment statements Day 2. Tuesday, 4 th August 2015 ROPPA Facilitator Facilitator + moderators of working groups 8h00 10h00 10h00 10h Mini - fair / open session: communication of actors and stakeholders on their activities in seed value chains (exhibition and discussions about promotional materials: posters, brochures, videos etc.) Coffee -break Facilitator /organizing committee Session 4 : Official launch and setting of the ASIWA Regional steering and follow-up committee 10h30-13h00 13h00 14h00 14h00 15h Presentation of outputs of Group Work and commitment statements of different actors and stakeholders Lunch - break 4.2 Elaboration of the road map and setting of the Regional steering and follow-up committee + introduction of members Facilitator + moderators of working groups Facilitator 15h00 15h15 Closing ceremony MINAGRI 15h15 16h00 Cocktail 6