The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) as defined by its treaty, was established as an organisation of free independent sovereign states which have agreed to co-operate in developing their natural and human resources for the good of all their people and as such, it has a wide-ranging series of objectives which necessarily include in its priorities, the promotion of peace and security in the region.
However, due to COMESA’s economic history and background, its main focus is on the formation of a large economic and trading unit that is capable of overcoming some of the barriers that are faced by individual states.
Recently, COMESA became the first regional trading bloc to launch an online seed label verification system in Africa and globally. It is believed that the system will assist the constituency remove phony seed concerns and improve business in quality and enhanced authorized seed.
However, that is not all, the region has also led in pioneering the need for COMESA regional certificates to be given by national seed authorities. This feat will certainly heighten seed trade in the 21 countries.
In propagation of this feat, mPedigree, a pan-African tech start-up, in line with their deepened commitment of safeguarding consumption on the continent and beyond, has come together with COMESA to launch a partnership that will expand mPedigree’s traceability technology for agro-inputs into COMESA member states.
Selorm Branttie, mPedigree’s global strategy director, glad about the partnership has said that it is a great accomplishment as this is the first time verification of seeds is done electronically. In his words, while speaking recently at the COMESA secretariat said “This is the first time that seed certificates and verification of the seeds will be done electronically, and the farmer will be able to trace the source of the seed and authenticity of the seed without difficulty,’’ Branttie revealed.
For him, it is crucial to end the business of fake seeds because it is a major reason for meagre performance of 80 million small-holder farmers and food insecurity in the COMESA region.
“The seed labels and certificates will promote the use of genuine seed and eventual elimination of fake seed from circulation. ACTESA is implementing this programme through the COMESA Seed Harmonisation Implementation Plan (COMSHIP).” Branttie revealed.
This laudable move will be greatly beneficial to the region as it will help synchronize trade in certified seed through securing a collective label and certification system. What this means therefore is that, for every seed package that will have a COMESA sticker, it means the source of that seed has been documented and can be tracked by the receiving end.
COMESA covers 19 countries in Africa, across East and Central Africa. It is thus only in COMESA, an African region, that the system now exists for farmers in one country to trace both source and certification of agro-inputs from their phone screen, even without internet.
Kemi Ajumobi
