Workshop report

Date: 23/01/2006
BACK-TO-OFFICE REPORT
I. Submitted by: Robert Gouantoueu Guei, Agricultural Officer (Seed Production & Processing), AGPS

II. Registry Code: PL 6/1 Guei; GCP/RAF/367/FRA
III. Visit to: UEMOA-ECOWAS workshop in Lome, Togo
IV. Tasks undertaken for other FAO Units: None
V. Inclusive Travel Dates: 10-18 December 2005
VI. Co-Travellers: none
VII. Reasons for Travel: Represent FAO at the REGIONAL WORKSHOP FOR VALIDATING THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR SEED PRODUCTION AND MARKETING IN WEST AFRICA, Lomé, Togo

8. 
   Recommendation(s)/Action to be taken:
   

FAO should continue to play a leadership role in the region concerning seed laws harmonization. The process has gone a long way to cover all 15 countries. The real challenge ahead is how to make this effective at country levels. FAO needs to continue working with all regional partners for an effective implementation of the process.
IX. Future attendance: Recommended
Cleared by: Arturo Martínez, Chief, AGPS
Distribution of this report to:
Edache, ADG/RAF AGPS Officers

Solh, AGPD AGP Registry

Martínez, AGPS Sayour, AGPD

Nguu Nguyen, AGPC

Presentation: In the absence of both the resident FAO and UNDP representatives, the reporting officer gave an opening remark on behalf of FAO.
Summary
From 10 to 18 December 2005, the reporting officer participated to the regional workshop on seed laws and regulations harmonization in West Africa. The workshop, organized by FAO-AGPS and regional partners under the aegis of ECOWAS, constituted the last regional validation mechanism of all technical documents. Participants were from both the public and the private seed sector. Several technical sessions were held: (1) to Review and adopt the Consultants’ Reports on Variety Cataloguing, Quality Control and Certification; and (2) to review and adopt the Consultant’s Report on Draft Instruments. Documents adopted will be sent this year to the final adoption mechism of both UEMOA and ECOWAS.

Mission Report
1. Background
The Reporting officer participated, as an organizer, to the Workshop entitled Regional Workshop for Validating the Regulatory Framework for the Production and Marketing in West Africa in Lomé , Togo, from 10 to 18 December 2005. The meeting, held under the aegis of UEMOA and ECOWAS, was the final regional validation process for the Harmonization of seed laws and regulations in West Africa. The meeting was organized in collaboration with several other partners such as AFSTA, ASN, GTZ, GNIS, IFDC, INSAH, SCOSA and WASNET.
2. Objectives of the workshop:

1. 
   To develop a consensus among the 15 States of the West Africa region regarding the technical standards for seed production and trade within the region based on agreements reached during the previous workshops held in Lomé (2004) and Accra (2005);
   

2. 
   To review and validate draft instruments to be tabled by ECOWAS and UEAMOA with the goal of submitting them first to their councils of Sectoral Ministers (Ministers of Agriculture) and then to their statutory Meeting of the Ministers in 2006;
   

3. 
   To review and validate proposed institutional arrangements under which the system will operate at national and regional levels.
   

The workshop was officially opened by the Togolese Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources but also noted the presence of representatives of the French Government, ECOWAS, UEMOA, IFDC and FAO who delivered opening remarks. In their addresses, they highlighted the importance of improved seeds in the socio-economic development of the UEMOA-ECOWAS region and the need to come together in the region for a common purpose. They all pledged their support to ensure that the noble initiatives being undertaken succeed and enhance the development of the region. Seventy seven (77) delegates from both public and private seed sector from 15 countries attended the workshop.

3. Plenary session
At the plenary session, the first day, an Overview of the Sustainable Commercialization of Seeds in Africa (SCOSA) project was presented by Dr. Richard Jones, followed by a presentation on the Proposed regulatory instruments by a consultant, Dr. G. P. Sika.
4. Technical sessions
Several technical sessions where held: (1) to Review and adopt the consultants’ reports on Variety Cataloguing, Quality Control and Certification; and (2) to review and adopt the consultant’s report on Draft Instruments.
Following very frank and critical discussions of the documents, Observations were made and Conclusions reached on Variety Evaluation_, Release and Common Catalogue; Seed Quality Control and Certification; Report on Draft Instruments.
5. Partners consultation
FAO and its partners initiated since the ACCRA meeting a new process of consultation, review and planning of actions and responsibilities between partner institutions. This is absolutely necessary and useful to avoid duplication and to maximize synergy taking into account our comparative advantage. The report on the consultation meeting for the Lomé meeting is given in the annex.
6. General Conclusions and Recommendations
6.1. It is noteworthy that this is one of the few occasions where a public-private dialogue for a sustainable partnership in the region is fostered.
6.2. The two documents: (1) Variety Evaluation_, Release and Common Catalogue and (2) Seed Quality Control and Certification, prepared respectively by the two consultants, were adopted by delegates for use in the ECOWAS regions.
6.3. ECOWAS and UEMOA in technical partnership with FAO, IFDC, ASN, GTZ, CILSS/INSA, SCOSA and WASNET should process the final documents for approval by the respective Councils of Ministers in 2006.
6.4. For the success of the harmonization process in the region, information diffusion and public awareness are essential. An awareness creation tour of the ECOWAS members States will be organized and led by ECOWAS and UEMOA with funding from the SCOSA project.
6.5. FAO exhorted all partners to continue their support to the process and to develop strategies for an effective implementation of the harmonization process at grass root levels in each of the 15 countries.
ANNEX
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL PARTNERS AFTER THE WORKSHOP FOR VALIDATING THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR SEED PRODUCTION AND MARKETING IN ECOWAS AND UEMOA MEMBERS STATES
IBIS Hotel, Lome, Togo, 16^th and 17^th December 2005

1. 
   Dr. J. Q. SUBAH, (ECOWAS) President (16/12/2005)
   
2. 
   Dr. Kolado BOCOUM (UEMOA) President (17/12/2005)
   
3. 
   Mr. Norbert MAROYA (IITA/GTZ/WASNET), Rapporteur
   

Members :

4. 
   Dr. Robert G. GUEI (FAO)
   
5. 
   Dr. Georges DIMITHE (IFDC/MIR)
   
6. 
   Dr. Baffour BADU-APRAKU (IITA)
   
7. 
   Mr. Sylvain ROY (IFDC/MIR)
   
8. 
   Mr. François BURGAUD (GNIS)
   
9. 
   Dr. Richard B. JONES (ICRISAT for the SCOSA project)
   
10. 
    Mr. Paul Thérence SENGHOR (Consultant)
    
11. 
    Mr. Justin RAKOTOARISAONA (Consultant/AFSTA)
    
12. 
    Dr. Boubacar DIALLO (INSAH/CILSS)
    
13. 
    Dr. Gérard SERY (ASN)
    
14. 
    Prof. Gbolagade B. AYOOLA (IFDC-MIR)
    
15. 
    Dr. Balu BUMB (IFDC/USA)
    
16. 
    Dr. Bahiru DUGUMA (EGAT/AG/ATGO)
    

AGENDA

1. 
   Review of the workshop
   
2. 
   Road map and timing of activities after the workshop
   
3. 
   Any other business
   

1. Review of the workshop

The review of the workshop was initiated on Friday 16^th December 2005 during the lunch time under the chairmanship of ECOWAS and was followed-up on Saturday 17^th December 2005 with the chair of UEMOA. The following are summaries of the points raised and outlined:

• 
  High level of participation (77 delegates)
  
• 
  Poor quality of the English translation.
  
• 
  The French version of the draft instruments now have to be put in the proper legal form and then translated by professionals into good English
  
• 
  Lot of progress has been made although much more could have been done in terms of communication from ECOWAS (mainly) during the preparation of the workshop
  
• 
  Need to take step off where we are and where we are going with better communication between ourselves.
  
• 
  The two organizations (UEMOA/ECOWAS) should finalize all these legal documents as soon as they can for their respective bodies
  
• 
  The time is right to strengthen the collaboration between ECOWAS and UEMOA and adopt the legal document jointly.
  
• 
  These documents have to go through the technical commission before the meeting of UEMOA and ECOWAS Ministers. In this process of getting the documents ready, the technical partners need to be proactive.
  
• 
  The technical and financial partners think that practically it is not realistic for ECOWAS to target the Council of the Ministers of May 2006 to finalize this process.
  
• 
  Also we should not wait until May 2006 before starting the action plan
  
• 
  Among other things, ECOWAS and UEMOA contact persons should have a close contact with the Ministers of Agriculture and regional cooperation for this harmonization process
  
• 
  Sensitize our donors partners
  

2. Road map and timing of activities after the workshop
Many points were discussed; the followings are the key activities to undertake after the workshop.
2.1 Finalization of the workshop document

• 
  The Consultant (Mr. Guillaume SIKA) will revise the workshop documents (French version) by integrating the amendments, comments and decisions made during the workshop.
  
• 
  The documents corrected by the consultants will be sent to the technical partners for control and technical approval according to the outcomes of the workshop
  

2.2 Hiring of a legal Consultant

• 
  IFDC in partnership with INSAH/CILSS will write the Terms of Reference for the legal consultant. The ToR will clearly specify the results (types and formats) to be produced by the consultant.
  
• 
  IFDC in collaboration with other technical partners will select the legal consultant. It was decided that the legal consultant should be most preferably bilingual (French-English).
  

2.3 Review and finalization of the legal documents

• 
  The instruments produced by the legal consultant will be reviewed by the technical partners.
  
• 
  After integration by the consultant of the comments and observations of the technical partners, the finalized French version will be handed over to IFDC.
  
• 
  The finalized French version of the legal documents will be translated into English by professionals from FAO in collaboration with the legal consultant under the supervision of FAO (Dr. Robert GUEI) and with the support of Paul Senghor for specific areas he drafted.
  
• 
  Both French and English versions of the legal instruments will be sent to the technical partners for final review and approval.
  

2.4 Submission of legal documents

• 
  The approved final English and French versions of the legal documents will be handed over to ECOWAS and UEMOA by IFDC.
  

2.5 Budget for the timing implementation of the Road map

• 
  ECOWAS and UEMOA in collaboration with the technical partners will develop as soon as possible the budget needed to realize all the activities planned up to the adoption of the legal instruments by the Council of the Ministers.
  
• 
  They should officially request needed support from the financial partners.
  

The table below summarizes the key points of the road map, the timing and responsibilities.

Order	Activities	Period	Responsible	Source of Funding
1	Finalization of workshop documents by the consultant	By mid January 2006	Consultant and IFDC coordination	ECOWAS/UEMOA
2	Review and adoption of the finalized workshop document by the technical partners	By mid February 2006	Partners with IFDC coordination
3	Drafting of Terms of Reference for the legal Consultant	By mid January 2006	Partners with IFDC/INSAH lead and coordination
4	Hiring of the legal Consultant (bilingual preferably)	By mid February 2006	Partners with IFDC coordination
5	Production of legal documents (draft)	By end of March 2006	Legal Consultant
6	Review of legal documents	By end of April 2006	Technical partners with IFDC coordination
7	Translation of final legal documents into English	May-June 2006	Professionals from FAO supported by Senghor for specific areas
8	Review of translated legal documents (English version)	July 2006	Technical partners
9	Submission of legal documents (French and English) to ECOWAS and UEMOA	End July 2006	Technical partners

1. 
   Any other business
   

• 
  A discussion was initiated on the implementation of the harmonized legal instruments after approval through the UEMOA and ECOWAS processes. It was decided to wait for the adoption by the Council of the Ministers before planning activities for the implementation.
  

• 
  The meeting was informed by Mr. François BURGAUD about the organization of the sixth Annual Congress of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) to be held from 28th to 31st March 2006 in Entebbe, Uganda. During the congress there will be, as usual, a working group on the harmonization of seed rules and regulations in Africa. He therefore would like the partners of the harmonization process in West Africa to participate in the congress to exchange information with their colleagues of other regions of Africa.
  

• 
  An awareness-creation tour of the ECOWAS members States will be organized and led by ECOWAS and UEMOA with funding from the SCOSA project.