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Vegetable production is a major activity in many countries of the Near East Region. Despite significant progresses in vegetable seed industry elsewhere particularly in hybrids, the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is lagging behind due to several constraints. These include:
limited research in vegetable crop production and lack of necessary germplasm and breeding materials
under developed and poor physical resources and infrastructure
shortage of technical and skilled manpower in the sector
limited financial resources and lack of private sector investments
lack of cooperation and linkages among regional and international agencies and seed programs at sub- or regional levels
In view of these constraints, the FAO Regional Office for the Near East (FAO-RNE) organized an Expert Consultation Meeting on the Status of Seed Production of Vegetable Crops in the Near East and North Africa Region from 11-13 November 2001 in Cairo, Egypt. The meeting was organized jointly with Central Laboratory of Agriculture Climate and Agricultural Research Center in Egypt.
The main objectives of the meeting were:
review the status of vegetable seed production with reference to policy, regulatory, technical, institutional and economic issues
identify major constraints for investment in vegetable seed industry and set the priorities
identify national policy options to encourage vegetable seed production (model policy)
discuss options to strengthen and develop cooperative programs for sustainable vegetable seed industry at national and regional levels
discuss ways of developing database of organizations and facilities available for vegetable seed production (seed directory)
identify the means and resources needed to develop and maintain proper database on research, seed needs and availability and production of horticultural crops
discuss ways to create avenues for the dissemination of information through an interactive homepage on the worldwide web
The meeting discussed policy, regulatory, technical and institutional issues related to vegetable seed production in the region within the context of globalisation of world economy. Technical issues covered breeding activities (genetic engineering, hybrid seed production), seed marketing, investment opportunities and role of international seed companies. The meeting also reviewed the roles and partnerships of governments, private sector and NGO's in vegetable seed industry.
The meeting recommended that Governments in the region be encouraged to: (i) adopt open regulations (voluntary certification, minimum standards) to allow farmers, seed companies and researchers to access better varieties, remove obstacles to seed export, reduce seed production costs and establish variety protection; (ii) design and implement policies and programs to facilitate and assist local private breeding and seed production including regulatory reforms, public research, public-private collaboration, licensing of public varieties and tax incentives; (iii) promote regional cooperation for seed industry development, focusing on reducing phytosaniatry barriers, promoting germplasm exchange, encouraging harmonization of seed regulations; (iv) enforce truthful labeling and assist farmers through demonstrations and extension advice; and (v) plan for manpower development through national and regional programs for degree and in-service training. The vegetable seed companies should be encouraged to take full advantage of opportunities that may exist for joint ventures, contract production for export, licensing foreign varieties, and possible linkages with foreign vegetable seed companies and global seed trade. The international and regional organizations and funding agencies are also requested to look for available opportunities to assist the development of private sector vegetable seed industries in the region.
Thirty seven participants from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey as well as international organizations such as AOAD, GTZ, GNIS and FIS attended the meeting. Salah Abd El Wanis, Egyptian-German Cotton Sector Promotion Program, c/o GTZ Office, 4 D, El Gezira Street, Zamalek, Cairo 11211, Egypt; Fax: ++20-2-3365415; E-mail: cspp@idsc.gov.eg
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