Table 1 : WANA Seed Network Country Representatives
Table 2 : WANA Seed Network Lead Countries and Activities
Table 3 : WANA Seed Network Observers
Table 4 : National Seed Trade Associations and 

              Professional Societies
Table 5 : WANA Seed Network Publications
Table 6 : WANA Seed Directory

Table 7 : WANA Variety Catalogue (List of variety maintainers)
Table 8 : WANA Catalogue of Field and Seed Standards

 

 

 

SEED UNIT ACTIVITIES - NETWORKING

Introduction
Almost all countries in the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region have the basic infrastructure for crop research, variety development, seed production, supply and quality control, particularly for the major food crops where modern varieties are available. However, the national seed sectors in the region are at very different stages of development in terms of policy, regulation, technology and institutions. These variations affect the progress of the seed sector in each country and its integration both at national and regional levels.

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Despite these differences, the WANA region has many similarities in terms of climate and cropping systems, thus in their crops, varieties and seeds. Most of the problems of seed supply are common to all countries of the region, and can be addressed through a concerted effort rather than in isolation. Networking between national seed programs can assist regional cooperation through the exchange of information and sharing of experiences.
To develop this idea, a meeting was held in Amman in 1992 to discuss regional collaboration and this resolved to establish the Network, which came into existence shortly after. Since that time, the Network has become firmly established as the regional seed organization and the scope of its activities has increased. It is now the major 'outreach vehicle' of the ICARDA Seed Unit and complements the other main regional activity which is training.

Objectives
The WANA Seed Network is intended to support the development of a strong seed sector in member countries. The primary objective is to enhance cooperation, exchange of information and create a forum for consultation to share existing experiences, expertise and resources for seed program development in the region. The Network acts as a catalyst for harmonization through policy, regulatory, technical and institutional support to promote regional seed trade. It also aims to improve contacts with the various international organizations with interests in seeds and to promote their activities within the region.

Membership

The WANA Seed Network has 19 member countries, namely - Algeria, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, and Yemen.It has also established links to several regional or international organizations dealing with agricultural and/or seed sector development. These organizations have observer status in the Network, they include the International Seed Testing association (ISTA), the International Seed Federation (ISF), the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) in addition to development agencies such as FAO, GTZ and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD).

Structure and Administration
Each member country appoints a senior seed program manager as its Country Representative who is the contact point for all activities related to the Network. These Representatives are members of the WANA Seed Council which is the supreme policy and decision making body of the Network. The Council meets every three years to review progress. At those meetings the Council also elects an ad-hoc five-member Steering Committee which serves as an advisory and monitoring body between the Council meetings in collaboration with the Secretariat.

The Seed Unit of ICARDA serves as the Secretariat and is responsible for coordinating the activities of the Network; it maintains communication with Steering Committee members, Country Representatives and Observers. It also serves as an information 'clearing house' for Network activities and finalizes the publications.

Activities
The Network, through its member countries, undertakes various initiatives to develop a common policy and regulatory framework for integration of national seed systems to promote regional seed trade. The WANA Seed Council identifies, prioritizes and approves activities based on their relevance and common interest for member countries. These activities are focused on the following key areas:

The process for implementing these activities involves: (a) collecting and assembling information from member countries; (b) analyzing barriers that hinder regional integration; and (c) developing common procedures and standards for harmonization among member countries. Each member country accepts the responsibility as a 'lead country' to implement a specific activity. The Country Representative is responsible for gathering and assembling information from all the other member countries. In this way, the Network is strongly devolved in its activities and relies heavily on the commitment of the Country Representatives. However, the Seed Unit plays a vital role in coordination and generally maintaining 'momentum'.

Looking Ahead
The WANA Seed Network has made considerable progress given its short period of existence and limited resources. While past efforts were focused on the public sector, it is imperative for the Network to respond to the changing environment in the seed sector. The representation and activities of the Network should reflect the increasing diversity of the national seed systems. The Network may eventually evolve into a Regional Seed Association with active participation of all those involved in national seed industries particularly the private sector. Such an Association could play a key role to assist governments in creating favorable environments for policy and regulatory reforms that are required for seed sector development in the region.                                                                                     

 

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