COMESA Launches Regional Seed Certification and Labelling System
LUSAKA, July 3, 2025 — The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa [COMESA], through its Specialised Agency, the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa [ACTESA], recently has launched the Regional Seed Certification and Labelling System in its efforts to combat counterfeit seed, improve access to quality and boost regional agricultural trade.
ACTESA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. John Mukuka was joined by Dr Kenneth Msiska, Director, Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Services in Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture to officially launch the system at Ciela Resort in Lusaka, Zambia.
Msiska highlighted that the COMESA regional labels are key in monitoring the transparent free movement of seeds within the COMESA region and crucial to ensuring increased seed production, reliability and competitiveness of the seed industry in the COMESA region.
Mukuka on his part pointed out that the COMESA regional certificates and labels are poised to expedite the seed export and imports by the COMESA Member States, thereby facilitating the seamless flow of seeds in the region.
Delegation of the European Commission to Zambia representative Christiane Haziyo said the launch of the Regional Seed Certification and Labelling System was a strategic step toward unlocking regional seed trade, reducing costs for producers, and ensuring that the millions of smallholder farmers across COMESA have access to high-quality seed.
Partner organisations such as the African Seed Trade Association [AFSTA] called for continued engagement with seed companies to prioritise quality and compliance. Secretary General Yacouba Diallo reiterated his organisation’s commitment to work with ACTESA in ensuring that quality seeds are used.
The launch of the COMESA Regional Seed Certification and Labelling System is a milestone towards ensuring increased regional seed production and intra-agriculture trade in the region.
The programme is supported by the Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme [RECAMP], funded under the 11th European Development Fund [EDF].
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