Dar es Salaam – African agricultural experts are calling for greater use of digital technology to combat counterfeit seeds, which threaten farmers’ productivity and undermine efforts to improve food security across the continent.
The proposal was among the issues discussed at the Seventh Steering Group Meeting of the African Seed and Biotechnology Partnership Platform (ASBP Partnership Platform), organised by the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) in coordination with the African Union Commission (AUC), and held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on November 12, 2026.
The meeting was part of a four-day continental gathering that brought together representatives of African Union member states and other agricultural stakeholders to strengthen seed systems, improve access to quality planting materials and advance food security across Africa.
Dr James Onsando, an adviser on seed sector issues in Africa, said digital authentication systems could help farmers distinguish genuine seeds from counterfeit products, which are often sold in packages designed to resemble those of legitimate seed companies.
“Counterfeit seeds are a major enemy of high-quality seeds. This happens because people can imitate the packaging and put ordinary grains inside instead of genuine seeds,” he said.
Onsando explained that concealed verification codes placed on seed packages could enable farmers to establish whether the products they intend to purchase are authentic, rather than relying solely on packaging that counterfeiters can easily imitate.
The technology could help protect smallholder farmers from financial losses associated with planting fake seeds, which can result in poor germination and disappointing harvests.
Beyond digital authentication, delegates also discussed the role of biotechnology in developing improved seed varieties capable of addressing challenges such as climate change, pests and crop diseases.
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Dr Janatu Sesay, a delegate from Sierra Leone, said biotechnology could enable farmers to access seeds with higher yield potential compared with some conventional varieties.
“With biotechnology seeds, you plant them, harvest your crops, sell them and then come back to buy seeds again,” she said.
However, expanding access to these technologies will require investment in research, supportive policies and regulatory frameworks that reflect the different agricultural conditions and needs of individual countries.
The discussions come as African countries pursue ambitious agricultural targets under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala Agenda for 2026–2035.
The agenda aims to increase agricultural and food production by 45 per cent, expand intra-African agricultural trade, reduce post-harvest losses by 50 per cent and mobilise US$100 billion in investment for the sector.
Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong, Director of Agriculture, Food Security and Environmental Sustainability at AUDA-NEPAD, said seeds were fundamental to achieving the continent’s broader agricultural transformation ambitions.
“Seed alone will not deliver them, but the harvests and the trade behind them begin with seed,” she said.
For Tanzania, the discussions align with the country’s Agriculture Agenda 10/30, which seeks to grow the agricultural sector by 10 per cent annually by 2030 under the theme Agriculture is Business.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Yasinta Nzogela, Director of Crop Development, said access to quality seeds was central to improving farmers’ productivity and achieving the country’s agricultural growth ambitions.
“The Agenda 10/30 emphasises that by 2030, we should achieve agricultural growth of at least 10 per cent. Within that agenda, seeds are among the foremost priorities because farmers must start with quality and appropriate seeds if they are to achieve higher productivity,” she said.
Nzogela identified the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute (TOSCI), which is responsible for seed certification, registration and the issuance of permits, as an important institution in ensuring the quality of seeds available to farmers.
She added that biotechnology was important in helping researchers develop seed varieties capable of withstanding climate change, pests and diseases, thereby enabling farmers to increase production.
Tanzania has also been recognised in the 2025 African Seed Sector Performance Index for progress in developing its seed sector. Among the initiatives highlighted is the availability of maize, sunflower and bean seeds in smaller packages of two kilograms or less, making improved seeds more accessible to smallholder farmers with limited purchasing power.
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Nzogela said further progress would require strengthening agricultural research, crop breeding and biotechnology, alongside expanding seed production through greater private-sector participation and the involvement of women and young people, including through the Building a Better Tomorrow (BBT) programme.
She also called for harmonisation of seed laws and regulatory systems within the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to facilitate cross-border seed trade.
The other priority, she said, was mobilising investment and strengthening partnerships among governments, researchers, private companies and farmers’ organisations to accelerate the development of Africa’s seed sector.
