30 GERMINATION.CA JULY 2017 Priority #1: Policy Gouache points out there’s been a funda- mental shift away from free trade agree- ments in the past five years to a more protectionist approach with talk of re- enforcing borders, increasing tariffs and purchasing more locally-produced goods. “Whether we like it or not, there has been a change and it creates questions in terms of the movement of seed,” Gouache says. “We need seeds to move around the world, not only for trade but also for research and production. The movement of seed is more important than ever, and it’s our responsibility to make sure this isn’t threatened.” Keller says ISF will evaluate each situ- ation where seed movement is at risk and reinforce the importance of easily moving seed in and out of a country. One example Keller and Gouache point to is Brexit. “Within the European Union, we haven’t had to deal with some of these questions for the past 20 years, in terms of having to register, buy and sell seed in the United Kingdom,” Gouache says. One achievement of the past decade was the adoption of a seed-specific International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures by the International Plant Protection Convention in April. Gouache says this is important for the international seed industry because phytosanitary rules can act as non-tariff barriers. “Adoption was a key first step, and we now urge countries to implement the standard within the given timeframe with the support and expertise of ISF and its national seed associations,” says Keller. Implementation was the focus of the day on May 25 during the ISF 2017 World Seed Congress in Budapest, Hungary, where the publication of a training manual and materials heralded the start of an 18-month implementation period. Federation leaders also participate in discussions about national seed laws. Keller points out that it is critical to have new seed laws in place that are con- ducive to business. “We recognize that the process of put- ting seed regulations and seed schemes in place is becoming increasingly arduous,” Gouache says, especially in Africa. With the exception of Kenya, sub- Saharan African countries perform the lowest overall when it comes to plant breeding, variety registration and seed quality control, according to “Enabling the Business of Agriculture 2017,” a new report by the World Bank. The report examines and monitors regulations that impact how markets function in agriculture and agri- business sectors. The authors wrote: “Intellectual prop- erty rights are often neglected, as one-third of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa do not grant any protection of plant materials or any access to germplasm conserved by public authorities. “Regarding the region’s registration process efficiency, more than one-third of sub-Saharan African countries studied are not registering any improved seed at all. The registration cost for a new maize vari- ety in Sudan is among the highest across all countries studied, with an average cost rep- resenting 621 per cent income per capita.” Additionally, the authors report this region lacks transparency in seed quality control processes, as many countries don’t have official fee schedules for certification activities the government performs, and in nearly half the countries, third-party certifi- cation is not permitted. Those in East Asia and Pacific and South Asia closely follow countries in sub- Saharan Africa, according to World Bank’s report. “There’s still a great deal of work to do in setting up the basics of seed schemes in most parts of Asia and Africa,” Gouache says. To address the challenges countries face in setting up their own seed systems, ISF has fostered cooperation between the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Combining the knowledge and exper- tise of the four partners, the initiative aims to provide guidance on how to develop an appropriate and effective seed regulatory framework. Another issue now on the radar of ISF leaders is the practice and use of illegal seed. In Uganda, tests in 2015 revealed that less than half of the seeds sold as hybrid maize in local markets were authentic hybrid seeds, according to the World Bank report. The authors recognized that high-yielding seed must be available and adopted by farmers to increase productivity and meet food demand. “SCIENCEISMOVING FAST.CRISPR/CAS9 WASONEOFTHE BUZZWORDSIN2016... THEBIGQUESTIONIS ‘WILLPLANTBREEDERS BEABLETOUSEIT?’” —JCGouache 40% of a particular crop market may be comprised of illegal seed 2016 ISF made a monetary contribution to the Crop Trust and International Treaty >1/3 of countries in sub-Saharan Africa don’t register any improved seed