JUNE 2017 SEEDWORLD.COM / 65 Priority #1: Policy Gouache points out there’s been a fundamen- tal change in the past five years and a shift away from free trade agreements 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 situation 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 will be the focus of the Thematic Day on May 25 during the ISF 2017 World Seed Congress, where the publication of a training manual and materials will herald 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 conducive to business. “We recognize that the process of putting seed regulations and seed schemes in place is becoming increasingly arduous,” Gouache says, noting 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 qual- ity 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 agribusiness sectors. The authors wrote: “Intellectual property 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 register- ing any improved seed at all. The registration cost for a new maize variety in Sudan is among the highest across all countries studied with an average cost repre- senting 621 percent 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 certifica- tion activities the government performs, and in nearly half the countries, third-party certification is not permit- ted. 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 coopera- tion between ISTA, UPOV and OECD under the World Seed Partnership banner. Combining the knowledge and expertise 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. They noted that inauthentic and poor quality hybrid seeds can result in smaller harvests, which ultimately affect farmer’s profitability. “This is detrimental to the farmers, their families and our seed companies and their reputation,” Gouache says. “We need to have effective regulations in place to deal with the issue of illegal seeds.” Keller adds that it’s an issue ISF takes very seriously, outlining the action already underway. “We’ve formed a working group to determine the scope and reality of what is happening,” he says. “We need a clearer pic- ture, and that’s why we launched our first global survey this year.” Initial results were presented at the ISF 2017 World Seed Congress. “We also need to understand what companies are doing to protect themselves against illegal seed prac- tices — licenses, contracts, intellectual property, com- munication training, security and enforcement.” Keller says in the worst cases, up to 40 percent of a particular crop market may be comprised of illegal seed. Through the working group, which operates under the auspices of the Intellectual Property Committee, ISF aims to: define illegal seed, quantify the threat of 40% of a particular crop market may be comprised of iillegal 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 “Science is moving fast. CRISPR/Cas9 was one of the buzz words in 2016 ... the big question is ‘will plant breeders be able to use it?’” — JC Gouache