Seminar
Putting Seed Sector Transformation in Practice
We have seen transformation becoming increasingly central to discussions around food systems, but what exactly does that mean?
In this seminar we examine the cases of the seed sectors in Ethiopia and Nigeria and look at what partnerships are doing to enable farmers’ access to quality seed of new, improved, and preferred varieties. Join policymakers, practitioners, industry leaders, and scholars to share and learn lessons on what it means to put the ambition of seed sector transformation into practice.
From Ethiopia and Nigeria, we will hear about two relevant experiences: uniting stakeholders behind a shared strategy for transformation; and exploring the potential of companies to contribute and engage in public-private partnerships in the seed sector.
We will reflect on how the value propositions of the Netherlands can enhance the transformative potential of partnerships in Ethiopia, Nigeria and beyond. We will conclude the afternoon with a reception and cocktail for more informal networking among participants.
Objectives
- Open a dialogue for sharing, discussing, and learning lessons from putting the ambition of seed sector transformation into practice in Ethiopia and Nigeria;
- Create the opportunity for seed sector policymakers, practitioners, industry leaders, and scholars from the different countries to meet, exchange, and explore their shared interests;
- Reflect on how the value propositions of the Netherlands can enhance the transformative potential of partnerships in Ethiopia, Nigeria and beyond.
Schedule
| Time | Activity | |
|---|---|---|
| 14:00 | Welcome and opening | Hedwig Bruggeman, Business Unit Manager, WCDI |
| Coosje Hoogendoorn, Interim Director, SeedNL team | ||
| 14:15 | Introduction to the partnerships in Ethiopia and Nigeria | Mohammed Hassena, ENSP Manager, SWR Ethiopia |
| Chinedu Agbara, CSP Manager, Sahel Consulting | ||
| 14:30 | Panel discussion 1: seed sector strategy in Nigeria | Chinedu Agbara, CSP Manager, Sahel Consulting |
| Marja Thijssen, Seed Sector Adviser, WCDI | ||
| Okelola Folarin, Technical Adviser to the DG, NASC | ||
| Stephen Oludapo Adigun, Communication Officer, SEEDAN | ||
| 15:15 | Panel discussion 2: PPPs in the seed sector in Ethiopia | Mohammed Hassena, ENSP Manager, SWR Ethiopia |
| Gareth Borman, Seed Sector Adviser, WCDI | ||
| Kingsley Ngwa Muyo, Area Manager of East and West Africa, Enza Zaden | ||
| Coosje Hoogendoorn, Interim Director, SeedNL team | ||
| 16:00 | Wrap up and concluding remarks | Wijnand van Ijssel, Senior Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| 16:15 | Reception | Drinks and bites for informal networking |
Convened by
The seminar is convened by Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation (WCDI), with Stichting Wageningen Research in Ethiopia (SWR Ethiopia) and Sahel Consulting in Nigeria, in collaboration with the SeedNL team. SWR Ethiopia leads the Ethiopia-Netherlands Seed Partnership (ENSP) while Sahel Consulting is in the lead for the Collaborative Seed Programme (CSP) of the Nigeria-Netherlands Seed Partnership (NNSP). Both ENSP and NNSP are flagship initiatives of SeedNL.
SeedNL is a partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Plantum, the association for the plant reproduction material sector, in the Netherlands. SeedNL contributes to Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG2 ‘End Hunger’. SeedNL aims to strengthen the seed sector in developing countries, provide appropriate access to quality seeds for all farmers and increase productivity and farmer income.