‘Opening Ceremony of AFSTA Congress’

 

 

I wish to thank the Seed Producers and Traders Association (Mauritius) – SPATA and the African Seed Traders and Producers Association (AFSTA) for organising this years’ Conference in Mauritius.  This is a very important organization and I must congratulate the people who took the initiative in 2000 to set up a regional representative body for the seed industry.  I am given to understand that the organization has now a diplomatic status with a current membership of 92 and its mission is to promote trade on quality seed and technologies for the benefit of its members. AFSTA’s mission is to promote trade in quality seed and technologies in Africa for the benefit of members and farmers. Its objectives are to promote the use of improved quality seed, strengthen communication with African seed industries and with the world and to facilitate establishment of national seed trade associations in Africa. I congratulate AFSTA for its support for the harmonization of seed regulations and policies in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). I wish AFSTA plenty of success in its present endeavour to strengthen the network of the various agro-dealers not only in Africa and also with the whole world.