Online Reporter
Elita Chikwati
Agriculture News Editor
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, of which Zimbabwe is a member, is set to harmonise the regional seed system, reduce trade barriers and create a more competitive regional seed industry.
This follows the launch of the COMESA Seed Information System (COMSIS) and the operationalisation of the seed labelling and certification system in Lusaka, Zambia, on Thursday.
The system is expected to increase accessibility to high-quality certified seed in the region and enhance regional agricultural productivity to ensure food and nutrition security.
Officially launching COMSIS, the chief executive of the Alliance for Commodity Trade in East and Southern Africa (ACTESA), Dr John Mukuka, said the system would strengthen regional agricultural markets and increase investment in the sector.
“As member states, we believe that these efforts are critical in steering us towards our common goals: accessible quality seed for our farmers, improved agricultural productivity, and food security in all member countries of COMESA.
“For our region to achieve the goals of improved agricultural productivity and food security, we need to increase production of quality and affordable seed.
“Our small-scale farmers cannot achieve increased yields, improved household incomes, and resilience to climate change if our countries do not provide quality and affordable seed,” he said.
Dr Mukuka said smallholder farmers were still struggling to access certified, high-quality seed owing to fragmented markets, conflicting national seed regulations, and limited access to reliable information.
This, he said, limited the potential of regional agricultural trade.
“The launch of the COMESA Seed Information System is, therefore, more than the unveiling of a digital platform. It is a practical step towards creating a more integrated, transparent and efficient regional seed sector,” he said.
By bringing together information on seed varieties, certification, seed producers, and regulatory processes, the COMESA Seed Information System is expected to help governments make informed decisions.
“The need to harmonise the regional seed system is crucial in improving confidence in the quality of seed traded across our borders.
“The goal is for us to reduce barriers to trade and create a more competitive regional seed industry,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary for Technical Services in Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Mr John Mulongoti, said the launch marked a milestone in the implementation of the COMESA Seed Trade Harmonisation Implementation Plan (COMSHIP).
He said member states had, for the past decade, been working to harmonise seed regulations across the region.
“Harmonised policies alone are not enough; there is a need for modern systems that support transparency, efficiency, and informed decision-making to fully unlock the potential of regional seed trade.
“COMSIS is more than a digital platform. It is a regional public good that will enable member states to share reliable seed information, improve regulatory coordination, provide greater visibility of registered seed varieties, strengthen seed certification processes, and support evidence-based policy decisions,” he said.
Mr Mulongoti said the initiative represented a practical solution to ensure that seed traded within the region was traceable, authentic, and of high quality, and always easily accessible to smallholder farmers.
COMESA is a regional economic organisation of 21 member states, established in December 1994 to achieve sustainable economic and social growth through regional integration and trade.
Zimbabwe will assume the chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in October 2026, when it hosts the regional bloc’s 25th Summit
