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The hearings, organised with the support of the EAC Secretariat, brought together government ministries and agencies, private sector associations, farmers' organisations, plant breeders, seed regulatory and certification authorities, research and academic institutions, and civil society organisations to give their views on the proposed regional legislation.
The hearings were led by the Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Gideon Gatpan Thoar, with Members of the Committee distributed across the different Partner States and supported throughout by EAC Secretariat staff. For instance, in Nairobi, Kenya, the session was led by Hon. David ole Sankok, who delivered opening remarks on behalf of the Chairperson.
In his opening remarks, the Chairperson of the Committee outlined the objectives guiding the three days of consultations. Through the hearings, the Committee sought to obtain stakeholders' views on the specific provisions of the Bill, assess its anticipated impact on farmers, seed companies, plant breeders, research institutions and regulatory agencies, identify gaps and implementation challenges as well as opportunities for strengthening the proposed legislation, deepen public awareness and understanding of the objectives and expected benefits of the Bill, and generate practical, evidence-based recommendations to guide the Committee's report and the eventual debate of the Bill on the Floor of the Assembly.
The Bill, developed pursuant to Article 106 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, seeks to establish a harmonised regional legal framework for the evaluation, release, registration, certification, marketing and protection of plant varieties within the Community. It is intended to address inconsistencies in national seed regulatory systems, facilitate cross-border seed trade, strengthen seed quality assurance mechanisms, and improve farmers' access to quality, certified and climate-resilient seed across the region.
Across the Partner States, submissions were received from a wide range of stakeholders, including government ministries and agencies, private sector associations and civil society organisations. Presenters shared practical experiences from their national seed systems and offered recommendations on the provisions of the Bill.
In several Partner States, including Kenya, stakeholders emphasised the need to strike an appropriate balance between the protection of plant breeders' rights and the safeguarding of farmers' seed management systems, underscoring the importance of a Bill that is both innovation-friendly and responsive to the realities of smallholder farmers.
Speaking on behalf of the EAC Secretariat, the Acting Director of Productive Sectors, Mr. Simon Kiarie, reaffirmed the Secretariat's commitment to a participatory, transparent and inclusive regional law-making process. He noted that agriculture remains the backbone of the economies of the Partner States, and that the Bill is expected to create a predictable and integrated regulatory environment that reduces duplication in seed testing, evaluation and registration, while facilitating the movement of quality seed across borders.
Fragmented national regulatory frameworks continue to impose real costs on breeders, seed companies and farmers alike. The harmonised framework proposed under the Bill would facilitate the mutual recognition of seed and plant varieties tested and certified in one or more Partner States, enabling farmers across the East African Community to access approved varieties without unnecessary duplication of testing and certification processes. This approach takes into account the similarities in agro-ecological zones across the region, thereby promoting efficiency, reducing costs, and accelerating farmers' access to improved seed varieties.
The Committee will now consider the report of the public hearings and incorporate submissions received from all eight Partner States before tabling the Bill before the East African Legislative Assembly for debate. It is expected that the Bill, once enacted, will go a long way in facilitating access to quality seed and improved plant varieties, strengthening food and nutrition security, and promoting investment and innovation in the seed sector.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of East African Community (EAC).
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