Leveraging Digital Solutions for Strengthening the Seed Systems in Africa

9 July 2026. Leveraging Digital Solutions for Strengthening the Seed Systems in Africa

As African countries seek to strengthen food security, resilience and sustainable agrifood systems, the digitalization of seed systems is emerging as a critical enabler of transformation. Digital tools can improve seed traceability, certification, regulatory services, information management and market access, while helping address challenges such as counterfeit seeds, fragmented processes and weak sector coordination.

The event was organized by the FAO Regional Office for Africa, FAO Country Offices in DR Congo, Somalia and South Sudan, with the support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and in collaboration with AGRA and other partners. The webinar will bring together policymakers, seed authorities, researchers, development partners, private sector actors and digital agriculture specialists to explore how digital technologies are strengthening seed systems across Africa.

Participants learned from country experiences and innovative initiatives, including FAO's EmergenSys project, digital seed certification and traceability systems in Kenya, and electronic phytosanitary certification (e-Phyto) systems. Discussions will focus on practical lessons, sustainability, interoperability, governance and opportunities for scaling digital seed solutions.

The webinar was organized as part of the EmergenSys project activities, FAO RAF’s periodic digital agriculture knowledge-sharing events, and as a contribution to the preparations for the Digitalization Thematic Area of the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2026.

Moderation - Priya Gujadhur, FAO Representative in Ghana (a.i.); Senior Regional Resilience Officer, FAO, Regional Office for Africa

• Opening Remarks, Meshack Malo, Deputy Regional Representative, FAO Regional Office for Africa
• Remarks by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Jeffrey Kwesiga, Senior Agribusiness Officer, AHAI.4 (RDGE) Africa Development Bank
• Digital Seed Systems Initiatives under the EmergenSys Project in Somalia, South Sudan & DRCongo, Kiprotich Chemweno, Head of Information & Systems Management & Digital Innovation FAO Somalia
• Digital Seed Certification and Traceability Systems in Kenya, Ephraim Wachira, Deputy Director, Seed Certification Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Kenya 
  
  @Ephraim: how can digitalisation protect IP rights on indigenous seeds?
  ANSWER: This can at least document the indigenous variety establishing the fact that it is a variety of common knowledge so that no one can later on claim it. More work can then be done to facilitate community ownership of the indigenous seed.
  

@Ephraim: How does KEPHIS support Kenyan Seed Savers with digitalisation?

We are currently working on legislation for community seed production and certification, we shall definitely come up with a digital format for it.

• The Ethio-Seed digital platform, Ato Tefera Zeray, Technical Advisor Seed Systems, Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia
• e-Phyto implementation in Uganda, Remco Kibago, Information Technologist, Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda
• Presentation of the AU Biotech and Seed Partnership Platform, Catherine Langat, Seed system specialist FAOSFE
• Poll / Questions and Answers / Interactive Discussion Ken Lohento, Digital Agriculture Specialist, FAO Regional Office for Africa

Related: 1st Eastern Africa Indigenous Seed Conference EA-ISC 2026

Building farmer managed seed system community of practice (COP) For a Resilient EASTERN AFRICA Region.

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17th – 20th November 2026

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Catholic university of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya