Nairobi, Kenya
March 2, 2025
ISF Board of Directors with representatives from AFSTA and the Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK).
The International Seed Federation (ISF) has convened its Board Meetings in Nairobi, bringing together national, regional and global seed industry leaders and reinforcing their commitment to Africa’s agricultural development, especially in the face of climate change and a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
“Africa is on the verge of unlocking the transformative power of quality seeds,” said Arthur Santosh Attavar, President of ISF. “The private seed sector, represented by ISF, stands ready to support governments, civil society actors, and farmers in the continent in achieving food security, resilience, and economic growth by ensuring that farmers have access to high-quality, climate-resilient seeds.”
“This meeting highlighted ISF’s dedication to strengthening partnerships with African stakeholders, led by the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) and the Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK), to support innovation in plant breeding, harmonize regulatory frameworks, and create an enabling business environment,” added Attavar. (Read the PRESS RELEASE.)
On the Agenda
Over three days, members of the Board of Directors (BoD) discussed progress on the ISF Key Strategic Objectives 2021-2025, including communications and advocacy, preparations for the ISF World Seed Congress 2025, and the path towards the new set of strategic objectives for 2026-2030.
During the first day, the BoD chaired by ISF President Arthur Santosh Attavar, welcomed board members of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) and representatives from the Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK) and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) to discuss joint priorities and explore areas for increased cooperation.
ISF technical leads then provided updates on actions covering plant breeding innovation, international discussions on multilateral system (MLS) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), a systems approach to seeds, and the seed sector’s contributions to environmental sustainability.
After the meetings, some board members joined a field trip to visit the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) site in Nairobi, where they were able to see ongoing trials of improved varieties of different crops like maize, wheat, rice, among others.
Members of the ISF Board of Directors visiting the KALRO site in Nairobi, Kenya.
AFSTA Congress 2025
After the Board meetings, ISF will join the AFSTA 2025 Congress in Kigali, Rwanda on 3-5 March 2025. A field visit with journalists to the trial plots of the Seed Resilience Project will be organized in coordination with project partner Fair Planet and the Rwandan Agricultural Board (RAB). The visit will showcase how the project is trialing the latest varieties of vegetables and potatoes to identify varieties best suited for Rwanda’s agroecological conditions, helping farmers increase food production and boosting incomes in the long-term.
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