The African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) is attending the Seed Marketing Innovations for Africa (SMIA) Resourced Program Convening Meeting in Nairobi today, on 17th July 2025.
In the opening remarks, the Secretary General, Dr. Yacouba Diallo, began by highlighting AFSTA’s role as the voice of the African seed industry, with a vision to ensure all farmers have access to quality seeds for food security.
He pointed out a critical challenge: despite the availability of advanced, climate-resilient, and high-yielding seed varieties, their adoption by farmers remains low. The problem lies not in the production of seed, but in marketing, access, communication, and building trust with farmers to encourage their use.
To address this, AFSTA’s new strategic plan 3.0 focuses on improving market access through innovative strategies. This includes digital marketing, community demonstrations, and point-of-sale support for agro-dealers to better guide farmers.
Dr. Diallo noted that while the African seed market is valued at over $3 billion and is projected to grow, only about 23% of smallholder farmers currently use improved seeds. He identified key barriers such as inconsistent trade policies, counterfeit products, and a lack of farmer education.
He made a strong call for collaboration, urging seed companies to join national associations and for partners like AGRA and AATF to channel their marketing investments through AFSTA. He argued that as an association of private suppliers, AFSTA is best positioned to implement large-scale marketing campaigns based on the insights from the Seed Marketing Intelligence Assessment (SMIA).
He concluded with an optimistic call to action, inviting all stakeholders to use the event to forge practical pathways for more effective seed marketing and to partner with AFSTA to turn “improved seeds into improved livelihoods” for millions of African farmers. Finally, he invited all participants to the AFSTA Annual Congress in Cape Town, South Africa from 23rd to 25th of March 2026.
SMIA Stakeholder Convening (Nairobi 2025) vF
