What is TASAI?

The African Seed Access Index (TASAI) monitors indicators that are essential to seed sector development at national level.
TASAI's ultimate aim is to publish an annual scorecard that captures the vibrancy and competitiveness of the formal seed sector in the African countries where TASAI is active.
TASAI is a useful tool for government policy makers, development agencies, seed enterprises, and ultimately farmers.

The Role of Seed

Timely availability of improved seeds at affordable prices is critical to improving food security, resilience, and livelihoods for smallholder farmers in Africa. Improved seeds can deliver state of the art technology to farmers including higher yields, disease and pest resistance, climate change adaptation, and improved nutrition. Over the last two decades, formal seed systems in Africa have been gradually liberalized resulting in increased participation of private seed enterprises (multinationals, regional and domestic companies).

TASAI Goals and Objectives

Timely availability of improved seeds at affordable prices is critical to improving food security, resilience, and livelihoods for smallholder farmers in Africa. TASAI seeks to promote the creation and maintenance of enabling environments for competitive seed systems serving smallholder farmers. It is this enabling environment that TASAI seeks to measure, track, and compare across African countries. The intended outcome of the index is improved access to locally adapted, affordable, and high-quality seed of improved varieties by smallholder farmers in Sub- Saharan Africa.

It is time to rethink how we grow, share and consume our food. If done right, agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide nutritious food for all and generate decent incomes, while supporting people-centered rural development and protecting the environment.

Focusing on the seed sector in Africa and providing support for government policy makers, development agencies, seed enterprises and smallholder farmers, TASAI advances the following United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

1) No Poverty